[New approaches in coronary microcirculation].

The last decades, coronary microcirculation has become a very important territory because of its role in coronary circulation physiology and pathophysiology. Only its implication in coronary artery disease was known at the beginning, but subsequently its role in many others diseases was shown. The nontraditional pathophysiological construct sustains that myocardial microcirculatory dysfunction is the primary event, and the atherosclerotic plaque rupture or erosion is the secondary event.

Myocardial infarction in young patients.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is relatively rare in young patients. Atherosclerosis is responsible for most cases, but in one fifth of reported events other causes of MI are involved. Regarding individual susceptibility, it seems that cigarette smoking is the most common modifiable risk factor; family history and lipid abnormalities can also play an important role.

Is acute myocardial infarction a localized or rather a global coronary phenomenon?

Background: Use of qualitative assessment of coronary artery flow (TIMI), although widely spread, represents a subjective method, a quantitative assessment (CTFC) being necessary in order to standardize and facilitate comparisons and communications of angiographic trials. This study aims at appreciating whether myocardial infarction represents a global phenomenon that affects the whole myocardium, also affecting the coronary artery flow in non-culprit arteries.

Materials And Methods: 66 patients that underwent primary PCI with stent and 66 patients with normal angiographic coronary arteries were studied.