Clinical decision-making and myocardial viability: current perspectives

• Published in: Internal Medicine Journal
• Main Authors: Nelson, C., Marwick, T. H.
• Other Authors: E. Byrne
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley-Blackwell 2005
• Subjects: Medicine; General & Internal; Myocardial Infarction; Viable Myocardium; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography; Echocardiography; Coronary-artery-disease; Left-ventricular Dysfunction; Positron-emission-tomography; Bypass Graft-surgery; Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography; Practice Guidelines Committee; Ischemic-heart-disease; Association Task-force; Medical Group Survival; Term Cass Experience; 321003 Cardiology (incl. Cardiovascular Diseases); C1; 730106 Cardiovascular system and diseases; SCAR
• Online Access: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:74894

Not all myocardium involved in a myocardial infarction is dead or irreversibly damaged. The balance between the amount of scar and live tissue, and the nature of the live tissue, determine the likelihood that contractile function will improve after revascularisation. This improvement (which defines viability) may be predicted with about 80% accuracy using several techniques. This review examines the determinants of functional recovery and how they may be integrated in making decisions regarding revascularisation. (Intern Med J 2005; 35: 118–125)