Open AccessThe “open artery hypothesis” in survivors of myocardial infarction
Author(s) -
Pitts William R.,
Cigarroa Joaquin E.,
Lange Richard A.,
David Hillis L.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960200603
Subject(s) - medicine , myocardial infarction , cardiology , artery , infarction , incidence (geometry) , physics , optics
In survivors of acute myocardial infarction, the restoration of antegrade flow in the infarct‐related coronary artery may improve prognosis by a mechanism independent of its effect on left ventricular function. Survival may be enhanced even when restoration of flow is accomplished days or weeks after the acute event. In a series of retrospective studies of survivors of a first myocardial infarction, it was shown that long‐term survival is significantly better in those with than in those without antegrade flow in the infarct‐related artery. It is hypothesized that late restoration of antegrade flow in the infarct‐related artery renders the border zone of the infarction more electrically stable, thereby diminishing the incidence of ventricular tachyarrhythmias and sudden death.