What does hibernating myocardium mean?

The term “hibernating myocardium” refers to the presence of persistently impaired LV function at rest, due to a reduced coronary blood flow that can be partially or completely restored to normal after revascularization.

What is Subendocardial myocardium?

A subendocardial infarct results in necrosis exclusively inolving the innermost aspect of the myocardium. Usually a subendocardial infarct is the result of a partially occluded epicardial coronary artery (i.e. NSTEMI).

What causes hibernating myocardium?

Hibernating myocardium is the term used to describe a portion of the muscle that makes up the middle layer of heart tissue, the myocardium, that has gone into a state of dormancy due to an inadequate supply of blood. This often occurs as a result of coronary artery disease (CAD).

What happens to myocardium after MI?

After myocardial infarction (MI), the heart undergoes extensive myocardial remodeling through the accumulation of fibrous tissue in both the infarcted and noninfarcted myocardium, which distorts tissue structure, increases tissue stiffness, and accounts for ventricular dysfunction.

Is the myocardium still viable after hibernating?

Hibernating myocardium is myocardial tissue that has reduced contractility due to poor perfusion, but remains viable.

How is myocardial stunning a reversible condition?

Myocardial stunning is the reversible, but only slowly recovering, contractile dysfunction that follows brief periods of myocardial ischaemia. Myocardial stunning reflects genuine reperfusion injury as a consequence of increased formation of reactive oxygen species and reduced calcium responsiveness.

Which is the end point of myocardial stunning?

Unlike acute myocardial infarction with reperfusion, in which infarct size is the end point reflecting irreversible injury, myocardial stunning and hibernation result from reversible myocardial ischaemia–reperfusion injury, and contractile dysfunction is the obvious end point.

What happens to the contractile function of the myocardium?

Hibernating myocardium is characterized by reduced regional contractile function and blood flow, which both recover after reperfusion or revascularization. Short-term myocardial hibernation is an adaptation of contractile function to the reduced blood flow such that energy and substrate metabolism recover during the ongoing ischaemia.