PMID: 11930184Apr 4, 2002Paper

Detection and characterization of hibernating myocardium

Nuclear Medicine Communications
C Mari, W H Strauss

Abstract

Since Tennant and Wiggers observed that coronary occlusion caused a reduction in cardiac contractile function, a lot has been written about the concept of hibernating myocardium. Known as the 'smart heart', hibernating myocardium is characterized by a persistent ventricular myocardial dysfunction with preserved viability, which improves with the relief of the ischaemia; this chronic downregulation in contractile function being a protective mechanism to reduce oxygen demand and thus ensure myocyte survival. This improvement usually results in an enrichment in the quality of life as well as enhanced ventricular function. In fact, it has been observed that the cardiac event rate in patients with viable dysfunctional left ventricular segments who are medically treated, is higher than the event rate in patients with comparable viability who are revascularized. Different degrees of histological alteration have been seen in hibernating myocardium, ranging from cellular de-differentiation (fetal phenotype) to cellular degeneration. Cellular de-differentiation has been associated with repetitive stunning. On the other hand, cellular degeneration (with more extensive fibrosis) has been associated with chronic low myocardial blood flow an...Continue Reading

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Citations

Apr 29, 2005·The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging·Ching-yee Oliver WongKostaki Bis
Mar 11, 2005·The American Journal of Cardiology·Mariann GyöngyösiDietmar Glogar
Feb 16, 2005·Cardiovascular Pathology : the Official Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology·Alan G Rose, Soon J Park
Dec 7, 2011·Medical Principles and Practice : International Journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre·Michael M Graham
Dec 22, 2012·Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy·Céline GiordanoMarc Ruel
Dec 22, 2007·Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy·Piotr J SlomkaGuido Germano

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