Subject(s)
Cardiac Catheterization , Hypertension, Pulmonary/diagnosis , Pulmonary Artery/physiopathology , Pulmonary Wedge Pressure , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Hypertension, Pulmonary/physiopathology , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Prospective Studies , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
For many years, the importance of the right heart was neglected, and the right ventricle was viewed as merely a conduit for transmitting blood to the lungs. However, the realization that right ventricular function is a key determinant of prognosis in left heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and after implantation of left ventricular assist devices renewed interest in accurate quantification of right ventricular function. This article reviews traditional and gold-standard hemodynamic assessments of the right ventricle in health and disease.
Subject(s)
Heart Failure/etiology , Heart Ventricles/physiopathology , Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/complications , Ventricular Function, Right/physiology , Heart Failure/physiopathology , Humans , Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/physiopathologyABSTRACT
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is an increasingly recognized nonatherosclerotic cause of acute coronary syndrome. Reports regarding the prognosis and natural history of this disease are limited. In addition to the diagnostic difficulty, this condition poses a significant therapeutic challenge due to the lack of specific management guidelines. We present here a case series of 9 patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Additionally, this article reviews the incidence, clinical characteristics, risk factors, diagnostic modalities, therapeutic approaches, and patterns of recurrence in patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection.