Acute Myocardial Infarction Echocardiography
Reviewed and revised 12 May 2014
OVERVIEW
Echocardiography in acute myocardial infarction is useful for identification of:
- regional wall motion abnormalities
- complications
REGIONAL WALL MOTION ABNORMALITIES
Wall motion abnormalities localise to the territory of the occluded coronary vessel, and may include:
- absence or reduction of systolic thickening
- decreased motion: hypokinetic, akinetic, dyskinetic (systolic bulging) and aneurysmal
Over time, infarcted areas will appear thinned and fibrotic
COMPLICATIONS
- systolic and diastolic dysfunction
- acute MR from papillary muscle rupture
- VSD
- pericardial effusion
- tamponade from free wall rupture
- mural thrombus
- ventricular aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm
References and Links
Journal articles
- Wilansky S. Echocardiography in the assessment of complications of myocardial infarction. Tex Heart Inst J. 1991;18(4):237-42. PMC326347.
Critical Care
Compendium
Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at The Alfred ICU, where he is Deputy Director (Education). He is a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University, the Lead for the Clinician Educator Incubator programme, and a CICM First Part Examiner.
He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives. He was one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) has been recognised for his contributions to education with awards from ANZICS, ANZAHPE, and ACEM.
His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.
On Bluesky, he is @precordialthump.bsky.social and on the site that Elon has screwed up, he is @precordialthump.
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