Pathology of myocardial ischemia and infarction Flashcards
1. Review the pathological manifestations of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease 2. Determinants of infarct size 3. Different pathological forms of MIs such as regional, diffuse, STEMI, NSTEMI 4. Gross and microscopic appearances of the different phases of an MI 5. Reperfusion myocardial injury 6. Clinical onsequences of MIs and thier pathological expressions
Definition of myocardial ischemia
A state in which O2 supply to the myocardium is insufficient to meet its needs as a result of inadequate perfusion
Factors influencing myocadial O2 supply
- diastolic perfusion pressure
- coronary vascular resistance
- O2 carrying capacity
Factors influencing myocardial O2 demand
- wall tension
- heart rate
- contractility
Balance between supply and demand
- when supply equals demand or increase in supply is met by the same increase in demand = no ischemia
- demand > supply –> ischemia
What are causes of coronary artery disease (10)
- Atherosclerosis/ thrombosis (most important)
- Coronary emboli
- Coronary vasospas
- Ostial narrowing
- Congenital anomalities of coronary artery
- Arthritis
- Post -cardiac transplant vasculopathy
- Spontaneous arterial dissection
- Complications of coronary catherization
- Cocaine abuse
Most common reason why coronary artery atheroscerosis causes myocardial ischemia
-most infarcts (90%) are caused by plaque erosion and subsequent thrombosis
Consequences of calcification of coronary arteries
1) Luminal narrowing
2) Inability to dilate
Composition of atherosclerotic plaque
- fibrous cap on the top - protective layer on surface (collagen and connective tissue and myofibroblasts -contractile and secretory part - make the matrix)
- function of matrix - protect bloodstream from seeing the atheroma
- atheroma = lipid core -if liberated in bloodstream causes instant thrombosis and sudden death
Compensation for narrowed lumen
-distal arterioles dilate
which plaques are the most dangerous (prone to rupture)
- not plaques with alot of calcium (although this does make them narrowed and less pliable)
- it is the soft plaques that are the most prone to rupture (and therefore to become a thrombus) - vulnerable plaque
Where plaque is most likely to rupture
- at the shoulder region
- where inflammatory cells accumulate and secrete cytokines and degredative enzymes (Matrix metaloproteinases and elastases)
- eats away at soft thin region around shoulder and ruptures plack
Two mechanism formation of thrombus
- Plaque fissure
2. Plaque rupture
Plaque fissure
- defect in the endothelium exposing underlying plaque tissue to flow of blood
- thrombus forms on exposed surface
Plaque rupture
- flap of fibrous cap has lifted
- exposes underlying atheroma and it spills into the lumen
- thrombus forms on exposed surface
Propagation of thrombus
1) Thrombus can remain relatively small
2) can enlarge and
i) remain stable
ii) become more fibrous and regress (brought into coronary artery wall)
iii) can block artery right in original position
3) can break off and float down into smaller vessel and occlude that (thrombo emboli)
- platelets that are part of the thrmbus contain platelets contain vasoactive factors - cause vasoconstriction in microvesicles (mechanical and chemical plug)
4) resolution –> rethrombosis and progressive stenosis
Infarction - definition
Cell/tissue death due to ischemia
Clinical definition of infarction
Evidence of myocardial necrosis in a clinical setting consistent with myocardial ischemia
Diagnosis of MI clinically
Rise and/or fall of cardiac biomarker (troponin) to >99th percentile + min 1 of:
1) symptoms of ischemia
2) ECG changes of new ischemia
- ST-T differences
3) Imaging evidence (new loss of viable myocardium, regional wall abnormality)
Timeline myocardial infarction
1) Myocardial dysfunction occur in 2 min from occlusion
2) Irreversible changes (necrosis) being approx 20 min following occlusion
3) Complete infarction may take 2-4 hours
Lethal cellular event in mi
-rapid drop in high energy phosphates
Real lethal event =
-cell membrane ion pumps don’t have a field to drive them (i.e. high energy phosphates) so fail
-membrane disruption because ions re-equilibrate across membrane and H2O follows
-cell death follows
How to detect myocardial necrosis
- by elevation of specific enzymes
i) CK-MB (rise 3-8 hr)
ii) Troponin (rise 3-4 hr)
Troponin vs. CK-MB
-troponin rise faster and detectable fo longer period of time
-troponin more specific than CK-MB (which is found in some other organs in small amounts)
(troponins virtually undetectable in absence of cardiac disease