Mechanical Complications of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Published: June 15, 2021

Figure 2: Clinical characteristics of Mechanical Complications of Acute Myocardial Infarction
  • In papillary muscle rupture (PMR), emergency mitral valve replacement (MVR) is the treatment of choice, but for patients with partial PMR and stable hemodynamics, MV repair may be an option for surgeons with the appropriate technical expertise.
  • In post-infarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) caused by rupture of infarcted myocardium, immediate afterload reduction is the mainstay of initial therapy and may be achieved through temporary mechanical support to decompress the left ventricle and support cardiac output.
  • Multidisciplinary teams have the potential to improve adherence to best practice recommendations, decrease adverse events, and increase patient survival. In addition, patients, family members, and palliative care specialists should be actively engaged in treatment decision-making within the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU).