POSTINFARCTION VENTRICULAR SEPTAL RUPTURE

Course overview

THE MOST SEVERE POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS OF ACUTE ST-ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION (STEMI) INVOLVE TEARING OR RUPTURE OF ACUTELY INFARCTED MYOCARDIAL TISSUE. THE CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE COMPLICATIONS DIFFER AND DEPEND ON THE SITE OF RUPTURE, WHICH MAY INVOLVE THE FREE WALL OF EITHER VENTRICLE, THE INTERVENTRICULAR SEPTUM, OR THE PAPILLARY MUSCLES. POST-MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION VENTRICULAR SEPTAL RUPTURE (VSR) IS A DREADED COMPLICATION AND CONFERS HIGH MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN PATIENTS AFTER ST-SEGMENT ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS PRESENTING FEATURES THAT SHOULD PROMPT CONSIDERATION OF POST-MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION VENTRICULAR SEPTAL RUPTURE AND FURTHER STEPS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH POST-MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION VENTRICULAR SEPTAL RUPTURE.