What does coronary myocardial bridge mean?
Disease description:
My father has recently been feeling chest tightness and shortness of breath. After going to the hospital for examination, he was diagnosed with coronary myocardial bridging. May I ask, what does coronary myocardial bridging mean?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Tian Hongbo
Coronary myocardial bridging is a congenital anomaly of coronary artery development. Normally, the main trunk and major branches of the coronary arteries run within the epicardial fat or deep to the epicardium on the surface of the heart, supplying oxygen and energy to the heart.
During the development of the coronary arteries, certain segments of a coronary artery or its branches may become covered by superficial cardiac muscle, causing the vessel to travel through the myocardium. This segment of vessel is referred to as a "tunnelled coronary artery," while the overlying myocardium is termed the "myocardial bridge."
The presence of a myocardial bridge may cause compression of the coronary artery during cardiac contraction, leading to vascular narrowing and subsequently affecting coronary blood flow, which can result in myocardial ischemia in the corresponding regions. Although myocardial bridges may be asymptomatic in younger individuals, some patients may develop symptoms such as chest tightness, chest pain, and shortness of breath with age.
For patients with symptomatic myocardial bridging, treatment strategies include pharmacologic therapy, lifestyle modifications, and, in rare cases, surgical intervention.
