cardiac rupture
Last reviewed 01/2018
Cardiac rupture occurs most often as a result of infarctive damage to the myocardium (usually transmural); it may also occur as a result of trauma.
Features:
- about 10% of patients dying in hospital following an acute myocardial infarction will have a ventricular rupture
- more common in women (4:1)
- most commonly affects the left ventricle around the apex at the terminal distribution of the left anterior descending artery
- usually occurs 3-5 days following the myocardial infarct - may occur up to 3 weeks after the initial cardiac insult
The consequenses will include bleeding into the pericardium - causing cardiac tamponade, with progressively poorer cardiac function.