Isolated Right Ventricular Myocardial Infarction

1 May 1993 | Volume 118 Issue 9 | Pages 708-711

Infarction of the right ventricle can be detected in as many as 30% to 40% of patients with inferior myocardial infarction. Infarction involving only the right ventricle is unusual, and the diagnosis has rarely been made early in presentation. We report two patients with myocardial infarction isolated to the right ventricle. Both patients had prolonged chest pain and normal electrocardiograms. In the first patient, urgent cardiac catheterization showed an occluded, nondominant right coronary artery that was reperfused using emergency angioplasty. In the second patient, a subtotally occluded, nondominant right coronary artery caused postinfarction angina and was treated successfully with angioplasty. Patients with prolonged chest pain and nondiagnostic electrocardiograms should be assessed for this rarely reported syndrome.

Author and Article Information

From Michigan Heart and Vascular Institute, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Requests for Reprints: Joel K. Kahn, MD, 2221 Livernois, Suite 103, Troy, MI 48083.
Acknowledgments: The authors thank William Bush, DO, for referral of the patients.