Myocardical Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA): pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment.

The term MINOCA (Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries) refers to myocardial infarction cases where coronary arteries exhibit less than 50 % stenosis. MINOCA encompasses a diverse range of pathologies with varying etiologies. Diagnosis involves meeting acute myocardial infarction criteria and excluding other causes (myocarditis, takotsubo syndrome). Clinical features often resemble those of traditional myocardial infarction, but MINOCA patients tend to be younger and more frequently female. Etiological investigations include coronary angiography, intracoronary imaging, and vasomotor function tests. Causes include plaque rupture, coronary dissection, vasospasm, microvascular dysfunction, thromboembolism. Prognosis varies, with some subsets at higher risk. Management involves a tailored approach addressing underlying causes, with emphasis on cardioprotective therapy, risk factor modification, and lifestyle interventions. Further research is needed to refine diagnostic strategies and optimize therapeutic approaches in MINOCA patients.

Nilotinib related acute myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial Ischemia with No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (MINOCA) is a common cause of type 2 acute myocardial infarction (AMI) which requires careful differential diagnosis. Coronary artery spasm (CAS) syndrome is one etiology that can lead to MINOCA. Nilotinib, a targeted treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), has been reported to be related with increased risk of adverse vascular events. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old male patient was admitted to hospital with acute chest pain. He had a past medical history of CML and a history of treatment with nilotinib for 12 months. Coronary angiography (CAG) showed no significant stenosis. Since the onset of angina was generally in the early morning, and ECG and echocardiography suggested right coronary artery (RCA) disease, an ergonovine provocation test was performed to confirm the diagnosis of CAS. After intracoronary administration of ergonovine, middle and distal RCA showed over 90% vasoconstriction. Nilotinib related MINOCA, CAS and CML were diagnosed. Lifestyle changes (cessation of smoking), anti-spasmodics, statin treatment and adjustment of the nilotinib dose (from 200 mg bid, to 150 mg bid) were recommended for this patient. Six-month's follow-up showed good recovery with no onsets of angina. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians should be vigilant to adverse vascular events when treating patients who have been prescribed nilotinib. It is suggested that in patients with MINOCA who have a history of treatment with nilotinib, CAS-induced MINOCA should be included in the differential diagnosis. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanism and to find better management.

The evolving role of cardiac imaging in patients with myocardial infarction and non-obstructive coronary arteries.

Myocardial infarction (MI) with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) represents a heterogeneous clinical conundrum accounting for about 6%-8% of all acute MI who are referred for coronary angiography. Current guidelines and consensus documents recommend that these patients are appropriately diagnosed, uncovering the causes of MINOCA, so that specific therapies can be prescribed. Indeed, there are a variety of causes that can result in this clinical condition, and for this reason diagnostic cardiac imaging has an emerging critical role in the assessment of patients with suspected or confirmed MINOCA. In last years, different cardiac imaging techniques have been evaluated in this context, and the comprehension of their strengths and limitations is of the utmost importance for their effective use in clinical practice. Moreover, recent evidence is clearly suggesting that a multimodality cardiac imaging approach, combining different techniques, seems to be crucial for a proper management of MINOCA. However, great variability still exists in clinical practice in the management of patients with suspected MINOCA, also depending on the availability of diagnostic tools and local expertise. Herein, we review the current knowledge supporting the use of different cardiac imaging techniques in patients with MINOCA, underscoring the importance of a comprehensive multimodality cardiac imaging approach and proposing a practical diagnostic algorithm to properly identify and treat the specific causes of MINOCA, in order to improve prognosis and the quality of life in these patients.

Syndrome of Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Diseases: A Comprehensive Overview of Open Artery Ischemia.

Syndromes of cardiac ischemia with nonobstructive coronary arteries have been increasingly recognized as a clinical entity with heterogeneous clinical presentations, commonly encountered in women. Knowledge of pathophysiology and clinical risk factors is key to ensuring appropriate diagnostic evaluation and management for these often-neglected patients. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical presentations of these syndromes. We provide algorithms for diagnosis and management of these entities based on current scientific knowledge and highlight some of the key knowledge gaps and ongoing trials in this emerging field.