…and a thin fibrous cap. Disruption of the cap exposes the lipid core and extracellular matrix to circulating blood. Tissue factor within the plaque and…

…Chronic: more than 90 days. The central clinical danger is progressive aortic wall disruption, rupture and compromise of branch vessels. Type A disease may cause…

…80% of cases. Other causes include acute mechanical complications—particularly ventricular septal defect (VSD) and papillary muscle rupture with acute severe mitral regurgitation—predominant right…

…context of a mismatch between myocardial oxygen supply and demand, which is not related to acute coronary atherothrombosis. By definition, acute atherothrombotic plaque disruption is…

…hypercontractility or hypersensitivity of coronary vascular smooth muscle to vasoconstrictor stimuli, including adrenergic agonists, leukotrienes, and serotonin. In patients with CAD, endothelial disruption may convert…

…in other reports. It is more frequent in women and in patients presenting with NSTEMI than in those presenting with STEMI. Approximately one third of…

…seizures and temperature management. The ICU is the preferred level of care for the absolute majority. The CCU may be suitable for stable (hemodynamically and…

…The test presupposes that the patient has spontaneous nystagmus at the time of examination and that the examiner is experienced with the head impulse test…

…and other symptoms may occur without chest pain and should be considered anginal equivalents. The emergency evaluation of non traumatic chest discomfort is structured around…

…for: characterizing the surface of atheroma; measuring fibrous cap thickness; distinguishing thrombus from plaque; evaluating occult plaque rupture; identifying spontaneous coronary dissection or intramural hematoma…