What is myocardial bridging?

What is myocardial bridging?

Normally the epicardial coronary arteries (blood vessels supplying the heart) are located outside the myocardium (heart muscle). Occasionally a segment of the epicardial coronary artery passes through the myocardium. This causes a narrowing of that region when the heart contracts in systole, known as myocardial bridging. Myocardial bridging can be recognized as narrowing of a region of the coronary artery in systole which normalizes in diastole (heart relaxes after a contraction). Usually myocardial bridges do not cause ischemia (decrease in blood supply to the heart muscle), though rarely it can do so. Generally myocardial bridges are left alone, though some operators would prefer stenting of bridging areas presumably causing ischemia.

Read more on myocardial bridging, its classification, management and named signs in myocardial bridging.