Why the study?
Left ventricular thrombus remains a significant complication of acute myocardial infarction linked to systemic embolism, stroke, cardiovascular events, and death, with evolving diagnostic and anticoagulation strategies.
This review highlights the role of cardiac magnetic resonance for diagnosing left ventricular thrombus and supports guideline-directed use of dual antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy to reduce embolic events.
Persistent LVT risk post-MI warrants combined antithrombotic vigilance; review leaves optimal regimen open for trials.
One of the potential complications of acute myocardial infarction is left ventricular thrombus (LVT). The incidence of LVT following acute myocardial infarction has decreased dramatically with early invasive reperfusion techniques or fibrinolysis. However, the risk of LVT formation remains significant and is associated with an increased risk of systemic embolism, stroke, cardiovascular events, and even death. Current guidelines indicate that dual antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulation therapy for at least 3 months can reduce the risk of these events. While vitamin K antagonist is the preferred oral anticoagulant, there is growing evidence to support the use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants in LVT management. Cardiac magnetic resonance has shown the highest diagnostic accuracy for LVT assessment, followed by echocardiography with contrast agents. This article serves as a general review of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of LVT.
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Hussein et al. (2022) studied this question.
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