Table of Contents
What is significant about an MI in the LAD?
Anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) owing to an occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) is associated with the highest risk of adverse clinical outcomes because of the large amount of myocardial territory supplied by the LAD compared with other coronary arteries (1, 2).
What are the leads affected by LAD?
Table 1: Localization of ischemic area in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI/STE-ACS)
| Leads with ST segment elevations | Affected myocardial area | Occluded coronary artery (cuprit) |
|---|---|---|
| V3–V4 | Anterior | LAD. |
| V5–V6 | Apical | Distal LAD, LCx or RCA. |
| I, aVL | Lateral | LCx. |
| II, aVF, III | Inferior | 90% RCA. 10% LCx. |
What is the treatment for LAD?
A narrowing or blockage in the LAD is more serious than narrowing or blockage in the other arteries. Bypass surgery usually is the best choice for a blocked LAD. If the LAD is not blocked, and there are no other complicating factors, stents are more likely to be used, even if both of the other arteries are blocked.
Is the LAD artery The Widowmaker?
A widowmaker is an informal term for a heart attack that involves 100 percent blockage in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, says Stanley Chetcuti, M.D., an interventional cardiologist at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center.
Can you put a stent in the LAD?
Coronary stenting (STENT) and left internal mammary artery bypass grafting of the LAD (LIMA-LAD) are other options that have been successfully used for single-vessel LAD disease. The optimal mode of revascularization for patients with isolated single-vessel LAD disease is unclear.
How dangerous is a blockage of the lad?
In about 80% of people, the LAD wraps around the bottom of the heart and supplies the area beyond that. Significant blockages of the LAD artery can be dangerous simply because the LAD supplies such a large territory. A stemi heart attack involving the LAD is typically more serious than other heart attacks.
How is blockage of the LAD artery treated?
Blockage of blood supply to the branches of the arteries that lead to the LAD coronary artery should still be treated as seriously as a full myocardial infarction. Treatment must be initiated as soon as possible in order to prevent further tissue damage.
What are the treatment options for lad disease?
If the LAD disease is determined to be significant then a stent is often used to relieve the blockage. Sometimes bypass surgery is advised, and usually a vessel called the LIMA (left internal mammary artery) is used as the bypass vessel…
What is the main cause of infarct?
Plaque buildup is thought to be the primary cause of infarcts. They restrict blood flow by simply accumulating on artery walls, slowly increasing in size over time. These plaques also have the potential for breaking off and blocking blood flow elsewhere.