Myocardial Bridging?

[michL]

I am so happy to have found this site, it's been such a comfort to me.  Well for starters, I am 38, female, excersize 5 days a week, and am fairly fit.  About 10 years ago I started to notice a fast heart beat(all the time) and pvc's.  My doctor wasn't concerned.  As the yeas passed it got faster and the pvc's were more frequent, and then it started to cause pain in my chest and down my left arm. I was sent to a cardiol. who was concerned, mostly because of family history.  I had a thallium stress test and they found my LAD looked like it had a partial blockage.  I then went for a cardiac cath that showed it was caused by bridging, not a blockage after all.  My Dr. said this was fairly common, and not to worry, but to avoid any heavy lifting, and real strenous work. He stated it was congenital, and won't progress.  Why did I never feel anything before?  If this is so common, how come I can't find any information on it? Could you please tell me more about this?  I also have SVT, and my heart will get up to about 160bpm, I'm currently on metoprolol 25mg twice a day which really helps. I also want to know if the bridging is causing the fast heart rate, and what else could it cause?  He is concerned about my cholesterol because of the narrow area in my artery.  How narrow did it have to be to show on the stress test? Over 70% like a blockage?  I'm sorry about so many questions, but when he told me, I was so shocked I kind of went blank.  Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

michL,
Myocardial bridging refers to a band of muscle that crosses over the coronary (heart) arteries.  These bridges are present in somewhere between 1 and 25% of people.  

During the time of the heart beat when the heart is "squeezing", this band of muscle may compress the artery, in your case the LAD, and cause symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain.

Fortunately, however, most of the blood gets to the heart not during the time when the heart is "squeezing", but when the heart is "relaxing". Therefore, most people are not troubled at all by the bridging.  Whether or not symptoms are present during activity depends on (1) how much compression of the LAD occurs by the bridge and (2) how fast your heart rate gets.

SVT is rarely associated with bridging. The treatment for SVT caused by bridging is metoprolol or a drug like it.

A study done in 1978 in over 5000 patients showed that persons with less than 50% compression of an artery by a bridge were not found to have any "blockage" on functional testing.

Hope that helps. If you're still troubled, contact your doctor. He/She should be willing to help.

[Tonyc]

I am a 35yo Male, about 1 1/2yrs ago, I was diagnosed with Myocardial Bridging. I am very symtomatic and have pains daily. My Cardiologist is treating me with Atenenol,Norvasc,Imdur,aspirin,nitroquick,pamelor. Even with these meds I'm still having pain, along with the effects from my blood pressure being low (85/50) due to the meds, We have ran gastro tests, In which have came back in the normal ranges. Bypass according to my doctor could be possible but he is concerned because where the LAD comes back out from the heart the artery is so narrow thus scar tissue could cause blockage, my question on that is why couldn't a stent be put in place under the location of the reattached artery thus not allowing the scar tissue to create a blockage. Is this possible? or is there anything else that can be done, I can't keep going on like this it affects my everyday living. In closing any Recommendation of a Doctor who has a background in treating this condition..  I've lost confidence in my current Doctor.. Please Help..  

Thank you,
Tonyc

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