Intramyocardial hemorrhage contributes to microvascular obstruction in acute myocardial infarction

Background Patients with hemorrhagic infarcts appear to constitute a high-risk group in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the clinical implications of hemorrhagic versus non-hemorrhagic infarcts are currently unclear, warranting a more systematic and mechanistic approach towards understanding the underlying consequences. The question of whether hemorrhage is simply a bystander or contributes to additional myocardial injury remains to be investigated. The purpose of the study was to artificially induce hemorrhage in normal and infarcted (but not hemorrhagic) porcine myocardium to determine whether hemorrhage, per se, worsens prior ischemic damage.