Analysis of infarct size on myocardial infarction remodeling

In the United States, over one million patients sustain left ventricular (LV) injury after myocardial infarction (MI). LV remodeling is an adaptive process of hypertrophy that includes infarct expansion, reduced contractility and LV dilation. Progressive enlargement of non-ischemic, hypocontractile myocardium in the adjacent zone (AZ) following the transmural MI has been identified clinically, which contributes to the development post-MI cardiomyopathy in patients. Till now, how the early regional biomechanical and cellular changes, particularly in the AZ, relate to LV remodeling process remains incompletely understood. This study aims to investigate the temporal and/or spatial variations of strain/stress and myocyte size in an ovine model with various MI sizes.Copyright © 2011 by ASME