myocardial

Myocardial is an adjective used in medical terminology to describe anything relating to the myocardium, the muscular middle layer of the heart wall that contracts to pump blood. The myocardium consists of cardiac muscle fibers organized in layers and varies in thickness by chamber, being thickest in the left ventricle.

It lies between the endocardium and the epicardium, and its contraction is coordinated by the heart's electrical conduction system to produce a heartbeat. The myocardium has a high metabolic demand and depends on coronary arteries to supply oxygen and nutrients. Damage to myocardial tissue can impair cardiac function.

Clinical relevance includes myocardial infarction, or heart attack, resulting from blockage of a coronary artery and causing ischemia and necrosis of muscle tissue. Myocardial ischemia denotes reduced blood flow that may be transient or partial, while myocarditis refers to inflammation of the myocardium. Cardiomyopathy denotes diseases primarily affecting the myocardium's structure or function.

Diagnosis relies on symptoms, electrocardiography, cardiac biomarkers such as troponin, and imaging such as echocardiography or cardiac MRI. Management of acute myocardial infarction emphasizes rapid reperfusion with percutaneous coronary intervention or thrombolysis, plus antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy and measures to support heart function. Chronic myocardial disorders may require heart failure therapies and lifestyle modifications.

Etymology: myocardial comes from Greek mys, muscle, and kardia, heart. In clinical use, it designates tissues, injuries, or diseases related to the myocardium, the heart muscle responsible for contraction.