Scientists talked about the role of fatty tissue around the heart in heart attack

The increased volume of epicardial adipose tissue (EDT) surrounding the heart may increase myocardial damage after a heart attack. This was reported on December 12 in the journal Medical Xpress.

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in the world, with about 85% of deaths attributed to heart attacks and strokes. As specified, the severity of the consequences of a heart attack is largely determined by the extent of damage to the heart muscle, and identifying risk factors helps to more accurately identify patients with the greatest risk of complications.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EDT), located between the myocardium and the lining of the heart, is able to secrete inflammatory mediators and affect the structure of the myocardium. She has previously been associated with coronary diseases and serious cardiovascular events. The research team studied how fat volume correlates with the extent of heart damage after a heart attack using data from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The study included 1,168 patients who underwent MRI within 10 days after the intervention. The participants were divided into groups depending on the amount of adipose tissue. It turned out that patients from the upper quartile were older (66 versus 63 years old) and had a higher body mass index.

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A high volume of adipose tissue was independently associated with a large heart attack and wider risk areas. At the same time, there were no differences in the left ventricular ejection fraction.

"We have shown that an increased volume of ECT is associated with more pronounced acute myocardial injury. A non-invasive MRI assessment of ECT can improve the stratification of cardiovascular risks and requires further verification," said Clara Hagedorn, a representative of the study.

Senior author Dr. Alexander Schultz added that understanding the mechanisms of the effect of ECT on the myocardium can help identify patients at early stages of cardiovascular disorders and develop preventive measures.

The day before, Dr. Brittany Weber, chairman of the Cardiology Committee for Women at the American Heart Association, said that chronic inflammation due to injury or infection increases the risks to heart health. It can lead to vascular damage, and later to a stroke or heart attack.

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