Impact of percutaneous coronary intervention in right coronary artery on right ventricular function in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a potent predictor of mortality and morbidity following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Despite the fact that elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has significantly decreased myocardial damage to the left ventricle, there is a lack of information regarding the effect of PCI on RV function. Aim: This study aimed to examine the effect of right coronary artery (RCA) revascularization on the systolic and diastolic functions of the right ventricle following acute inferior wall myocardial infarction. Methods: Fifty-nine patients diagnosed with acute inferior wall myocardial infarction after RCA revascularization were prospectively investigated between April 2018 and January 2020. The patients underwent 2D echocardiography. RV systolic and diastolic functions were reported before and after the PCI procedure and compared using echocardiographic RV systolic and diastolic parameters. Results: After PCI, echocardiographic RV systolic and diastolic functions significantly improved in the proximal and mid RCA in terms of TAPSE, RVFAC, and E/A. Significant improvement was found in the mid RCA in terms of S' velocity (p = 0.008) and in the proximal RCA in terms of E/e' (p = 0.021). Overall echocardiographic systolic and diastolic parameters in patients with RV dysfunction following PCI were improved [TAPSE (37.29% vs. 81.82%), S' velocity (37.29% vs. 68.18%), RVFAC (33.90% vs. 90.00%), and E/A (33.90% vs. 75.00%)]. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that patients with RV dysfunction showed remarkable improvement after RCA revascularization. Hence, in future cases, RCA revascularization may become an appropriate treatment alternative for the recovery of patients with RV dysfunction.