About this Research Topic

Background

Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) is the most common type of cardiomyopathy, and is a leading cause of heart failure. Ischemic cardiomyopathy is typically characterized initially by the finding of left main and/or multivessel coronary artery disease. Typical clinical presentations are acute heart failure, with investigations finding coronary artery disease, or symptomatic coronary artery disease with investigations demonstrating decreased ejection fraction.

Although this is a common disease, practices can be variable and there is poor clarity regarding the best approach to diagnosis, and short and long-term management, these issues are often debated. For example, it's not unusual for investigators to use exercise versus pharmacological stress test, CT coronary or coronary arteriography to investigate the cause of a cardiomyopathy despite knowing that there is variable sensitivity and specificity each approach. Similarly, there remains several questions regarding management, do we understand if we should revascularization immediately or delayed when presenting with acute heart failure versus acute coronary syndrome? Should we make revascularization strategies dependent on left ventricular geometry, genomics, proteomics, MRI LGE and/or other factors?

This Research Topic has been organized with the aim to provide the reader with a comprehensive review of the latest advances in the approach to the care and management of ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Potential sub-topics within this area of research may include, but are not limited to:
1) Revascularization strategies in the management of ICM, including the use of personalized medicine approaches.
2) The use of non-invasive evaluation of cause of ischemic cardiomyopathy.
3) Imaging in the use of PCI for revascularization.
4) Physiological evaluation of coronary anatomy.
5) Medical management of ischemic cardiomyopathy.

This Research Topic welcomes the submission so original research, systematic review and opinion articles within this area of ICM management.

Keywords: left main, multi-vessel disease, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, revascularization, medical therapy, heart failure, ischemic cardiomyopathy

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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