When is myocardial viability an important clinical issue?

Myocardial viability is a clinically important issue in patients after acute myocardial infarction and in patients with left ventricular dysfunction in the presence or absence of symptoms. With these broad criteria, roughly 10% to 20% of patients with coronary artery disease will be suitable candidates for myocardial viability studies. Techniques that predict improvement in regional or global left ventricular function must be able to detect hibernating myocardium. The improvement observed following coronary revascularization represents a complex interaction between compensatory mechanisms, coronary anatomy, surgical outcome and patient selection.