Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary atherosclerosis as a current problem of emergency cardiology

Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary atherosclerosis is a term which emerged recently, but it is of great importance for current clinical practice. Under the mask of this diagnosis, not only ischemia-caused myocardial infarction is hiding, but also diseases with alternative mechanisms of myocardial injury. This review presents a definition of this term as well as differential diagnostic algorithm for diseases associated with increase in the myocardial injury markers. The role of magnetic resonance imaging is emphasized as it is the key method for diagnosis of cardiac diseases. Main principles of current recommendations in this regard are presented. Unsolved and undeveloped aspects of this problem are discussed. Directions for future research are outlined.