Heart HealthHidden Heart Risk: Microvascular Dysfunction Doubles Cardiac Event Rates
A large prospective Korean registry study published in The Lancet found that coronary microvascular dysfunction — disease in the heart's tiny blood vessels, not just the main arteries — is common and dangerous. Among 1,003 patients undergoing invasive heart procedures, about 21% of those with visible artery blockages also had microvascular dysfunction. Over roughly two years, patients with microvascular dysfunction were nearly twice as likely to experience death, heart attack, repeat procedures, or hospitalization for heart failure compared to those without it. This highlights that treating visible blockages alone may not address all cardiovascular risk, and that the small vessels of the heart deserve greater clinical attention in routine cardiac care.
