A myocardial bridge is a band of heart muscle that lies on top of a coronary artery, instead of underneath it. With a myocardial bridge, part of a coronary artery dips into and underneath the heart muscle and then comes back out again. The band of muscle that lies on top of the coronary artery is called a "bridge," and this is how the condition gets its name. For the most part, a myocardial bridge is harmless.
Patients with a myocardial bridge will have had it since birth, and most patients live their whole lives without ever knowing they have the condition. However, some patients can develop myocardial ischemia because of a myocardial bridge. Myocardial ischemia means that the heart muscle is not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. When the heart "squeezes" (contracts) during the heartbeat, the bridge of heart muscle can "tighten down" on the artery, pinching it and decreasing the blood…
