culprit vessel
The coronary artery determined to be responsible for an acute coronary syndrome or myocardial infarction.
Full Definition
A culprit vessel is the specific coronary artery identified as the cause of an acute coronary event, typically characterized by acute occlusion or severe stenosis with evidence of plaque rupture or thrombosis. In cardiovascular research, culprit vessel identification is crucial for treatment decisions and outcome analyses. Studies often evaluate culprit vessel-only versus complete revascularization strategies, or analyze outcomes based on culprit vessel location (LAD, RCA, or LCX). Editors should ensure that criteria for culprit vessel identification are clearly defined in methodology sections.
Usage
Usage note: Clearly distinguish from non-culprit vessels and target lesions in multivessel disease discussions.
In Context
- "The LAD was identified as the culprit vessel in 45% of STEMI cases." — Acute coronary syndrome registry
- "Complete revascularization included treatment of both culprit and non-culprit vessels." — Interventional strategy comparison