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Fatal Hemoptysis during Coronary Thrombolysis
1Division of Cardiology and Pulmonary Medicine, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, New York; Department of Medicine, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, New York and Department of Pathology, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, New York.
Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for heart attack can cause bleeding. This case report details fatal hemoptysis, or coughing up blood, in a patient with lung disease, highlighting a potential risk factor for thrombolytic therapy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Coronary thrombolysis is a critical treatment for acute myocardial infarction.
- While cerebral hemorrhage is a known complication, other bleeding sites are also documented.
- Hemoptysis following thrombolysis is exceptionally rare in medical literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a rare case of fatal hemoptysis after coronary thrombolysis.
- To identify potential risk factors for severe bleeding complications during thrombolytic therapy.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a 66-year-old male patient.
- Administration of front-loaded tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for acute myocardial infarction.
- Observation of massive hemoptysis in a patient with pre-existing cavitary lung disease.
Main Results:
- The patient developed massive hemoptysis shortly after receiving tPA.
- The patient succumbed to the bleeding within 5 hours of treatment.
- This represents the first reported instance of fatal hemoptysis induced by coronary thrombolysis.
Conclusions:
- Massive hemoptysis can be a life-threatening complication of coronary thrombolysis.
- Pre-existing cavitary lung disease may represent a significant risk factor for developing severe hemoptysis in patients undergoing thrombolytic therapy.