Occlusion of the left coronary trunk secondary to tertiary syphilis
Ricardo Wang1, Gustavo Blume, Newton Fernando Stadler Souza Filho
1Hospital Santa Casa de Curitiba, Praça Rui Barbosa 245, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. rwang@cardiol.br
Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia
|October 24, 2009
Insights
Tertiary syphilis can cause severe heart problems like coronary artery disease and unstable angina. This case highlights the importance of considering syphilis in cardiac diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pathology
Background:
- Tertiary syphilis is a late stage of syphilis infection.
- It can affect multiple organ systems, including the cardiovascular system.
- Myocardial ischemia and coronary artery disease are rare but serious manifestations.
Observation:
- A 27-year-old patient presented with symptoms of unstable angina.
- The patient was diagnosed with tertiary syphilis.
- The unstable angina was secondary to left coronary trunk occlusion.
Findings:
- Diagnosis was confirmed through serological testing for syphilis.
- Pathological assessment of an aorta fragment provided further evidence.
- The findings linked tertiary syphilis directly to coronary artery occlusion.
Implications:
- This case underscores the need for a broad differential diagnosis in patients with cardiac symptoms.
- Early recognition and treatment of syphilis are crucial to prevent severe cardiovascular complications.
- Highlights the importance of integrating infectious disease screening into cardiac workups.
Abstract:
A 27-year-old patient with tertiary syphilis, manifested as myocardial ischemia, presenting unstable angina, secondary to left coronary trunk occlusion. The diagnosis was confirmed by the serological findings and the pathological assessment of the aorta fragment.
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