Acute myocardial infarction in a young patient with bicuspid aortic valve

Bicuspid aortic valve is one of the most common congenital heart valve disorders. We present the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in an 18-year-old male patient with unrecognized bicuspid aortic valve and moderate aortic regurgitation. He presented with chest pain. The electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in leads V2 to V6. Creatine kinase-MB level was elevated to 97 U/l and troponin I was very high (45,000 ng/ml). The diagnosis was made as anterior wall AMI. Following treatment with intravenous rt-PA, ST-segment elevation completely returned to normal. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a bicuspid aortic valve, moderate aortic regurgitation, and apical wall hypokinesia; left ventricular global systolic function was normal. The patient had no risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis, nor a history of substance addiction or a family history of coronary artery disease. Protein C, protein S and homocysteine levels were normal. He refused any further intervention. Two weeks after discharge, he presented again with chest pain. Electrocardiography, cardiac markers, and coronary arteriography were normal. He was discharged on appropriate medical treatment. The presented case is the first report of AMI in a patient with bicuspid aortic valve.