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Delayed Intramyocardial Delivery of Stem Cells after Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in a Murine Model
Published on: September 3, 2020
STEMI stymie: metastatic cancer and cardiac tamponade presenting as inferior STEMI
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Insights
Chest pain with ST-segment elevation mimics myocardial infarction but can indicate cardiac tamponade from occult malignancy. Bedside ultrasonography aids diagnosis in emergency settings.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- ST-segment elevation on ECG typically indicates myocardial infarction.
- Reperfusion strategies carry risks, necessitating consideration of mimics.
- Pericardial disease is a known mimic of ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
Observation:
- A patient presented with chest pain and isolated inferior ST-segment elevation.
- The presentation was suggestive of ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
- The patient was ultimately diagnosed with cardiac tamponade.
Findings:
- Cardiac tamponade was the initial presentation of an occult malignancy.
- This case highlights a rare mimic of ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
- Bedside ultrasonography proved valuable in diagnosis.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider cardiac tamponade in ST-elevation myocardial infarction mimics.
- Occult malignancy can present as cardiac tamponade.
- Bedside ultrasonography is crucial for evaluating select cardiac patients and cardiac arrest patients.
Abstract:
The combination of chest pain and isolated ST-segment elevation on an ECG immediately suggests the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. However, given the potential for complications associated with reperfusion strategies, clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction mimics, including pericardial disease, in their assessment of these patients. Here we report a case that illustrates a rare presentation in which a patient with isolated inferior ST-segment elevation and acute chest pain suggestive of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction was ultimately diagnosed with cardiac tamponade as the first presentation of an occult malignancy. This case supports the rationale for the use of bedside ultrasonography as a diagnostic modality to include in the evaluation of select cardiac patients and all pulseless electrical activity arrest patients in the emergency department.
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