Pregnancy-associated Acute Myocardial Infarction (PAMI): Case Report

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Obstetrics
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases are known pregnancy complications, though pregnancy-associated acute myocardial infarction (PAMI) is infrequent.
• Pregnancy elevates myocardial infarction risk, even without traditional atherosclerotic risk factors.

Observation:

• A postpartum woman presented with acute chest pain and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) two weeks after delivery.
• Coronary angiography identified spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) as the cause.

Findings:

• The patient was managed conservatively for SCAD.
• SCAD is a recognized, though often missed, pathophysiological mechanism for PAMI.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering PAMI, particularly SCAD, in peripartum women with chest pain.
• A high index of suspicion is crucial for timely diagnosis and management, preventing delayed diagnosis often seen in autopsy-reported cases.