A Case of Aborted Sudden Cardiac Death Due to Coronary Artery Spasm

Primero Ng1, Jon Spiro1,2, Imran Shiekh1

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia.

JACC. Case Reports
|January 11, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Coronary artery spasm can cause myocardial ischemia, leading to serious heart events. This case highlights its role in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest, diagnosed via invasive testing.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Clinical Case Studies

Background:

  • Coronary artery spasm is an under-recognized cause of myocardial ischemia.
  • It can present as vasospastic angina, ventricular arrhythmia, or sudden cardiac death.

Observation:

  • A case of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) complicated by cardiac arrest is presented.
  • The cardiac arrest was secondary to coronary artery spasm.

Findings:

  • Invasive coronary function testing was utilized for diagnosis.
  • This confirmed coronary artery spasm as the cause of STEMI and cardiac arrest.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of considering coronary artery spasm in STEMI with cardiac arrest.
  • Emphasizes the utility of invasive coronary function testing for accurate diagnosis.
  • Informs clinical practice for managing potentially life-threatening ischemic events due to coronary spasm.

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