[Myocardial infarction with elevation of the inferior and anterior ST segment: double artery is the culprit?]
Pabla Cataldo1, Christian Dauvergne1, Rafael Selman2
1Departamento de Cardiología, Instituto Nacional del Tórax, Santiago, Chile.
Insights
This case report details a rare instance of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) caused by aortic dissection compromising both coronary arteries. Early diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial for managing this complex cardiovascular emergency.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Chest pain is a common emergency department presentation, necessitating rapid exclusion of life-threatening conditions like myocardial infarction (MI) and aortic dissection.
- While ST-elevation MI (STEMI) is often linked to plaque rupture, rare cases involve aortic dissection causing coronary malperfusion and subsequent MI.
- Diagnosing concurrent aortic dissection and MI presents significant challenges, associated with increased mortality and surgical complexity.
Abstract:
Chest pain is one of the most frequent reasons for consultation in the emergency department. The most severe pathologies must be quickly ruled out within the diagnostic hypotheses: myocardial infarction (MI), aortic dissection, pulmonary thromboembolism, and pneumothorax. A frequent scenario is ST elevation MI due to a plaque accident. However, there are infrequent cases of aortic dissection associated with a deficit in coronary perfusion (malperfusion syndrome) that triggers a MI. The diagnosis of a double artery is difficult, with higher mortality and surgical complexity. We present the case of a 59-year-old man who presented chest pain and an electrocardiogram with inferior and anterior ST-segment elevation who was referred for primary angioplasty. The angiographic study confirmed the presence of a coronary ostium defect and suggested aortic dissection. Computed tomography angiography confirmed the diagnosis, showing the dissection of the ascending aorta with the compromise of both coronary ostia, which was subjected to surgical treatment.
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