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How an Aggressive Treatment of No-reflow Phenomenon in Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with High Thrombus
Januar Wibawa Martha1, Iwan Cahyo Santosa Putra1, William Kamarullah2
1Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine University of Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia.
Insights
This case report proposes a novel drug combination for managing the no-reflow phenomenon, a critical complication in ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The new treatment improved coronary blood flow, offering a potential alternative where standard therapies are limited.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The no-reflow phenomenon complicates percutaneous coronary intervention, with current management lacking specific algorithms and drug combinations.
- Limited treatment options and accessibility issues, especially in developing nations, necessitate novel therapeutic strategies.
Observation:
- A 41-year-old male with ST-elevation myocardial infarction presented with chest pain and proximal left anterior descending artery occlusion.
- Initial percutaneous coronary intervention with stent placement resulted in suboptimal Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade I flow.
Findings:
- Intracoronary administration of nitroglycerin, heparin, and eptifibatide improved coronary blood flow to TIMI grade II.
- Subsequent intravenous administration of eptifibatide and morphine further enhanced perfusion to TIMI grade III.
Implications:
- This novel combination of nitroglycerin, heparin, and a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor offers a promising alternative for treating the no-reflow phenomenon.
- The findings highlight the need for aggressive, precise treatment strategies and suggest this combination could improve outcomes in myocardial infarction patients.
Abstract:
The management of the no-reflow phenomenon is still being debated by experts as there is no specific algorithm, limited recommended drug choices, and insufficient data regarding the combination of drugs in currently available guidelines. Thus, in this case report, we would like to propose a new combination of drugs as an alternative to the recommended drugs of choice in the treatment of no-reflow phenomenon. A 41-year-old man arrived at the emergency department complaining of chest pain 30 minutes prior to arrival. However, the patient was later diagnosed with extensive anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction, KILLIP classification I, which was caused by the entire blockage of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. Angiography was conducted after stent placement during the main percutaneous coronary intervention and revealed grade I thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI)-flow with no coronary artery blockage. We then used an intracoronary approach to give nitroglycerin, heparin, and eptifibatide. The findings of posttreatment angiography revealed an improvement in coronary blood flow with a grade II TIMI flow. Furthermore, intravenous injection of eptifibatide and morphine effectively restored perfusion to a grade III TIMI flow. Aggressive and precise treatment with a drug of choice is required to counteract the no-reflow phenomenon. Presently, only a limited range of first-line medications are available to treat this condition. Not only that, but several of the prescribed medications are not easily accessible, especially in developing countries. Therefore, we offer a novel combination medicaments consisting of nitroglycerin, heparin, and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor as an alternative treatment of the no-reflow phenomenon.
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