11/125. Severe transmyocardial ischemia in a patient with tension pneumothorax.OBJECTIVE: To report tension pneumothorax (TP) as a cause of severe myocardial ischemia. DESIGN: Clinical case report. SETTING: Medical intensive care unit of a university hospital. patients: One patient with severe shock attributable to right TP after unsuccessful percutaneous central venous catheterization. INTERVENTIONS: blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG), chest radiograph, and echocardiography during and after shock. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: On admission the patient was in profound state of shock (heart rate 140 beats/min, blood pressure 65/30 mm Hg). Twelve-lead ECG showed pronounced ST segment elevation in leads II, III, aVF, and V4-V6. Chest radiograph revealed right TP with complete displacement of the mediastinum and the heart to the left side. Immediate right-sided tube thoracostomy resulted in reexpansion of the lung followed by instantaneous hemodynamic and respiratory improvement as well as nearly complete resolution of the ECG changes. Peak value of the creatine phosphokinase was 4140 U/L without significant elevation of the MB isoenzyme at any time. Moreover, the initial hypokinesia of the posterior and lateral left ventricular wall resolved completely, as demonstrated by echocardiography. CONCLUSION: The specific condition of TP may lead to impaired systolic and diastolic coronary artery blood flow affecting ventricular repolarization and T-wave configuration in ECG indicative of transmyocardial ischemia. General symptoms, namely hypotension, tachycardia, and hypoxemia, are likewise typical for cardiogenic shock attributable to myocardial infarction. Yet any therapeutic measure directed toward revascularization, such as thrombolysis or even percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, would have had devastating consequences. Therefore, thorough physical examination of our patient was pivotal in disclosing the true origin of profound shock.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
12/125. Evidence of walk-through phenomenon during echocardiographic dipyridamole stress test.This case report deals with induced regional wall motion abnormalities that spontaneously disappeared during an echocardiographic stress test with dipyridamole. A patient underwent this test because of atypical chest discomfort and a positive result of exercise stress test. Transient septal, apical and anterior akinesia were observed after the first dose of dipyridamole, but they were short-lasting and did not return during the continuation of the test. coronary angiography showed a critical stenosis of the left coronary artery. A mechanism similar to that responsible for the walk-through phenomenon might explain the observed findings. Thus stress echo with dipyridamole needs careful continuous monitoring, because transient wall motion abnormalities can otherwise be missed resulting in a false negative test.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.5923198371976keywords = discomfort, chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
13/125. myocardial ischemia caused by an hydatid cyst of the interventricular septum successfully treated with albendazole.We report the case of a 33-year-old patient with clinical history of echinococcosis admitted to our Hospital for the appearance of chest pain and electrocardiographic findings of anterior ischemia. The cardiac enzymogram was in the normal range, the chest roentgengram did not show any pathological findings, but two-dimensional echocardiography revealed the presence of a small circular area in the interventricular septum. Transesophageal echocardiography and cardiac nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed the presence of a small hydatid cyst in the middle ventricular septum; in addition, a myocardial scintigraphy revealed an apical stress defect with late reperfusion. Besides cardiologic therapy, the patient was treated with albendazole, an antiparasitic drug, 400 mg bid, for cycles of 28 days with 14 day withdrawal. After two cycles of albendazole therapy, two-dimensional echocardiography showed the absence of the round cystic mass of the interventricular septum previously described. In conclusion, in the case described, long-term therapy with albendazole determined the complete recovery from the illness with the simultaneous disappearance of the cyst and of clinical and electrocardiographic findings of myocardial ischemia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.5730301927009keywords = chest, pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
14/125. Global myocardial ischemia as a complication of an acute type A aortic dissection--rapid diagnosis of a case by transesophageal echocardiography.A 36-year-old female was admitted for severe chest pain followed by profound shock. electrocardiography showed severe ST segment depression (0.5-0.7 mV) in all leads except aVR and aVL. echocardiography revealed an intimal flap in the ascending aorta and coexisting grade 3 aortic regurgitation. She was immediately intubated and transferred to the intensive care unit. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated an intimal tear at 2 cm above the sinotubular junction, and the ostium of the left main trunk was oppressed by the intimal flap during diastole. Emergency graft replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic hemiarch concomitant with aortic valve resuspension was performed successfully. The ECG changes reversed to normal immediately after the operation. The patient was extubated 2 days postoperatively and discharged from the hospital 14 days postoperatively. TEE is useful for the rapid evaluation of coronary malperfusion as a complication of acute aortic dissection, especially in patients with hemodynamic instability.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.5730301927009keywords = chest, pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
15/125. Demonstration of myocardial ischemia by an internal loop recorder.An internal loop recorder (ILR) implanted to evaluate syncope was activated during an episode of chest pain. Analysis of the recorded event revealed a marked increase in the amount of ST-segment depression over baseline. In addition to rhythm analysis, the ILR may be able to assess myocardial ischemia. Further refinements of filtering may make analysis more accurate.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.5730301927009keywords = chest, pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
16/125. Consistent efficacy and tolerability of almotriptan in the acute treatment of multiple migraine attacks: results of a large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.In this double-blind study, the efficacy and tolerability of a single dose of almotriptan (6.25 or 12.5 mg) was compared with placebo in the treatment of three consecutive migraine attacks of moderate or severe intensity. Of 1013 randomized patients, 722 evaluable patients completed the study. The total number of attacks relieved (severe or moderate pain reduced to mild or no pain) at 2 h post-dose was significantly higher (P < 0.001) after treatment with almotriptan 6.25 or 12.5 mg compared with placebo (60% and 70% vs. 38%, respectively). Moreover, a consistent response was achieved across and within patients for almotriptan 6.25 or 12.5 mg compared with placebo (pain relief in at least two out of three attacks within 2 h for 64% and 75% vs. 36%, respectively) and less than one-third of the patients relapsed within 24 h. Almotriptan was well tolerated with no significant differences between the almotriptan and placebo treatment groups in the percentage of patients reporting adverse events. overall, the 12.5-mg dose was associated with the most favourable efficacy/tolerability ratio and is, therefore, the recommended dose.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.7190905781027keywords = pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
17/125. A young woman with chest pain.A case of a previously fit young woman admitted with chest pain, who was found at coronary angiography to have dissection of the left main stem which extended to the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries, is presented. Emergency coronary artery bypass grafting was performed (vein grafts to the left anterior descending, the diagonal, and circumflex arteries). The patient made an uneventful recovery, and three years after initial presentation she remains free of cardiac symptoms.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 7.8651509635045keywords = chest, pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
18/125. Administration of atropine in the setting of acute myocardial infarction: potentiation of the ischemic process?atropine has also been suggested to potentially worsen the ischemic situation in patients who are in the midst of acute coronary ischemia. We report the case of a female patient with ischemic chest pain and third degree atrioventricular block who developed acute myocardial infarction (AMI) immediately after atropine administration. The use of atropine in this instance remains a reasonable option and should be strongly considered-despite this apparent complication. Undoubtedly in some cases, acute ischemia is intensified by hypoperfusion attributable to vagally mediated bradyarrhythmia; atropine is the antidote for such situations. An awareness of this potential adverse reaction coupled with a prudent selection of candidates for atropine therapy will show the risk/benefit ratio in each individual patient and, therefore, guide the clinician.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.5730301927009keywords = chest, pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
19/125. Histamine--can it cause an acute coronary event?myocardial infarction (MI) occurring during the course of an allergic urticarial reaction in the absence of systemic hypotension has been rarely reported. This paper reports the case of a 28-year-old woman with no significant risk factors for coronary artery disease who presented with generalized urticaria associated with chest pain and had electrocardiographic and enzymatic evidence of an acute MI. review of the literature suggests that local histamine release may induce spasm of the coronary vasculature, thus leading to myocardial ischemia and infarction.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.5730301927009keywords = chest, pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
20/125. Electrocardiographic ST segment depression.Traditionally, ST segment depression has been associated with acute coronary syndromes; this electrocardiographic pattern may also be found in patients with nonischemic events, such as left bundle branch block (LBBB), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and those with therapeutic digitalis levels. Using the ECG as an adjunct in distinguishing those patients with acute coronary syndromes from those with more "benign," nonacute causes of STSD will obviously lead to divergent treatment and management plans. The following cases illustrate the use the ECG in patients presenting with chest pain and electrocardiographic ST segment depression attributable to an ACS, LVH, LBBB, or digitalis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.5730301927009keywords = chest, pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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