Acute myocardial infarction and large coronary thrombosis in a patient with COVID-19

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2021 Feb 1;97(2):272-277. doi: 10.1002/ccd.29179. Epub 2020 Aug 7.

Abstract

This is a case report of a 60-year-old male, without any cardiovascular risk factor and no cardiac history admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). After 7 days, the blood tests showed a significant rise of inflammatory and procoagulant markers, along with a relevant elevation of high-sensitivity Troponin I. Electrocardiogram and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) were consistent with a diagnosis of infero-posterolateral acute myocardial infarction and the patient was transferred to the isolated Cath Lab for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The angiography showed an acute massive thrombosis of a dominant right coronary artery without clear evidence of atherosclerosis. Despite the optimal pharmacological therapies and different PCI techniques, the final TIMI flow was 0/1 and after 3 hr the clinical condition evolved in cardiac arrest for pulseless electric activity. Acute coronary syndrome-ST-elevation myocardial infarction is a relevant complication of COVID-19. Due to high levels of proinflammatory mediators, diffuse coronary thrombosis could occur even in patients without cardiac history or comorbidities. This clinical case suggests that coronary thrombosis in COVID-19 patients may be unresponsive to optimal pharmacological (GP IIb-IIIa infusion) and mechanical treatment (PCI).

Keywords: COVID-19; acute myocardial infarction; coronary thrombosis; primary PCI.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / complications*
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis
  • COVID-19 / therapy
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Thrombosis / diagnosis
  • Coronary Thrombosis / therapy*
  • Coronary Thrombosis / virology*
  • Echocardiography
  • Electrocardiography
  • Eptifibatide / therapeutic use
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnosis
  • Myocardial Infarction / therapy*
  • Myocardial Infarction / virology*
  • Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Eptifibatide