A successfully thrombolysed acute inferior myocardial infarction due to type A aortic dissection with lethal consequences: the importance of early cardiac echocardiography
2011

Thrombolysis in Aortic Dissection: A Case Report

publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Tsigkas Grigorios, Kasimis Georgios, Theodoropoulos Konstantinos, Chouchoulis Konstantinos, Baikoussis Nikolaos G, Apostolakis Efstratios, Bousoula Eleni, Moulias Athanasios, Alexopoulos Dimitrios

Primary Institution: Patras University School of Medicine

Hypothesis

Can thrombolysis be safely administered in cases of suspected aortic dissection mimicking myocardial infarction?

Conclusion

Thrombolytic treatment for STEMI should be avoided if aortic dissection is suspected, as it can lead to fatal complications.

Supporting Evidence

  • Thrombolysis can be catastrophic in patients with aortic dissection.
  • Aortic dissection can mimic myocardial infarction.
  • Early diagnosis using echocardiography is crucial.

Takeaway

If someone has chest pain that might be a heart attack, doctors need to check for a serious condition called aortic dissection before giving treatment, because the wrong treatment can be very dangerous.

Methodology

The case involved thrombolysis with tenecteplase followed by echocardiography and CT angiography to diagnose aortic dissection.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in diagnosis due to the atypical presentation of aortic dissection.

Limitations

The case report is based on a single patient, limiting generalizability.

Participant Demographics

A 57-year-old woman with a history of hypertension.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1749-8090-6-101

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