Superior Mesenteric Artery Embolus as a Delayed Complication of a Cocaine Induced Myocardial Infarction
Journal Title: Journal of Case Reports and Studies - Year 2018, Vol 6, Issue 2
Abstract
Cocaine has acute and chronic effects on health as well as addiction and dependence and places a significant burden on healthcare systems. After cannabis, it is the most frequently used illicit drug worldwide. It is estimated that between 14 and 21 million people use the drug each year [1]. Its main adverse effects occur in the cardiovascular system. Cocaine causes sympathomimetic actions such as tachycardia, hypertension and coronary artery constriction due to enhancement of release of catecholamines. It enhances thrombus formation by activating platelets and potentiating thromboxane production [2]. The consequences of these effects include chest pain, myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, coronary artery aneurysm, myocarditis, cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias. Our case demonstrates a young patient who had a delayed presentation of a myocardial infarction, in the setting of recent cocaine use that was complicated by an apical thrombus which resulted in distal emboli to his superior mesenteric artery and left renal artery. It highlights the fact that in a young patient with no other risk factors how complications may arise, even weeks after cocaine use.
Authors and Affiliations
Kearsley R
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP584739
- DOI 10.15744/2348-9820.6.201
- Views 62
- Downloads 0
Lethal Dance with Dialysis – A Case of Silent Long QT Syndrome
Fatal arrhythmia is the leading cause of mortality in chronic haemodialysis patients. Long QT syndrome is responsible for polymorphic ventricular tachycardia known as Torsade de Pointes. Classically, long QT syndromes we...
Pediatric Patient with a Celiac Crisis (Rare Presentation of a Common Disease) Case Report and Literature Review
Celiac disease (CD) is a systemic chronic immune-mediated disorder that is associated with weight loss, diarrhea, and laboratory abnormalities. Celiac disease (CD) is a disease in which the mucosal lining of the small in...
Carotid Body Tumor - Case Report and Review of the Literature
The paraganglioma of the carotid sinus is a relatively rare tumor, which represents the majority of paraganglioma of the head and neck (60-70%). We report the case of a female patient of 40 years who consulted for a swel...
Iatrogenic Pneumomediastinum and Facial Emphysema after Tooth Extraction
Subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum following extraction of mandibular third molars are rare. These complications are caused by forceful injection of air into the connective tissue. The symptoms may vary dependi...
Tolerating Extreme Hyperkalemia in a Non-Compliant Dialysis Patient
Dialysis patients are known to tolerate high potassium due to the chronic hyperkalemia that is inherent in their disease. Despite this, most reports of extremely high potassium (>9 mmol/L) are in the setting of cardiac a...