Hyperventilation-induced ST segment elevation mimicking acute myocardial infarction in a comatose patient with tracheostomy

Cesare de Gregorio; Francesco Saporito; Giuseppe Andò; Gaetano Morabito; Marco Cerrito; Giuseppe Oreto

doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2009.03.095

Hyperventilation-induced ST segment elevation mimicking acute myocardial infarction in a comatose patient with tracheostomy

Int J Cardiol. 2011 Jun 2;149(2):e47-e49. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2009.03.095. Epub 2009 Apr 23.

Authors

Cesare de Gregorio¹, Francesco Saporito², Giuseppe Andò², Gaetano Morabito², Marco Cerrito², Giuseppe Oreto²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Messina University Medical School, Messina, Italy. Electronic address: cesaredegregorio@tiscali.it.
² Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Messina University Medical School, Messina, Italy.

PMID: 19395072
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2009.03.095

Abstract

Controlled hyperventilation leading to respiratory alkalosis may induce coronary artery spasm. This manoeuvre is currently used in the diagnosis of Prinzmetal's angina. We describe the case of a comatose patient with tracheostomy in whom hyperventilation, caused by excessive bronchial secretion resulting in partial obstruction of the tracheal cannula, was followed by ST segment elevation mimicking acute myocardial infarction.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Coma / complications
Coma / physiopathology*
Coronary Vasospasm / diagnosis
Coronary Vasospasm / physiopathology*
Electrocardiography
Humans
Hyperventilation / complications
Hyperventilation / physiopathology*
Male
Middle Aged
Myocardial Infarction / diagnosis
Myocardial Infarction / physiopathology*
Tracheostomy*