High thrombus burden despite thrombolytic therapy in ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a patient with COVID-19

Rev Cardiovasc Med. 2020 Jun 30;21(2):289-295. doi: 10.31083/j.rcm.2020.02.92.

Abstract

Consideration of thrombolysis as first-line reperfusion therapy in patients with COVID-19 and STEMI is recommended by ACC/SCAI guidelines. We describe a patient with COVID-19, who presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and was treated with thrombolysis and anticoagulation. He was later found to have a significant persistent thrombus burden requiring thrombectomy and stent placement. Invasive hemodynamics on multiple high-dose pressers revealed a high cardiac output state with low systemic vascular resistance, consistent with distributive rather than cardiogenic shock. Our case illustrates that thrombolytic therapy alone may not be adequate in patients with STEMI and COVID-19, as well as the importance of early invasive hemodynamics in management of shock in patient with STEMI and COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; ST-elevation myocardial infarction; acute coronary syndrome; thrombolysis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronary Thrombosis / therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Electrocardiography
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction / diagnostic imaging
  • ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction / therapy*
  • Thrombectomy*
  • Thrombolytic Therapy / methods*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants