A case of spontaneous coronary artery dissection presenting with acute anterior wall myocardial infarction in a young adult male - an increasingly recognized rare disease

Abstract

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is increasingly recognized as an important cause of myocardial infarction and sudden death. Although some correlations have been noted in relation to aetiology, no direct causes have been identified in a large number of patients. Most of the patients are women in peripartum period or of childbearing age, with few if any risk factors for coronary heart disease. In men, however, risk factors for atherosclerosis are more prevalent in cases of SCAD Case report: We report a case of a 43-years-old healthy male, with no known risk factors, who presented with ischemic chest pain and elevated troponin levels. He underwent an emergent percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography which revealed a total occlusion of the left anterior descending artery at its origin with an evidence of spontaneous dissection as the cause of the occlusion, which was subsequently treated with placement of a drug-eluting stent and thrombectomy from the distal occluded portion. This case highlights the importance of including spontaneous coronary artery dissection as a cause of ischemic cardiac insults and illustrates the approach to treatment. Conclusion: Internists should have a low threshold of clinical suspicion for SCAD especially in a young patient with no known risk factors and should know the importance of emergency in management.