J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2011 Dec;22(6):760-763.

A Case of a Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by a Snake Bite

• Jang TC
• Seo YW
• Lee KW

Abstract

We experienced a rare case of acute myocardial infarction associated with a coagulopathy-complicating snake bite. A previously healthy 72-year-old Korean woman was bitten on the right thumb by a snake of unknown species. She was admitted to a local medical center for one day and exhibited painful progressive swelling along the entire right arm. She also complained of chest discomfort. She had an ST-elevation and T wave-inversion on an ECG. She was then transferred to our emergency department. We found a regional wall motion abnormality on echocardiography, and elevated cardiac enzymes in a laboratory test. We also observed coagulopathy and a thrombus in the left ventricle on follow-up echocardiography. An acute myocardial infarction was confirmed by percutaneous coronary angiography, which showed the total occlusion and stenosis of several coronary arteries.

Keyword

Snake Bite; Complications; Acute Myocardial Infarction; Coagulopathy

MeSH Terms

Aged
Arm
Constriction, Pathologic
Coronary Angiography
Coronary Vessels
Echocardiography
Electrocardiography
Emergencies
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Heart Ventricles
Humans
Myocardial Infarction
Snake Bites
Snakes
Thorax
Thrombosis
Thumb