Inferior STEMI Complicated by Retroperitoneal Hemorrhage due to Ruptured AAA

Abstract

When patients present with life threatening conditions, a rapid cost-benefit analysis prioritizes care and commits treatment to a certain course that, in the case of ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) treated with drug-eluting stents (DES), could be fatal if there is any deviation. Antiplatelet therapy is vital and secondary concerns (i.e. bleeding diatheses) may accept suboptimal outcomes – in rare cases, another life-threatening condition may be unmasked, the treatment for which runs directly counter to the first. We present a case of STEMI with high clot burden treated with multiple DES, complicated by retroperitoneal hemorrhage due to a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Keywords

• STEMI
• retroperitoneal hemorrrhage
• abdominal aortic aneurysm
• anticoagulation