Induced mild therapeutic hypothermia following cardiac arrest in the setting of acute myocardial infarction and successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a case report

Abstract

It was presented the case of a 50-year-old male, with no previous history of cardiovascular disease, who was successfully treated with induced mild hypothermia and primary percutaneous coronary intervention after cardiac arrest and prolonged resuscitation (twelve electrical cardioversions), following acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The patient had full recovery and uneventful short and long-term neurological course. Mild hypothermia has been considered a safe option for cerebral preservation after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Several mechanisms mediate brain protection during hypothermia, including a possible prevention of apoptosis (programmed cell death). The role of apoptosis following ischemic and/or hypoxic brain injury is also reviewed.

Keywords

• Myocardial infarction/therapy
• Hypothermia
• Apoptosis
• Angioplasty
• transluminal
• percutaneous coronary
• Death
• sudden
• Case reports