Acta Medica Leopoliensia (Dec 2018)
A rare case of spontaneous thrombolysis in a patient with acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation
Abstract
In the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction an important role belongs to coronary sclerosis and coronary artery thrombosis. Endothelium plays an important role in a regulation of vascular tone, local inflammation, hemostasis, neovascularisation. An impairment of endothelial barrier function occurs after direct damage of endothelial cells as a result of an atherosclerotic plaque destabilization, injury, chronic inflammation or exposure to hazardous substances. Breakage of the endothelial surface causes an exposure of subendothelial collagen and triggers expression of adhesive proteins (e.g. tissue factor and von Willebrand factor) and decreases synthesis of prostacyclin and nitric oxide. In case of its damage and activation, thrombocytes adhere and aggregate to each other which leads to thrombosis and can cause an acute myocardial infarction. Aim. Our aim was to evaluate a cellular mechanisms of thrombosis as well as conditions that leads to spontaneous thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction for treatment optimisation of acute coronary syndrome. Material and Methods. The case of acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation in 79 years old patient is presented that showed spontaneous coronary blood flow recovery. Results and Discussion. In described case in a patient with acute myocardial infarction a rapid regression of ECG changes were documented after medical treatment at home was provided. Those changes were most likely a results of spontaneous thrombolysis with subsequent recovery of coronary blood flow in infarct-related artery due to rarely occurring activation of fibrinolytic system. The fibrinolysis system was triggered by the release of plasminogen activator and affected newly formed thrombus. However unstable atherosclerotic plaque was thrombogenic enough and leaded to recurrence of myocardial infarction. Thus the patient received coronary artery stenting. Clinical and morphological data has shown that in those patients a major role in development of acute coronary syndrome plays not a coronary artery spasm but a coronary thrombosis with subsequent spontaneous thrombolysis and restoration of coronary blood flow which happened upon timely application of antiaggregants, anticoagulants and antianginals drugs. Coronary artery spasm typically occurs more distal from the obstruction place as a result of exposure to vasoconstrictors released after thrombocyte degranulation. Spontaneous thrombolysis by acute myocardial infarction is untypical, hence myocardial infarction with pathological Q wave develops. Conclusions. Patients with acute coronary syndrome, which exhibit spontaneous thrombolysis require angiography and stenting of coronary arteries as soon as possible to prevent recurrence of coronary thrombosis and development of acute myocardial infarction.
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