Pulmonary embolism masquerading as ST elevation myocardial infarction and ventricular tachycardia
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Authors
Ohn, May Honey
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Issue Date
2025
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Article
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Abstract
A middle-aged man with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma presented with acute dyspnoea and chest tightness, triggering a primary percutaneous coronary intervention alert for suspected myocardial infarction. He had a left-sided deep vein thrombosis diagnosed 1 week prior, treated with rivaroxaban and was on day 3 of entrectinib chemotherapy for lung cancer. Examination revealed haemodynamic compromise. Electrocardiography revealed widespread ST elevation (V2-V6, II, III, aVF), but coronary angiography showed unobstructed coronary arteries. Echocardiography and elevated troponin levels suggested right ventricular strain, prompting CT pulmonary angiography, which confirmed pulmonary embolism. He required intensive care unit admission, oxygen supplementation and vasopressors. Subsequently, he developed sustained ventricular tachycardia, managed with an amiodarone infusion. Rivaroxaban was switched to intravenous unfractionated heparin. This case highlights pulmonary embolism (PE) occurring despite therapeutic anticoagulation, suggesting direct oral anticoagulant failure, possibly due to entrectinib reducing rivaroxaban bioavailability. It also demonstrates PE mimicking ST-elevation myocardial infarction and VT in a high-risk patient.
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BMJ Case Reports
Volume
18
Issue
6