Acute myocardial infarction due to coronary dissection in early postpartum

Abstract

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare but well known cause of myocardial ischemia. The majority of the victims are young who have a few cardiac risk factors. SCAD typically causes large myocardial infarction and presents significant challenges to diagnosis and management. SCAD is the most common cause of myocardial ischemia during peripartum and postpartum period in woman of childbearing age.

We present a case of acute anterior myocardial infarction (MI) in a breastfeeding woman, 13 days after delivery. The presumed cause was flow limiting left anterior descending (LAD) artery dissection, in the particular context of peripartum. We discuss briefly the epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of myocardial infarction related to pregnancy and postpartum period. (C) 2015 The Czech Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.