Korean J Leg Med.  2017 Feb;41(1):20-22. 10.7580/kjlm.2017.41.1.20.

Pregnancy-Related Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Case Report

• Kim DJ

• KMID: 2371670
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2017.41.1.20

Abstract

Pregnancy-related acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is very rare and can be lethal if the diagnosis and management are delayed. The physiological changes during pregnancy, including in hemodynamics and hormonal status, can increase the risk of AMI even in young women. While atherosclerosis is the leading cause of AMI in the general population, coronary artery dissection is most common in pregnancy-related AMI. Pregnancy-related AMI, which is caused by coronary atherosclerosis, has been rarely reported in Korea. We report an autopsy case of postpartum sudden cardiac death in a 32-year-old woman.

Keyword

Myocardial infarction; Pregnancy; Coronary atherosclerosis; Autopsy

MeSH Terms

Adult
Atherosclerosis
Autopsy
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Vessels
Death, Sudden, Cardiac
Diagnosis
Female
Hemodynamics
Humans
Korea
Myocardial Infarction*
Postpartum Period
Pregnancy

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Serial sections of left anterior descending coronary artery show marked atherosclerosis with more than 85% luminal narrowing. Thrombus is not noted in the lumen.

• 

  Fig. 2 Myocardium is pale, but acute necrosis or fibrous scar is not seen. The myocardial wall is not thickened (thickness; left ventricle 1 cm, interventricular septum 1.1 cm, right ventricle 0.4 cm).

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