Coronary vasospastic crisis leading to cardiogenic shock and recurrent ventricular fibrillation in a patient with long-standing asthma

SummaryAcute myocardial infarction in patients with normal coronary arteries is a therapeutic dilemma. Coronary artery vasospasm and thrombosis are the most commonly encountered clinic problems and appear in localized coronary segments. The incidence of cardiovascular disease is increased in asthmatic patients. β2-Adrenergic agonists use is associated with increased cardiovascular events. Although myocardial ischemia during asthma has been described in literature, acute myocardial infarction and ventricular fibrillation with normal coronary arteries in patients with asthma bronchiale is a rare entity. Our patient with long-standing asthma bronchiale presented with cardiogenic shock whose coronary angiography revealed multivessel disease and undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Due to ongoing chest pain and hemodynamic instability; an early bypass surgery was planned. A control angiogram was performed before surgery. After intracoronary nitrate administration all narrowings in coronary vasculature disappeared. Symptom relief and clinical improvement was achieved with nitrate and calcium channel blockers later. After 2 months she was readmitted with cardiac arrest due to recurrent ventricular fibrillation and intracardiac defibrillator implantation was performed.