Key result
An elderly patient presenting with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction and pericardial effusion was found to have an acute aortic dissection with a catastrophic end.
Case Report (n=1)
In patients with suspected NSTEMI or unstable angina, the presence of pericardial effusion on echocardiography should raise suspicion for aortic dissection.
Supports caution for aortic dissection when pericardial effusion accompanies NSTEMI; single case report leaves open need for validation.
Pericarditis with pericardial effusion in acute coronary syndrome is seen in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction specifically when infarction is anterior, extensive, and Q wave. It is very uncommon to have pericardial effusion in a patient with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. We present an elderly hypertensive patient who was diagnosed as non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction with pericardial effusion that turned out to be acute aortic dissection with catastrophic end. We conclude that, in patients with suspected diagnosis of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction or unstable angina, if pericardial effusion is detected on echocardiography, aortic dissection needs to be considered.
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Rao et al. (2013) conducted a case report in Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction with pericardial effusion (n=1). Pericardial effusion in NSTEMI was evaluated on Diagnosis of acute aortic dissection. An elderly patient presenting with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction and pericardial effusion was found to have an acute aortic dissection with a catastrophic end.
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