Amphetamine-related myocardial infarction in a 42-year old man
Myocardial infarction is an infrequent condition in young adults. In most cases, it occurs due to causes other than atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, including blood hypercoagulability, congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries, their inflammation or spasm induced by amphetamine or cocai...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Polish Society of Forensic Medicine and Criminology (PTMSiK)
2016-03-01
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| Series: | Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.termedia.pl/Amphetamine-related-myocardial-infarction-in-a-42-year-old-man,82,27027,1,1.html |
| _version_ | 1827887801774899200 |
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| author | Anna Smędra Szymon Szustowski Jarosław Berent |
| author_facet | Anna Smędra Szymon Szustowski Jarosław Berent |
| author_sort | Anna Smędra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Myocardial infarction is an infrequent condition in young adults. In most cases, it occurs due to causes other than atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, including blood hypercoagulability, congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries, their inflammation or spasm induced by amphetamine or cocaine use. Amphetamine and its derivatives, via increasing the levels of epinephrine, serotonin and dopamine in the central nervous system, exert their effect also on the cardiovascular system, causing coronary spasm, enhancing platelet aggregation and inducing tachyarrhythmias.
The paper presents a case of a 42-year-old man admitted to the emergency department because of emaciation and dehydration. The man was conscious, without contact, with a significant elevation of body temperature and tachycardia. On the basis of examinations, a fresh infarction of the anterolateral wall of the heart was diagnosed and the patient was transferred to a cardiac intensive care unit. There, laboratory tests revealed significantly elevated markers of myocardial necrosis and the presence of amphetamine in blood and urine. In spite of the institution of treatment the patient developed cardiorespiratory arrest. Advanced resuscitation procedures were undertaken, however, they proved unsuccessful. The presence of an infarction focus was confirmed in autopsy. Toxicological analysis of the blood for the presence of alcohol-like substances detected amphetamine at a concentration of 269.5 ng/ml. After examining the complete body of evidence it was established that the patient had died of acute cardiorespiratory failure secondary to an extensive fresh myocardial infarction. As indicated by the accumulated data, the most probable cause of myocardial infarction was amphetamine poisoning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T20:23:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c1e5a4151168488ea00b2155b48130a5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0324-8267 1689-1716 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T20:23:45Z |
| publishDate | 2016-03-01 |
| publisher | Polish Society of Forensic Medicine and Criminology (PTMSiK) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c1e5a4151168488ea00b2155b48130a52023-08-02T00:42:35ZengPolish Society of Forensic Medicine and Criminology (PTMSiK)Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology0324-82671689-17162016-03-0165317318110.5114/amsik.2015.5816227027Amphetamine-related myocardial infarction in a 42-year old manAnna SmędraSzymon SzustowskiJarosław BerentMyocardial infarction is an infrequent condition in young adults. In most cases, it occurs due to causes other than atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, including blood hypercoagulability, congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries, their inflammation or spasm induced by amphetamine or cocaine use. Amphetamine and its derivatives, via increasing the levels of epinephrine, serotonin and dopamine in the central nervous system, exert their effect also on the cardiovascular system, causing coronary spasm, enhancing platelet aggregation and inducing tachyarrhythmias. The paper presents a case of a 42-year-old man admitted to the emergency department because of emaciation and dehydration. The man was conscious, without contact, with a significant elevation of body temperature and tachycardia. On the basis of examinations, a fresh infarction of the anterolateral wall of the heart was diagnosed and the patient was transferred to a cardiac intensive care unit. There, laboratory tests revealed significantly elevated markers of myocardial necrosis and the presence of amphetamine in blood and urine. In spite of the institution of treatment the patient developed cardiorespiratory arrest. Advanced resuscitation procedures were undertaken, however, they proved unsuccessful. The presence of an infarction focus was confirmed in autopsy. Toxicological analysis of the blood for the presence of alcohol-like substances detected amphetamine at a concentration of 269.5 ng/ml. After examining the complete body of evidence it was established that the patient had died of acute cardiorespiratory failure secondary to an extensive fresh myocardial infarction. As indicated by the accumulated data, the most probable cause of myocardial infarction was amphetamine poisoning.http://www.termedia.pl/Amphetamine-related-myocardial-infarction-in-a-42-year-old-man,82,27027,1,1.htmlmyocardial infarction amphetamine toxicological investigations |
| spellingShingle | Anna Smędra Szymon Szustowski Jarosław Berent Amphetamine-related myocardial infarction in a 42-year old man Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology myocardial infarction amphetamine toxicological investigations |
| title | Amphetamine-related myocardial infarction in a 42-year old man |
| title_full | Amphetamine-related myocardial infarction in a 42-year old man |
| title_fullStr | Amphetamine-related myocardial infarction in a 42-year old man |
| title_full_unstemmed | Amphetamine-related myocardial infarction in a 42-year old man |
| title_short | Amphetamine-related myocardial infarction in a 42-year old man |
| title_sort | amphetamine related myocardial infarction in a 42 year old man |
| topic | myocardial infarction amphetamine toxicological investigations |
| url | http://www.termedia.pl/Amphetamine-related-myocardial-infarction-in-a-42-year-old-man,82,27027,1,1.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annasmedra amphetaminerelatedmyocardialinfarctionina42yearoldman AT szymonszustowski amphetaminerelatedmyocardialinfarctionina42yearoldman AT jarosławberent amphetaminerelatedmyocardialinfarctionina42yearoldman |