Induced mild therapeutic hypothermia following cardiac arrest in the setting of acute myocardial infarction and successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a case report

• Main Authors: Paulo César Gobert Damasceno Campos, Reinaldo Brandt, Moris Chansky
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein 2009-03-01
• Series: Einstein (São Paulo)
• Subjects: Myocardial infarction/therapy; Hypothermia; Apoptosis; Angioplasty; transluminal; percutaneous coronary; Death; sudden; Case reports
• Online Access: http://apps.einstein.br/revista/arquivos/PDF/1122-Einsteinv7n2p222-4_ing.pdf

It was presented the case of a 50-year-old male, with no previous history of cardiovascular disease, who was successfully treated with induced mild hypothermia and primary percutaneous coronary intervention after cardiac arrest and prolonged resuscitation (twelve electrical cardioversions), following acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The patient had full recovery and uneventful short and long-term neurological course. Mild hypothermia has been considered a safe option for cerebral preservation after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Several mechanisms mediate brain protection during hypothermia, including a possible prevention of apoptosis (programmed cell death). The role of apoptosis following ischemic and/or hypoxic brain injury is also reviewed.