Acute pulmonary embolism mimicking inferior myocardial infarction.

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life-threatening emergency that is sometimes difficult to diagnose due to nonspecific symptoms and findings. A 69-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with new-onset chest pain and sweating. The electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed sinus rhythm with ST elevations in the inferior leads. His angiogram showed noncritical coronary artery disease with a few plaques. Right heart catheterization was made, which revealed an elevated pulmonary artery pressure of 45/23 mmHg. A pulmonary angiogram was then performed, at first from the pulmonary trunk and then the right pulmonary artery, which showed occlusion of the pulmonary artery to the right lower lobe. This report emphasizes that acute PE should be suspected in every patient with ST elevation myocardial infarction and normal coronary arteries. ST changes may be in the inferior as well as the anterior leads.