Status asthmaticus complicated by cardiac arrest.
In the setting of severe acute asthma, electrocardiographic abnormalities are not uncommon and some patients will develop reversible systolic dysfunction. However acute myocardial infarction and potentially fatal arrhythmias are rare. We report the case of a middle-aged indigenous male who suffered an ST-elevation myocardial infarction and then pulseless ventricular tachycardia arrest while still in the acute phase of treatment for status asthmaticus.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Cairns Base Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. lachlan.mciver@gmail.com
L J
LJ
McIver
L
L
Halkidis
P
P
Talbutt
D004562:Electrocardiography; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013224:Status Asthmaticus / Q000150:complications*