title: Multivessel spontaneous dissection of the left coronary tree in the postpartum period: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare cause of myocardial infarction predominantly associated with young women during the third trimester of pregnancy or during the postpartum period. Multivessel spontaneous coronary artery dissection is an even less frequent condition with limited reports in medical literature. Hormonal changes as well as hemodymanic stress are some of the factors that have been implicated in the etiology of this condition. However, the exact pathophysiological process leading to spontaneous coronary artery dissection has not yet been elucidated. The spectrum of clinical presentation ranges from mild symptoms to cardiac arrest. Herein, we report the case of a 39-year-old woman with spontaneous two coronary vessel dissection during her postpartum period presented with ST elevation myocardial infarction on electrocardiogram complicated with pulmonary edema and cardiorespiratory arrest.
authors.affiliation: First Cardiology Department, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece. emmgpetrou@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petrou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bousoula
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boutsikou
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iakovou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kolovou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pavlides
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011859:Radiography; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology