Acute pancreatitis with electrocardiographic changes mimicking acute coronary syndrome : a diagnostic conundrum

Electrocardiographic abnormalities can be associated with acute pancreatitis. However, data regarding the actual causative factor still remains elusive. Many previous cases were reported on non-specific ST and T wave abnormalities concurrent with acute pancreatitis but rarely with an increasin...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shamala Nair, Faizal AH
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2018
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20622/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20622/1/21_ms0229_pdf_34101.pdf
Description
Summary:Electrocardiographic abnormalities can be associated with acute pancreatitis. However, data regarding the actual causative factor still remains elusive. Many previous cases were reported on non-specific ST and T wave abnormalities concurrent with acute pancreatitis but rarely with an increasing trend of cardiac markers. We describe the case of a 70-year-old female who presented with one such conundrum. Our patient had typical presentation of acute pancreatitis but had dynamic ECG changes with markedly increased cardiac markers. Subsequentlyafter initiation of treatment for acute pancreatitis and observation for the course of several days, the ECG returned to the baseline as pre admission. This substantiates the fact that acute pancreatitis can mimic both biochemical and electrical manifestation of an acute coronary syndrome. Thus, Emergency Physicians should consider acute pancreatitis as a possible diagnosis in patients who present with abnormal electrocardiograms.