Organophosphate poisoning presenting as out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A clinical challenge

J Cardiol Cases. 2017 Apr 22;16(1):18-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jccase.2017.03.006. eCollection 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a challenge for physicians since effective management and definitive salvage depend upon correct determination of the etiology and the extent of injury. Definitive diagnosis of organophosphate poisoning (OP) requires physicians' clinical awareness of a typical toxidrome, that is, characteristic signs and symptoms of poisoning, and laboratory confirmation. Here we report a case of an OHCA patient with OP, which was initially misdiagnosed as an acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction based on the patient's medical history and clinical manifestations. <Learning objective: Organophospate poisoning is associated with an increasing mortality with widely used pesticides in the developing world. Differential diagnosis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest should include such etiology that can be reversed by early intervention.>.

Keywords: Cardiac arrest; Organophosphate; Sudden cardiac death.

Publication types

  • Case Reports