Objective: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder associated with vascular complications including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). AMI pathogenesis in APS is considered to be acute thrombosis of coronary arteries, in contrast to typical AMI where the pathogenesis is atherosclerotic plaque rupture. Therapeutic management is therefore a clinical challenge. There is no consensus among experts about optimal antithrombotic therapy in secondary prevention. The role of coronary stents is still to be determined, due to the higher rates of stent thrombosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in APS patients.
Case report: We described the case of a 51-year-old male, smoker, that presented with anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) as first manifestation of APS. The patient underwent primary PCI on left main and ostial left anterior descending artery.
Results: We discussed antithrombotic therapy management after PCI in our patient and reviewed literature on current therapeutic management of this specific population.
Conclusions: APS patients with STEMI should undergo PCI, usually associated with thrombus aspiration, and in select cases stent implantation in the culprit lesion. In the latter case, triple antithrombotic therapy with short-term dual antiplatelet therapy and long-term anticoagulant therapy is recommended. Clinicians should include autoimmune etiologies in the differential diagnosis of underlying causes of AMI.