Acute myocardial infarction after a local anesthetic procedure in a middle-aged patient

Am J Med Sci. 2022 Jul;364(1):106-110. doi: 10.1016/j.amjms.2022.03.009. Epub 2022 Apr 3.

Abstract

We report a case of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occurring after a local injection of lidocaine. The patient presented with symptoms of myocardial ischemia, dynamic changes in the ST segment of the electrocardiogram, and significantly elevated levels of cardiac troponin; however, coronary angiography findings were normal. According to the clinical definition of AMI, these features indicated the presence of acute myocardial injury, reflected by abnormal cardiac biomarkers and supported by evidence of acute myocardial ischemia. Coronary artery spasm is an important cause of AMI and can be induced by drug effects. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic drug widely used in clinics. The potential mechanism in this case may be lidocaine-induced coronary artery spasm. The possible serious side effects of lidocaine require the attention and vigilance of clinicians. To our knowledge, this is the first report to describe coronary artery spasm possibly induced directly by lidocaine.

Keywords: Coronary artery spasm; Lidocaine; Myocardial infarction.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anesthetics, Local* / adverse effects
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Electrocardiography
  • Humans
  • Lidocaine / adverse effects
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction* / chemically induced
  • Myocardial Infarction* / diagnosis
  • Spasm / drug therapy

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Local
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
  • Lidocaine