Acute myocardial infarction and status asthmaticus: a case report.

A patient with a painless, extensive anterolateral myocardial infarct, which occurred during a prolonged bout of refractory asthma, is presented. Cardiac catheterization revealed a large akinetic area involving the septum and anterolateral walls and completely normal coronary arteries. The etiology of the infarct was believed to be intense coronary vasospasm occurring during the lengthy period of status asthmaticus.