Acute stroke and heart attack management within a four-hour time window.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Although brain embolism is a uncommon complication of myocardial infarction, sequential treatment of cerebral and coronary artery occlusion within a 4-hour time window is unusual.

SUMMARY

of case A 60 year-old man experienced successful intravenous recombinant thrombolysis (tPA) for acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion followed by efficient angioplasty stenting of a troponin-negative coronary occlusion which, while painless, involved clear electrocardiographic abnormalities. Both pathologies were treated within a 4-hour time window.

CONCLUSION

Acute brain and heart ischemia may be successfully treated within a 4-hour time window, thanks to an efficient multidisciplinary approach.