Huang Chi-Ming, Chen Li-Wei, Huang Sung-Hao, Huang Shao-Sung, Wang Kang-Ling, Chiang Chern-En
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.
Intern Med. 2010;49(14):1387-90. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.49.3426. Epub 2010 Jul 15.
Free wall rupture, the most fearful complication of myocardial infarction, mostly attacks anterior walls. Acute rupture is characterized by rapid development of mechanical arrest accompanied with bradyarrhythmia or electromechanical dissociation. The majority of patients succumb to death as the result of cardiac tamponade. Risk factors are advanced age, female gender, the first-time myocardial infarction, hypertension, and ST-segment elevation. We report a rare case of posterior wall myocardial infarction complicated with left ventricular rupture initially presenting with junctional escape rhythm.
