Insights for increased risk of failed fibrinolytic therapy and stent thrombosis associated with COVID-19 in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients

Abstract

Important health resources are dedicated worldwide to the management of COVID-19. This new disease, due to its large diffusion, may significantly hamper the prognosis of other pathologies, such as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) because of (a) a possible direct negative impact and (b) shortage of first response medical resources and increased delays to reperfusion. We report the case of a 68-year-old man admitted for anterior STEMI and asymptomatic COVID-19. Due to extended transportation delays to a cathlab, he received intravenous fibrinolytic therapy, which failed. Reperfusion was achieved with rescue coronary angioplasty, but the patient experienced two episodes of acute stent thrombosis at 2- and 36-hr following admission and despite optimal medical therapy. He finally died because of cardiogenic shock. This raises concerns about a possible increase in platelet aggregability associated with COVID-19 leading to an increased risk of stent thrombosis, particularly in the context of STEMI. This pleads for the promotion of primary coronary angioplasty as the first-choice revascularization technique in this population and the use of new generation P2Y12 inhibitors. In addition, the use of GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors may be considered in every STEMI patient with COVID-19 to prevent the risk of acute stent thrombosis.