Open AccessParaganglioma causing a myocardial infarction
Author(s) -
Gerard DeMers,
Steve Portouw
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of emergencies, trauma and shock
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.313
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 0974-519X
pISSN - 0974-2700
DOI - 10.4103/0974-2700.96495
Subject(s) - palpitations , medicine , myocardial infarction , hypertensive emergency , emergency department , cardiology , blood pressure , paraganglioma , presentation (obstetrics) , anxiety , pheochromocytoma , surgery , psychiatry
Paragangliomas, extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas, are rare and classically associated with sustained or paroxysmal hypertension, headache, perspiration, palpitations, and anxiety. A 49-year-old male, parachute instructor, likely developed a hypertensive emergency when deploying his parachute leading to a myocardial infarction. A para-aortic tumor was incidentally discovered during the patient's emergency department work-up and was eventually surgically resected. He had no evidence of coronary disease during his evaluation. This case shows that a myocardial infarction may be the initial manifestation of these neuroendocrine tumors. Hypertensive emergency, much less elevated blood pressure may not be present at time of presentation.