Critical Complication Post Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Acute Stent Thrombosis |Biomedgrid

Acute stent thrombosis (AST) is a rare but lethal complication that occurs after an individual receives coronary arteries stenting. If overlooked, it may lead to cardiogenic shock and ultimately death. The authors present a case of a 65-year-old male with coronary artery disease who experienced acute chest pain one hour after receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting. The nurse practitioner and the cardiac team were able to quickly diagnose AST through clinical signs, electrocardiography (ECG) and emergent coronary angiogram (CAG). The case subsequently underwent a second PCI for reperfusion of coronary arteries, combined with dual antiplatelets therapy (DAPT), and was successfully discharged afterwards. In patients who receive PCI, there is a 0.5% to 1 % chance that AST may occur within the first 24 hours. In patients experiencing chest pain or tightness, he or she should be monitored with 12-leads ECG every 15 to 30 minutes. CAG should be performed early to check the stented vessels for occlusions. DAPT may be initiated well before the first PCI in patients who are prone to thrombotic events to early prevent AST.