Anaesthesiology intensive therapy
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Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther · Sep 2014
Case ReportsSubarachnoid haemorrhage imitating acute coronary syndrome as a cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - case report.
Severe subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is a common cause of cardiac arrest. The survival of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to SAH is extremely poor. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic changes associated with SAH may mimic changes caused by acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and thus lead to delayed treatment of the primary disease. Misdiagnosed SAH due to ACS mask can have an influence on patient outcomes. ⋯ It appears that an urgent CT of the head is the most effective method for the early identification of SAH-induced OHCA, especially in patients with prodromal headache, no history of the symptoms of ACS and CA due to asystole/pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) predominantly develops due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Extra-cardiac causes, e.g., subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), are less common. The purpose of the present case report was to describe a patient with OHCA due to subarachnoid haemorrhage imitating acute coronary syndrome.