Background
Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) is diagnosed in 2–7% of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) and recent antibiotic use is a known risk factor. Altered mental status may be a presenting symptom. Besides empiric antibiotics, intravenous anticoagulation using heparin may have a role in the management of such patients.
Case presentation
A 23-year-old male patient was referred to our center with fever, altered mental status and abnormal gait. Neurologic examination revealed Wernicke’s aphasia. Cardiac auscultation revealed systolic murmur at the left sternal border. ECG (electrocardiogram) was unremarkable. Brain MRI showed multiple cerebellar lesions. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) demonstrated three large masses on the right ventricle (RV), tricuspid valve (TV), and anterior mitral valve (MV) leaflet. Blood cultures (three sets) were negative. Intravenous heparin therapy was administered. After 48 h, the second TTE demonstrated that one valvular lesion disappeared and the other two lesions showed a significant decrease in size. The patient’s neurological symptoms resolved gradually. Further workup for collagen vascular disorders did not show any abnormality.
Conclusion
BCNE should be considered in patients with fever and neurologic manifestations. TTE should be performed to detect valvular abnormalities. Intravenous heparin could be used in such patients when TTE demonstrate valvular vegetations.
Here we present a case of a 70-year-old man with acute myocardial infarction caused by left anterior descending artery occlusion presenting as ST elevation in the inferior leads that suggested an occlusion of the right coronary artery. In contrast, coronary angiography results indicated a complete occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. We reported our observation in electrocardiographic data and coronary angiography and its changes after a percutaneous coronary intervention, and then we discuss its pathophysiologic mechanism.
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