Asymptomatic Type 2 Perioperative Myocardial Infarction Detected before Anesthetic Induction in a Patient Undergoing Non-Cardiac Surgery—A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI) is a life-threatening complication in major non-cardiac surgeries (NCS) and constitutes the most common cause of postoperative morbidity and mortality. A PMI that is associated with prolonged oxygen supply–demand imbalance and its etiology is defined as a type 2 MI. Asymptomatic myocardial ischemia can occur in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), especially those with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, or, in some cases, without any risk factors. Case: We report a case of asymptomatic PMI in a 76-year-old patient with underlying hypertension and DM without a previous history of CAD. During the induction of anesthesia, abnormal electrocardiography was discovered, and the surgery was postponed after further studies revealed almost completely occluded three-vessel CAD and type 2 PMI. Conclusions: Anesthesiologists should closely monitor and evaluate the associated cardiovascular risk, including cardiac biomarkers of each patient before surgery, to minimize the possibility of PMI.