A Case of Polycythemia Vera Presenting as an ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Traditional risk factors for acute myocardial infarction are hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, and a family history of coronary heart disease. Most acute myocardial infarction patients have at least one of these risk factors. Polycythemia vera is a rare etiological factor for acute myocardial infarction. Polycythemia vera leads to hyperviscous milieu of the blood and increased platelet activity, which increases the chance of thrombotic occlusion of coronary arteries. In this article we report a rare case of polycythemia vera presenting as an ST-elevation myocardial infarction without any traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease.