Cardiovascular collapse after myocardial infarction due to centipede bite

• Published in: Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift Vol. 127; no. 13-14; pp. 577 - 579
• Main Authors: Üreyen, Çağin Mustafa, Arslan, Şakir, Baş, Cem Yunus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.07.2015
• Subjects: Adult; Arthropod Venoms - poisoning; Bites and Stings - complications; Bites and Stings - diagnosis; Case Report; Critical Care - methods; Diagnosis, Differential; Endocrinology; Gastroenterology; Heart Arrest - diagnosis; Heart Arrest - etiology; Heart Arrest - therapy; Humans; Internal Medicine; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis; Myocardial Infarction - etiology; Myocardial Infarction - therapy; Pneumology/Respiratory System; Treatment Outcome; Myocardial infarction; Cardiovascular collapse; Centipede bite; Tissue plasminogen activator
• ISSN: 0043-5325; 1613-7671
• DOI: 10.1007/s00508-015-0801-z

Summary Centipede bites have been reported to cause localized and/or systemic symptoms including local pain, erythema and edema, nausea and vomiting, palpitations, headache, lymphadenopathy, and rhabdomyolysis. However, acute myocardial infarction due to centipede envenomation is reported in only three cases in English medical literature. We present a case of 31-year-old male bitten by a golden colored centipede leading to myocardial infarction and cardiopulmonary arrest which is seen very rarely. The patient was admitted to emergency department with a swollen and painful right foot. However, typical chest pain became the major complaint and cardiopulmonary arrest developed while electrocardiography was being obtained. The patient was resuscitated successfully for 5 min and acute infero-posterolateral myocardial infarction was detected on electrocardiography.