TITLE:
Acute Cholecystitis Mimics Ischemic Cardiac Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
AUTHORS:
Osman Habeeb, Taj Eldeen Ebrahim
KEYWORDS:
Cardiac, Calculus, Cholecystitis, Heart, Ischemic Cardiac Disease
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.3 No.11,
November
25,
2014
ABSTRACT: Chest pain and shortness of breath are typical indicators of cardiac problem and may lead to life threatening conditions. Nevertheless, these symptoms may also be associated with a non-cardiac condition clinically such as cholecystitis. We have reported 4 cases in a period of 6 months wherein the patients presented with cardiac-like symptom show ever; they were subsequently diagnosed with non-cardiac problems. Two patients presented with severe chest pain and shortness of breath mimicking angina pectoris. They were admitted to the intensive care unit for emergency management. The ECG findings were normal. There were two other patients who also presented with severe chest pain and shortness of breath with ST segment elevation during the ECG examination. The abdominal ultrasound in all the 4 patients showed typical features of acute calculus cholecystitis. All patients were young (30 - 36 years of age) females who were obese (BMI ranging from 30 - 34). Cholecystectomy was performed which led to improved symptoms postoperatively and ECG changes became normal.