Kounis syndrome as a cause of acute coronary syndrome

Abstract

Introduction. Kounis syndrome (KS) represents an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) induced by a hypersensitivity reaction. First described by Kounis and Zavras in 1991, KS today represents an infrequently diagnosed clinical syndrome. Three different KS variants have been defined: type I vasospastic allergic angina, type II allergic myocardial infarction, and type III stent thrombosis. Outlines of cases. This paper presents three cases of type II KS causing anaphylactic ACS. In the first case, a 66-year-old female presented with dyspnea, dizziness, and electrocardiography findings suggesting ACS after she was stung by a bee. In the second case, we present a 64-year-old female admitted to the Emergency Department with chest pain after an anaphylactic reaction due to an iodine contrast injection used for a thoracic computed tomography scan. In the third case, an 80-year-old female presented with chest pain, palpitation, and skin rash shortly after administration of the intravenous anesthetic propofol during elective malignant colon tumor surgical intervention. All patients were treated at the Cardiology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia. Conclusion. The primary mechanism of KS corresponds to the release of inflammatory mediators during a hypersensitivity reaction triggered by different sources. Although well known, constant reminders of this cause of ACS are needed.