Vagal baroreflex activation resulting in acute coronary stent thrombus associated with myocardial infarction: a case report

BACKGROUND Percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting in patients with coronary atheromatous stenosis carry an inherent risk of affecting the baroreflex-mediated regulation of hemodynamic alterations, especially for heart rate and blood pressure. To the best of our knowledge, the vagal baroreflex activation associated with acute coronary stent thrombosis in patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention has not been previously reported. CASE PRESENTATION In the present article, we report a case of a Chinese patient (a 75-year-old male) with coronary artery disease who presented with hemodynamic alterations as a complication of vagal baroreflex activation after implantation of overlapping stents, followed by stent thrombosis associated with myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION The patient's vagal baroreflex sensitivity increased after the coronary stenting procedure. He was successfully treated with intra-aortic balloon pump therapy. Because of its rarity, this case is being reported to emphasize the importance of using intra-aortic balloon pump therapy.