Cardiac amyloidosis presenting with recurrent ischaemic strokes.
Suleiman SuleimanJohn Joseph CoughlanDavid MoorePublished in: BMJ case reports (2020)
A 72-year-old man presented to our service with sudden onset right-sided weakness, aphasia and gaze palsy with diplopia. CT angiogram demonstrated an acute thrombotic occlusion of the distal basilar artery, a basilar infarct and the patient underwent successful thrombectomy. ECG and telemetry demonstrated slow atrial fibrillation (AF). His transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed a reduced ejection fraction of 25% with global hypo-kinesis, a dilated left ventricle (LV) and LV hypertrophy (LVH). Repeat TTE appeared suspicious for an infiltrative cardiomyopathy with LVH and a speckled appearance to the myocardium. Approximately 10 months later, he suffered another ischaemic stroke post-elective cardioversion for AF while on anticoagulation. Cardiac MRI demonstrated areas of delayed gadolinium enhancement consistent with amyloidosis. Fat pad biopsy was positive for amyloidosis. Our patient has made an excellent recovery from the ischaemic strokes and is being managed in our heart failure clinic.
Keyphrases
- atrial fibrillation
- heart failure
- contrast enhanced
- case report
- left atrial
- oral anticoagulants
- catheter ablation
- left ventricular
- direct oral anticoagulants
- left atrial appendage
- multiple myeloma
- magnetic resonance imaging
- percutaneous coronary intervention
- healthcare
- mental health
- primary care
- computed tomography
- adipose tissue
- liver failure
- heart rate variability
- heart rate
- patients undergoing
- drug induced
- pulmonary hypertension
- minimally invasive
- ultrasound guided
- image quality
- respiratory failure
- magnetic resonance
- acute ischemic stroke
- acute heart failure
- intensive care unit
- mechanical ventilation
- coronary artery
- endovascular treatment