Allergic Acute Coronary Syndrome-Kounis Syndrome

Leen Alblaihed; Maite Anna Huis In 't Veld

doi:10.1016/j.emc.2021.08.010

Allergic Acute Coronary Syndrome-Kounis Syndrome

Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2022 Feb;40(1):69-78. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2021.08.010. Epub 2021 Oct 29.

Authors

Leen Alblaihed¹, Maite Anna Huis In 't Veld²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 6th Floor, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/LeenAlblaihed.
² Department of Emergency Medicine, Elisabeth TweeSteden Ziekenhuis, Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC Tilburg, the Netherlands; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, MD, USA. Electronic address: m.huisintveld@etz.nl.

PMID: 34782092
DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2021.08.010

Abstract

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the setting of an allergic/immunologic reaction is known as Kounis syndrome. It is an underdiagnosed and underrecognized disease entity. One must keep a high index of suspicions when managing a patient presenting with cardiac as well as allergic symptoms. There are 3 main variants to the syndrome. Treating the allergic reaction may alleviate the pain; however, ACS guidelines should be followed if cardiac ischemia is present.

Keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; Allergic reaction; Kounis syndrome; Vasospastic angina.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Kounis Syndrome / complications*
Kounis Syndrome / immunology*
Kounis Syndrome / physiopathology