Mitral stenosis as a risk factor for embolic myocardial infarction--anticoagulation for some patients, individual treatment for all.

A 28 year-old lady with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis presented with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction secondary to angiographically confirmed right coronary artery embolus with a likely source of mitral valve stenosis origin. This patient was successfully treated medically with dual anti-platelet and 72 hours of intravenous heparin, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor and eptifibitide (Integrilin) with a repeated coronary angiogram showing complete resolution of embolus. The management of embolic myocardial infarction is discussed along with the risks of embolism in patients with mitral stenosis who remain in sinus rhythm.