Ventricular Septal Rupture Following Acute Myocardial Infarction

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a known medical exigency that has seen considerable advances in medical treatment, dramatically boosting survival rates. Post myocardial infarction ventricular rupture is a major serious mechanical complication following myocardial infarction. We present a case of a 68-year-old male admitted to the emergency department with heaviness in the chest, for which electrocardiography was done and it was suggestive of anterior and lateral wall myocardial infarction. After six hours he experienced breathlessness, jugular venous pressure (JVP) was raised, and auscultation revealed early systolic murmur at apex suggestive of ventricular septal rupture. An urgent echocardiogram was done and it confirmed the diagnosis of ventricular septal rupture (VSR). To enhance the prognosis, early identification and appropriate care are required, which necessitate a thorough clinical evaluation that raises the possibility of mechanical problem, as late presentation is one of the major risk factors for developing VSR. VSR can manifest itself in numerous ways, based on the patient’s condition. Right clinical judgement and ECG are required to establish a quick diagnosis, as a result, to determine the most appropriate treatment at the appropriate time.