Myocardial infarction as a result of wasp stings is a rare manifestation of acute coronary syndromes. It has been ascribed to kounis syndrome or allergic angina whose triggers include mast cell degranulation leading to coronary vasospasm and/or local plaque destabilisation. Its exact pathophysiology is still not clearly defined. We present a case of an acute coronary syndrome as a consequence of wasp stings and discuss its possible aetiology.
Critical coronary stenoses accounts for a small proportion of acute coronary syndromes and sudden death. The majority are caused by coronary thromboses that arise from a nonangiographically obstructive atheroma. Recent developments in noninvasive imaging of so-called vulnerable plaques created opportunities to direct treatment to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with these high-risk lesions. This review covers therapy employed in the past, present, and potentially in the future as the natural history of plaque assessment unfolds.