Full Text (PDF)
Case Report

Antisnake Venom in Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Srishty Vij, Sonam Kumari, Arun Kaushik, Kishalay Datta

Author Information

Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


Indian Journal of Emergency Medicine 12(2):p 108-111, April-June 2026. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijem.2395.311X.12226.10

How Cite This Article:

Srishty Vij, Sonam Kumari, Arun Kaushik, et al. Antisnake Venom in Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction. Ind J Emerg Med. 2026; 12(2): 108-111

Timeline

Received : January 16, 2026         Accepted : February 17, 2026          Published : June 30, 2026

Abstract

Snake envenomation is a common medical emergency in tropical regions and is typically associated with neurotoxic, hemotoxic, or myotoxic manifestations. Cardiovascular complications are rare but potentially life-threatening. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) following snakebite is an uncommon and poorly understood phenomenon, often leading to diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in emergency settings. We report a rare case of acute myocardial infarction occurring after snake envenomation, which showed significant clinical improvement following timely administration of polyvalent snake antivenom along with standard supportive care. A middle-aged male patient presented to the emergency department with a history of snakebite, followed by chest pain, diaphoresis, and hemodynamic instability. Electrocardiography revealed ST-segment elevation consistent with acute myocardial infarction, while cardiac biomarkers were markedly elevated. The patient had no prior history of coronary artery disease or traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Early administration of snake antivenom resulted in rapid stabilization, improvement in electrocardiographic changes, and normalization of cardiac enzymes. This case highlights the importance of recognizing acute coronary events as a possible complication of snake envenomation. Early diagnosis and prompt antivenom therapy may play a crucial role in reversing myocardial injury and improving outcomes. Clinicians in snakebite-endemic regions should maintain a high index of suspicion for cardiac involvement in such patients.


References

  • 1.   Warrell D.A. Snake bite. Lancet. 2010; 375(9708): 77–88.
  • 2.   Kini R.M. Cardiotoxic effects of snake venoms. Toxicon. 2002; 40(12): 1607–1623.
  • 3.   Kounis N.G. Kounis syndrome: allergic acute coronary syndrome. Clin Ther. 2013; 35(5): 563–571.
  • 4.   White J. Snake venoms and coagulopathy. Toxicon. 2005; 45(8): 951–967.
  • 5.   Isbister G.K., Fan H.W. Clinical effects of snake envenoming. Lancet. 2011; 377(9779): 154–165.
  • 6.   Cheng A.C., Currie B.J. Cardiac complications of envenomation. Heart. 2004; 90(9): 1010–1015.

Data Sharing Statement

There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.

Funding

This research received no funding.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.

Ethics Declaration

This article does not involve any human or animal subjects, and therefore does not require ethics approval.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the patients, their families, and all those who have contributed to this study.

Conflicts of Interest

No conflicts of interest in this work.


About this article


Cite this article

Srishty Vij, Sonam Kumari, Arun Kaushik, et al. Antisnake Venom in Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction. Ind J Emerg Med. 2026; 12(2): 108-111


Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


Received Accepted Published
January 16, 2026 February 17, 2026 June 30, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijem.2395.311X.12226.10

Keywords

Snake AntivenomMyocardial InfarctionKounis syndrom

Article Level Metrics

Last Updated

Sunday 05 July 2026, 03:53:46 (IST)


2438

Accesses

7
845
00

Citations


NA
NA
NA

Download citation


Article Keywords


Keyword Highlighting

Highlight selected keywords in the article text.


Timeline


Received January 16, 2026
Accepted February 17, 2026
Published June 30, 2026

licence


Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


Access this article



Share