Allergic acute coronary syndrome

Kounis syndrome (aka allergic acute coronary syndrome) is defined as acute coronary syndrome (symptoms such as chest pain relating to reduced blood flow to the heart) caused by an allergic reaction or a strong immune reaction to a drug or other substance.[1] It is a rare syndrome with authentic cases reported in 130 males and 45 females Mast, as reviewed in 2017; however, the disorder is suspected of being commonly overlooked and therefore much more prevalent.[2] Mast cell activation and release of inflammatory cytokines as well as other inflammatory agents from the reaction leads to spasm of the artery leading to the heart muscle or a plaque breaking free and blocking that artery.[1][3]

The Kounis syndrome is distinguished from two other causes of coronary artery spasms and symptoms viz., the far more common, non-allergic syndrome, Prinzmetal's angina[4] and eosinophilic coronary periarteritis, an extremely rare disorder caused by extensive eosinophilic infiltration of the adventitia and periadventitia, i.e. the soft tissues, surrounding the coronary arteries.[5][6]