Non-ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in a Patient With Essential Thrombocythemia Treated With Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitor

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) can cause systemic vascular thrombosis but rarely cause obstruction of coronary arteries or acute myocardial infarction (MI). Treatment of acute MI in patients with ET may be a problem due to the important role of platelets in the pathogenesis of infarction. In this report, a 63-year-old man presented with acute chest pain and a greatly increased platelet count. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous tirofiban, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blocker. Essential thrombocythemia was diagnosed based on bone marrow findings, clinical presentation, and laboratory analysis. Thrombocythemia had been controlled with hydroxyurea.