Opioids
The Sickle Cell Crisis: A Dilemma in Pain Relief
Sickle cell anemia is a progressive hemoglobinopathy producing chronic hemolytic anemia, microvascular thrombosis, ischemic pain, tissue infarction, decreased quality of life, and ultimately shortened life expectancy.1,2 In sickle cell anemia, valine is substituted for glutamic acid in the sixth amino acid of the β-globin chain. In a person who is homozygous, all hemoglobin is of the abnormal HbS type, and repeated episodes of sickling result in a less malleable molecule even at sites of normal atmospheric pressures of oxygen.“Broken Heart Syndrome” After Separation (From OxyContin)
We describe a 61-year-old woman with “broken heart syndrome” (Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy) after abrupt postsurgical withdrawal of OxyContin. Her medical history was remarkable for long-term opioid dependence associated with the treatment of multijoint degenerative osteoarthritis. The patient presented to the emergency department 1 day after discharge from the hospital following total knee arthroplasty revision with acute-onset dyspnea and mild chest pain. She had precordial ST-segment elevation characteristic of acute myocardial infarction and elevated cardiac biomarkers.
