Hypertensive Crisis and Myocardial Infarction With Non-obstructive Coronary Arteries in a Leprosy Patient With Erythema Nodosum Leprosum: The Role of Corticosteroids

A hypertensive crisis is a severe condition characterized by a sudden, critical rise in blood pressure, which can lead to organ damage. Myocardial infarction occurring in the absence of significant coronary artery stenosis is referred to as myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). Patients with leprosy may develop erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), a serious inflammatory condition that can impair cardiovascular health and is frequently treated with corticosteroids. In this case, we describe a 52- year-old male patient, known to have hypertension, who complained of breathlessness, facial edema, and chest pain. Additional testing indicated hypertension, elevated cardiac biomarkers, and an ECG that showed characteristics of a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). When coronary angiography was performed, non-obstructive epicardial coronary arteries were discovered.