Kounis syndrome – Anaphylaxis-induced acute coronary syndrome

Kounis syndrome is an underdiagnosed condition in which anaphylaxis triggers vasospastic acute coronary syndrome, either with or without underlying coronary artery disease. The prevalence of this syndrome among hospitalized patients for allergic/hypersensitivity/anaphylactic reactions in the United States is 1.1%, with a 7% rate of all-cause inpatient mortality. This article presents an anaphylaxis-induced acute coronary syndrome case in a patient with underlying coronary artery disease. The pathophysiological mechanism of anaphylactic-induced acute coronary syndrome involves the inflammatory mediators of type I hypersensitivity reactions.