Myocardial infarction secondary to unintentional ingestion of hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

Ingestion of acid-containing household products, either accidentally or as a suicide attempt, is
a common form of intoxication. A clear and odorless liquid, hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing
agent found in most households and many industrial environments. Cardiovascular manifestations
of hydrogen peroxide ingestion are extremely rare. Here we report a 60 year-old woman
with acute inferolateral myocardial infarction (MI) after hydrogen peroxide ingestion, who had
no history of coronary artery disease. Physicians dealing with hydrogen peroxide ingestion in
the emergency department should be aware of the probability of MI and obtain an electrocardiogram,
even if the patient has no cardiac complaint. (Cardiol J 2012; 19, 1: 86–88)