Vol 70, No 3 (2019)
Case report
Published online: 2019-10-03

open access

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An acute coronary syndrome in Antarctica

Mathieu Carron1, Fanny Hamard1, Jacques Levraut1, Nicolas Blondeau2
Pubmed: 31617940
IMH 2019;70(3):167-170.

Abstract

Cruise tourism to Antarctica is constantly growing. Passengers and crewmembers may experience illnesses or injuries while traveling to remote areas with harsh weather conditions from where prompt evacuation is mostly unavailable. While a small explorer ship was at Wilhelmina bay (64°39’ South and 62°08’ West) in the Antarctic Peninsula, a 73-year-old male passenger presented with acute chest pain after two short excursions off the vessel in cold weather conditions. He was treated on board and remained clinically stable until the ship reached Ushuaia at the end of the cruise which was 5 days after the symptoms onset. 

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