Acute coronary syndrome following a 100 µg carbetocin injection during an emergency Cesarean delivery

Postpartum hemorrhage affects 5% of parturients. Its prevention relies mainly on the administration of oxytocin derivatives. Carbetocin is a newly available analogue of oxytocin but has a considerable incidence of side effects. We report the case of a woman with no cardiovascular risk factors experiencing an acute coronary syndrome with significant electrocardiogram changes perioperatively after a single injection of carbetocin during an emergency Cesarean delivery. Postoperative cardiac enzyme levels and transthoracic echocardiogram results were normal. A 2012 retrospective analysis of the use of carbetocin in our institution revealed an incidence rate for coronary events of 1/245 (0.34%), a rate similar to the ones reported in previous studies. We discuss the management of patients with angina during a Cesarean delivery as well as the plans to care for these patients in the future.