Cope's sign and complete heart block in a 78-year-old patient with biliary colic

Acute cholecystitis and biliary colic may have signs and symptoms similar to those of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) as well as ECG changes such as ST segment elevation, T wave inversion, right bundle branch block and bradycardia [1]. Reflex bradycardia was first documented in 1971 (Cope ’s Sign) by O'Reilly and Krauthamer [2] in two patients with acute cholecystitis. Calculous or acalculous cholecystitis have both been reported as trigger factors for bradyarrhythmia in the literature [3,2]. Herein, we present a case of complete heart block in a 78-year-old patient due to biliary colic.
Source: International Emergency Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Case study Source Type: research