ABSTRACT
AIIRB angiotensin II receptor blocker
AAFB acid-alcohol fast bacilli ACE angiotensin-converting
enzyme ACTH adrenocorticotrophic
hormone ADH antidiuretic hormone AF atrial fibrillation AIDS acquired immune-
deficiency syndrome AIN acute interstitial nephritis AIP acute intermittent
porphyria ALA aminolaevulinic acid ALT alanine transaminase
(SGPT) AML acute myeloid leukaemia AMP adenosine 5'-
monophosphate ANA antinuclear antibody ANCA antineutrophil cytoplasmic
antibodies ANF antinuclear factor APCKD adult polycystic kidney
disease APTT activated partial
thromboplastin time AR aortic regurgitation ARDS adult respiratory distress
syndrome ARVC arrhythmogenic right
ventricular cardiomyopathy AS aortic stenosis ASD atrial septal defect ASO antistreptolysin AST aspartate transaminase
(SGOT) ATN acute tubular necrosis AZT zidovudine BCG bacille Calmette-Guérin BIH benign intracranial
hypertension BP blood pressure BT bleeding time BTS British Thoracic Society CAH chronic active hepatitis CAP community acquired
pneumonia CCF congestive cardiac failure CFTR cystic fibrosis
transmembrane regulator (protein)
CML chronic myeloid leukaemia CMV cytomegalovirus COPD chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease CPAP continuous positive airway
pressure CREST calcinosis, Raynaud’s
syndrome, oesophageal problems, scleroderma, telangiectasia
CRF chronic renal failure CRP C-reactive protein CSF cerebrospinal fluid CSS Churg-Strauss syndrome CT computed tomography CVA cerebrovascular accident CVP central venous pressure CXR chest X-ray DBP diastolic blood pressure DC direct current DHCC dihydroxy-cholecalciferol DIC disseminated intravascular
coagulation DIDMOAD diabetes insipidus,
diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy and deafness
DM diabetes mellitus DT delerium tremens DVT deep-vein thrombosis EAA extrinsic allergic alveolitis EBV Epstein-Barr virus ECG electrocardiogram EEG electroencephalogram ELISA enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay EMF endomyocardial fibrosis EMG electromyogram ENT ear, nose and throat EPO erythropoietin ERCP endoscopic retrograde
cholangiopancreatogram ESR erythrocyte sedimentation
rate FBC full blood count FDP fibrinogen degradation
product FES fat embolism syndrome FEV1 fixed expiration volume in
1 second FFP fresh-frozen plasma FNA fine-needle aspiration FSH follicle stimulating
hormone FTA fluorescent treponemal
antibody
FVC forced vital capacity GBM glomerular basement
membrane GCT giant cell tumour GFR glomerular filtration rate GH growth hormone GHRH growth hormone releasing
hormone GI gastrointestinal GP general practitioner GPI glucophosphatidylinositol GT glutamyltransferase GTN glyceryl trinitrate Hb haemoglobin HbSS sickle cell anaemia HC Hereditary Copro
porphyria HCC hydroxy-cholecalciferol HCM hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy HCV hepatitis C virus HCG human chorionic
gonadotrophin HELLP haemolysis, elevated liver
enzymes and low platelets HHT hereditary haemorrhagic
telangiectasia HIT heparin-induced
thrombocytopenia HIV human immunodeficiency
virus HONK hypersimilar non-ketotic
diabetic coma HR heart rate HRT hormone replacement
therapy HS hereditary spherocytosis HSMN hereditary sensorimotor
neuropathy HUS haemolytic uraemic
syndrome ICD implantable cardioverter
defibrillator ICP intracranial pressure INR International Normalized
Ratio IPF idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis IVP intravenous pyelogram IVU intravenous urogram JVP jugular venous pressure KCO corrected carbon monoxide
transfer factor LBBB left bundle branch block LDH lactate dehydrogenase
LFT liver function tests LH luteinizing hormone LHON Leber’s hereditary optic
neuropathy LHRH luteinizing hormone
releasing hormone LMWH low-molecular weight
heparin LQTS long QT-syndrome LVEDP left ventricular end-diastolic
pressure LVH left ventricular hypertrophy MAHA microangiopathic
haemolytic anaemia MAOI monoamine oxidase
inhibitor MCH mean cell haemoglobin MCHC mean cell haemoglobin
content MCV mean cell volume MELAS mitochondrial
encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, stroke-like syndrome
MEN multiple endocrine neoplasia
MERRF myoclonic epilepsy and red ragged fibres
MGUS monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
MPO myeloperoxidase MR mitral regurgitation MRA magnetic resonance
angiography MRCP magnetic resonance
cholangiopancreatogram MRI magnetic resonance
imaging MRSA methicillin resistant
Staphylococcus aureus MRV magnetic resonance
venography MSH melanocyte stimulating
hormone NADPH nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide phosphate (reduced)
NAPQI N-acetyl-pbenzoquinoneimine
NARP neuropathy, ataxia, retinitis pigmentosa
NASH non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
NIPPV non-invasive positive pressure ventilation
NSAID non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug
NSTEMI non-ST elevation myocardial infarction
NYHA New York Heart Association
OSA obstructive sleep apnoea PAN polyarteritis nodosa PAS periodic acid-Schiff PBC primary biliary cirrhosis PBG porphobilinogen PCOS polycystic ovary syndrome PCR polymerase chain reaction PCT porphyria cutanea tarda PCV packed cell volume PCWP pulmonary capillary wedge
pressure PE pulmonary embolism PEFR peak expiratory flow rate PFO patent foramen ovale PKD polycystic kidney disease PMLE progressive multifocal
leucoencephalopathy PMR polymyalgia rheumatica PNH paroxysmal nocturnal
haemoglobinuria PRL prolactin PRV polycythaemia rubra vera PSC primary sclerosing
cholangitis PT prothrombin time PTH parathormone or
parathyroid hormone PVE prosthetic valve
endocarditis RA rheumatoid arthritis RBBB right bundle branch block REM rapid eye movement RMAT rapid macroagglutination
test RTA renal tubular acidosis RV residual volume SADS sudden adult death
syndrome SAM systolic anterior motion of
the mitral valve SAP serum amyloid protein SIADH syndrome of inappropriate
antidiuretic hormone SLE systemic lupus
erythematosus SMA smooth muscle antibody SPECT single photon emission
computed tomography SROS Steele-Richardson-
Olszewski syndrome STEMI ST elevation myocardial
infarction SVT supraventricular tachycardia TB tuberculosis
TCAD tricyclic antidepressant overdose
TIA transient ischaemic attack TIBC total iron-binding capacity TIPSS transjugular intrahepatic
portosystemic shunt TLC total lung capacity TLCO total lung carbon
monoxide transfer factor TOE transoesophageal
echocardiography TPA tissue plasminogen
activator TPHA treponema pallidum
haemagglutination test TRH thyrotrophin releasing
hormone TSAT transferrin saturation TSH thyroid stimulating
hormone TT thrombin time TTP thrombotic
thrombocytopenic purpura U&E urea and electrolytes URTI upper respiratory tract
infection US ultrasound UTI urinary tract infection VDRL Venereal Diseases Research
Laboratory test VF ventricular fibrillation VIP vasointestinal polypeptide VMA vanilyl mandelic acid VP variegate porphyria VR ventricular rate VSD ventricular septal defect VT ventricular tachycardia WCC white cell count WPW Wolff-Parkinson-White
(syndrome)
A 49-year-old male presented to the Accident and Emergency Department with a one-hour history of severe central chest pain. He smoked 30 cigarettes per day. Physical examination was normal. The 12-lead ECG revealed ST segment elevation in leads V1-V4. There were no contraindications to thrombolysis.
