A case of contrast-induced pancreatitis following cardiac catheterization.

Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death of men and women in the United States. Angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) are an integral part in management of acute coronary syndromes. Well-defined complications of coronary angiography include allergic and anaphylactic reactions, vascular access complications, stroke, and contrast-induced kidney injury. Radiographic contrast agents (RCAs) are known to cause acute kidney injury. RCAs are also postulated to induce pancreatitis in experimental animal models. We present a patient with acute pancreatitis immediately following coronary angiography. Recent studies have described that the use of RCA is associated with worse prognosis in patients with ongoing pancreatitis. The pathophysiology of RCA-induced pancreatitis is poorly understood. Although extremely rare, RCA-induced pancreatitis should be considered in the appropriate clinical setting.