Understanding Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Insulin Resistance and Beyond.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC) is a syndrome of heart failure occurring in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), independent of other risk factors. It is a relatively underdiagnosed condition with a prolonged subclinical phase. There is an abundance of studies put forward to explain the underlying pathogenic mechanisms observed in this condition.

Cardiovascular Implications of Semaglutide in Obesity Management: Redefining Cardiovascular Health Strategies.

Semaglutide is a glucagon-l ike peptide 1 receptor agonist that has been noted to have a significant role in the reduction of body weight and glycaemic control. An increasing body of evidence from recent trials (SUSTAIN-6, SELECT and STEP HF) has shown significant cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide in both patients with and without diabetes and in people who are obese or overweight. Additional studies in a more diverse patient population and safety assessment are warranted prior to adding semaglutide to the increasing pool of guideline-directed medical therapy for the treatment and prevention of cardiac diseases.

Femoral Neck Osteoporosis Is Associated with a Higher Odds of Coronary Artery Disease in Indian Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-sectional Study from a Teaching Hospital in Southern India.

Epidemiological studies have shown an association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and osteoporosis. We studied the prevalence of CAD among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Factors that were significantly associated with CAD were also assessed.

Sarcopenic Obesity as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease: An Underrecognized Clinical Entity.

Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a chronic condition and an emerging health challenge, in view of the growing elderly population and the obesity epidemic. Due to a lack of awareness among treating doctors and the non-specific nauture of the associated symptoms, SO remains grossly underdiagnosed. There is no consensus yet on a standard definition or diagnostic criteria for SO, which limits the estimation of the global prevalence of this condition.

Role of Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin (NGAL) and Other Clinical Parameters as Predictors of Bacterial Sepsis in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Fever.

Background: Bacterial sepsis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, to date, there is no single test that predicts sepsis with reproducible results. We proposed that using a combination of clinical and laboratory parameters and a novel biomarker, plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) may aid in early diagnosis.

A Pilot Study of Electrocardiographic Features in Patients with Obesity from a Tertiary Care Centre in Southern India (Electron).

Obesity is associated with increased all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). An electrocardiogram (ECG) may be used to screen for subtle signs of CVD or altered cardiac morphology in the obese. This observational cross-sectional analysed ECG changes in patients with obesity at a tertiary care centre in southern India.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy: An analysis of clinical profiles and outcomes from a tertiary care centre in southern India.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a syndrome of maternal heart failure with decreased left ventricular ejection fraction affecting maternal and fetal well-being. We analysed clinical profiles and outcomes in women with peripartum cardiomyopathy enrolled retrospectively from a tertiary care centre in southern India (1 January 2008-31 December 2014). The incidence of peripartum cardiomyopathy was one case per 1541 live births.

Bone Health after Fifth Decade in Rural Ambulatory South Indian Postmenopausal Women.

Background: The incidence of postmenopausal osteoporosis continues to rise, as population ages. The morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporotic fractures have a significant negative impact on the economy and quality of life of the affected individual and the community, at large.

Objectives: We aimed to study the prevalence of osteoporosis in ambulant rural postmenopausal women, and to look at their dietary calcium intake (DCI) and Vitamin D status.

Myelomatous pleural effusion and extensive extraskeletal soft tissue involvement: a rare presentation of clonal plasma cell disorders.

A 65-year-old woman presented with a history of progressive dyspnoea, left pleuritic pain, loss of weight and appetite. Previous history was significant for pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed 10 years before. Physical examination revealed a left supraclavicular soft tissue mass with absent breath sounds over the left hemithorax.

Referral pattern for DXA scanning in a tertiary care centre from southern India.

Unlabelled: Referral patterns for bone mineral density testing by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning are seldom studied. In our study, the overall proportion of referrals from specialties remained low. This highlights the need for adequate utilisation of DXA by specialties treating subjects at risk for osteoporosis.

Cerebrovascular Injury Following Scorpion Sting and Snake Envenomation: A Case Series.

Background: Neurological complications following snake and scorpion bite are diverse. Literature regarding patterns of cerebrovascular injury (CVI) and outcomes among these patients is scarce. This is a descriptive study of the clinical profile, brain imaging findings, mechanisms of injury, vascular territory involvement and outcomes of CVI following scorpion and snake envenomation, in a tertiary care center in South India.

The Heart of the Matter: Cardiac Manifestations of Endocrine Disease.

Endocrine disorders manifest as a disturbance in the milieu of multiple organ systems. The cardiovascular system may be directly affected or alter its function to maintain the state of homeostasis. In this article, we aim to review the pathophysiology, diagnosis, clinical features and management of cardiac manifestations of various endocrine disorders.