Comparison of Outcomes for Non-ST Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction in Weekday vs Weekend Admissions: The Weekend Effect.

Background: Recent literature shows that reduced staffing over the weekends in hospitals may compromise patient care with acute conditions like acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Objective: Our study evaluated differences in the outcomes between patients presenting with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) on weekends versus those coming on weekdays.

Methods: A single-center retrospective study was performed on NSTE-ACS patients.

Contemporary trends in the incidence of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) - ethnic and household income disparities.

Objectives: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) may contribute to 35% of acute coronary syndrome among women ≤50 years of age. We aimed to investigate the overall incidence, as well as the trends of SCAD incidence based on race, household income, and the U.S.

Heart Failure Patients and Implications of Obesity: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background and objective The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is on the rise; currently, it affects around five million people in the United States (US) and the prevalence is expected to rise from 2.42% in 2012 to 2.97% in 2030.

The contemporary trends and geographic variation in premature mortality due to heart failure from 1999 to 2018 in the United States.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the contemporary trends and regional variations in premature mortality due to heart failure across the U.S. from 1999 to 2018.

Wrapped Left Anterior Descending Artery Presenting As Inferior Myocardial Infarction: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Acute occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery generally results in ST-segment elevation in the anterior leads of the electrocardiogram and reciprocal ST-segment depression in the inferior leads. We present a case of LAD occlusion presenting as inferior wall ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Clinical Approach to Manage Gastrointestinal Bleeding with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD).

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are an exceedingly important form of mechanical support for patients with end-stage heart failure. LVADs can be utilized both as a bridge to cardiac transplant and also as a definitive treatment. However, a few complications are associated with LVAD placement, the most common and cumbersome of which is gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding with an incidence of about 30%.

The role of echocardiography in diagnostic evaluation of patients with syncope-a retrospective analysis.

Background: Syncope is a symptom complex comprising of a brief loss of consciousness leading to a transient decrease in cerebral blood flow that resolves completely. 2D-transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a useful tool to detect underlying structural heart disease, which can lead to syncope, e.g.

Weight Loss: A Significant Cue To The Diagnosis of Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia.

Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is a condition defined by a state of attenuated blood circulation in the mesenteric vasculature affecting one or more abdominal viscera, and is more common in the female and elderly populations. Amongst the many causes, it occurs most frequently in connection with diffuse atherosclerosis. Its presentation is variable with symptoms such as weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and/or constipation, with postprandial pain classically present in the majority of the cases; this, in addition to the chronic course of the disease, makes timely diagnosis a challenge.

"Singultus" uncloaking potentially fatal vascular dissections.

Aortic dissection (AD) is a serious condition in which the intimal layer of aorta tears and blood surges in between the intimal and medial layers of aorta causing it to separate (dissect). It usually presents with excruciating pain radiating to the back. Here we present a unique presentation of AD where an old-aged Caucasian male presented with a chronic history of intractable hiccups.

Tilting the balance: hemidiaphragm paralysis leading to right to left cardiac shunt.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a congenital abnormality present in 25%-30% of healthy adults and rarely leads to any sequelae. It is associated with a left-to-right shunt which usually does not lead to any haemodynamic compromise. Occasionally, the shunt can get reversed; that is, right-to-left shunt occurs due to worsening pulmonary hypertension and can lead to persistent hypoxia.

The Effects of Geography on Outcomes of Routine Early Versus Selective Late Revascularization Strategy in the Treatment of Unstable Angina and Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis of Transatlantic Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: The optimal timing of revascularization in unstable angina (UA) or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) remains uncertain. We compared routine early revascularization (REV) versus selective late revascularization (SLR) strategies and divergence in the approach of cardiologists in the United States and Europe.

Methods: Seventeen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (15,812 patients) were extracted from PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Web of Science databases.

Spontaneous Lung Herniation Leading to Extensive Subcutaneous Emphysema, Pneumothorax, Pneumomediastinum, and Pneumopericardium.

Spontaneous lung herniation is a rare phenomenon in which the lung parenchyma along with the pleural membranes protrudes outside their usual boundaries and can lead to a wide variety of complications. We are reporting a case of a middle-aged male who presented with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation with severe bouts of cough. Initial computed tomography (CT) chest was unrevealing, but two days later, he developed spontaneous lung herniation, which was initially managed conservatively, but later it progressed to pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, with striking CT scan images showing extensive subcutaneous emphysema.

Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm: An Overview of Diagnosis and Management.

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is a rare but life-threatening disorder that is frequently reported secondary to myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery. In this article, we chronicle the case of a patient with no prior risk factors who presented with a 2-week history of nonexertional atypical left chest pain. Apical 2-chamber transthoracic echocardiography revealed an unexpected outpouching of basal inferoseptal wall of the left ventricle, which had a narrow neck and relatively wide apex.

Trends, etiologies, and predictors of 90-day readmission after percutaneous ventricular assist device implantation: A national population-based cohort study.

Percutaneous ventricular assist devices (pVADs) are indicated to provide hemodynamic support in high-risk percutaneous interventions and cardiogenic shock. However, there is a paucity of published data regarding the etiologies and predictors of 90-day readmissions following pVAD use. We studied the data from the US Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) for the years 2013 and 2014.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: A Case Series of 9 Patients With Literature Review.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is an increasingly recognized nonatherosclerotic cause of acute coronary syndrome. Reports regarding the prognosis and natural history of this disease are limited. In addition to the diagnostic difficulty, this condition poses a significant therapeutic challenge due to the lack of specific management guidelines.

Meta-Analysis of Antithrombotic Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Current clinical practice prefers oral anticoagulation (OAC) plus dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in atrial fibrillation (AF) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We conducted a meta-analysis to test the hypothesis that the superiority of OAC plus DAPT is mainly endorsed by observational studies (OSs); conversely, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have suggested that OAC plus a single antiplatelet (SAP) agent is a safer and equally effective approach. Nine studies (4 RCTs and 5 OSs) were selected using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL (Inception, October 31, 2017).

Some neck swellings are serious; a case of Lemierre's Syndrome.

Lemierre's syndrome also termed post-anginal septicemia, is a disease characterized by internal jugular septic thrombophlebitis leading to Fusobacterium septicemia with multiple metastatic foci following an oropharyngeal infection. Diagnosis and management is challenging and can result in fatal consequences due to potential multisystem involvement and multiple complications. We describe here a case of Lemierre's syndrome with multifocal pneumonia, acute renal failure and protracted course of illness over forty days with successful recovery.

A Rare Presentation of Fibromuscular Dysplasia: Postpartum Vascular Catastrophe and Brief Literature Review.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a very rare cause of acute coronary syndromes and can be life threatening given the rarity of the condition. It should be part of differentials in young females presenting with acute coronary syndromes without routine risk factors for coronary artery disease, especially before, during, and after pregnancy. It is closely associated with fibromuscular dysplasia and management can be very challenging at times.

An Extensive Unprovoked Left Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis Secondary to an Anatomical Anomaly: A Case of May-Thurner Syndrome.

May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) also known as Cockett's syndrome is a rare condition responsible for 2%-3% of all cases of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The thrombosis results from mechanical compression of the left common iliac vein against the body of the fifth lumbar vertebra by the right common iliac artery. Repetitive hyperplasia of the venous wall by compression results in spur formation that in turn causes venous flow obstruction and results in the DVT.

Eculizumab refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura secondary to post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in a patient.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare multisystem microvascular disorder, which is characterized by pentad of thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and organ dysfunction due to occlusive thrombi. The proposed pathophysiology involves an imbalance between unusually large von Willebrand factor multimers and the cleaving protease ADAMTS13. Acute pancreatitis is a well-described consequence of TTP, but TTP secondary to acute pancreatitis is a rare phenomenon.

Prosthetic Aortic Valve Endocarditis with Left Main Coronary Artery Embolism: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Context: Coronary embolization is potentially a fatal sequela of endocarditis. Although the primary cause of acute coronary syndrome is atherosclerotic disease, it is imperative to consider septic embolism as an etiological factor.

Case Report: Herein, we report a case of ventricular fibrillation and ST-segment depression myocardial infarction occurring in a patient who initially presented with fever and increased urinary frequency.

QRS fragmentation: its role in sherlocking the arrhythmogenic heart.

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a commonly available basic diagnostic modality in in-patient, out-patient, and emergency departments. In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), the presence of a fragmented QRS (f-QRS), which is an extra R wave (R'), notching of the single R wave, notching of the S wave in at least two contiguous leads on the 12-lead ECG, is associated with a myocardial scar from previous myocardial injury. Furthermore, the presence of f-QRS has been shown to be associated with adverse outcomes in CAD and non-CAD patients.