The COVID-19 in athletes (COVA) study: a national study on cardio-pulmonary involvement of SARS-CoV-2 infection among elite athletes.

Background: COVID-19 can cause cardiopulmonary involvement. Physical activity and cardiac complications can worsen prognosis, while pulmonary complications can reduce performance.

Aims: To determine the prevalence and clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 cardiopulmonary involvement in elite athletes.

Coronary Atherosclerosis and Aortic Valve Disease as Long-Term Sequelae of Radiation Therapy in Childhood.

Coronary atherosclerosis and valvular heart disease are rare, but potentially severe sequelae following mediastinal radiation therapy. We present a case of premature ischemic heart disease and severe aortic stenosis in a 40-year-old woman following radiation therapy in childhood. We stress the awareness of prior mediastinal radiation therapy as an important risk factor for premature coronary atherosclerosis and valvular heart disease, particularly in younger patients without classical risk factors for coronary artery disease.

Direct Oral Anticoagulants After Percutaneous Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure: A Call for Caution.

BACKGROUND Transient atrial fibrillation (AF) following percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is common. Anticoagulation therapy should be considered in selected cases of prolonged AF after PFO closure, but guidelines do not provide clear recommendations on indication or choice of anticoagulant therapy for patients with post-procedural AF. CASE REPORT A 45-year-old woman presented with cryptogenic stroke verified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Design and rationale of the Danish trial of beta-blocker treatment after myocardial infarction without reduced ejection fraction: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Treatment with beta-blockers is currently recommended after myocardial infarction (MI). The evidence relies on trials conducted decades ago before implementation of revascularization and contemporary medical therapy or in trials enrolling patients with heart failure or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 40%). Accordingly, the impact of beta-blockers on mortality and morbidity following acute MI in patients without reduced LVEF or heart failure is unclear.

[Adverse events with oral anticoagulants].

Anticoagulant therapy is widely used for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and is frequently prescribed both in primary and secondary care. In comparison to other drugs, the frequency of medication errors is high for anticoagulant therapy. In Denmark, 4,383 adverse events with vitamin K antagonists and 3,234 adverse events with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants were reported to the Danish Patient Safety Authority in 2014-2017.

[False positive troponin I due to heterophile antibodies].

The troponin I (TnI) level is essential in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, but may be elevated by other cardial and non-cardial causes. We report a 32-year-old pregnant woman admitted to hospital because of chest pain and dyspnoea. TnI levels were significantly elevated, although there was no suspicion of acute coronary syndrome or myocarditis, and supplementary diagnostics excluded pulmonary embolism.

[Antithrombotic treatment of patients with valvular atrial fibrillation].

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a markedly increased risk of thromboembolic events, particularly in patients with valvular AF. Recent trials comparing vitamin K antagonists with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for stroke prevention in AF excluded most patients with valvular AF. Although the definition of valvular AF is disputed, the lack of evidence regarding the use of NOACs for these patients is not.

Effect of tighter glycemic control on cardiac function, exercise capacity, and muscle strength in heart failure patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized study.

Objectives: In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart failure (HF), the optimal glycemic target is uncertain, and evidence-based data are lacking. Therefore, we performed a randomized study on the effect of optimized glycemic control on left ventricular function, exercise capacity, muscle strength, and body composition.

Design And Methods: 40 patients with T2D and HF (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 35±12% and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 8.

Myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with a recent, normal exercise test.

Aim: To investigate the added value of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy imaging (MPI) in consecutive patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and a recent, normal exercise electrocardiography (ECG).

Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients referred for MPI during a 2-year period from 2006-2007 at one clinic. All eligible patients were suspected of suffering from CAD, and had performed a satisfactory bicycle exercise test (i.

Implantable loop recorder is an effective diagnostic tool for unexplained syncope.

Introduction: Patients with cardiac syncope have a significantly higher mortality than patients with syncope of non-cardiac causes, while patients with syncope of unknown aetiology constitute an intermediate risk group, presumably because this group is mixed, which suggests that further diagnostic testing is warranted.

Material And Methods: This was a retrospective single-centre study evaluating the diagnostic yield of an implantable loop recorder (ILR) in establishing the cause of recurrent, unexplained syncope.

Results: A total of 44 patients received ILR between 2007 and 2011.

[Arteriovenous shunt after splenectomy. A rare cause of cardiac incompensation and portal hypertension].

A 50-year-old man, who underwent splenectomy after trauma 23 years previously, presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by varices and cardiac insufficiency with lung oedema, ascites and peripheral oedema. An arteriovenous splenic shunt from artery to vein with an aneurysm measuring 10 cm across was closed using transarterial coiling technique. One year later the shunt was still closed, but a cardiac insufficiency requiring medical anticongestive therapy persisted.