Cardiac glycosides and COVID-19: would it be a promising therapeutic approach?

Cardiac glycosides have been found to have an anti-viral effect. This was noted in the past during various epidemics including MERS and SARS. It is due to their inhibitory effect on the Na, K-ATPase membrane pump.

Acute Heart Failure in the Emergency Department: Respiratory Rate as a Risk Predictor.

Background/aim: Several risk scores can stratify patients with acute heart failure (AHF) at the Emergency Department (ED). Registration of vital signs, such as blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) upon admission is mandatory. Nevertheless, measurement of RR remains neglected worldwide.

Pectus excavatum: Right ventricular compromise with orthostatic syndrome and Brugada phenocopy.

Pectus excavatum (PEXT) consists of an overgrowth of the chondral region with posterior displacement of the inferior part of the sternum, resulting in a concave chest deformity. Characteristic clinical and imaging findings may occur, depending on the compression that right cardiac chambers suffer, when squeezed between the sternum and the column vertebrae.