Management of Post-cardiotomy Shock.

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery experience significant physiologic derangements that place them at risk for multiple shock phenotypes. Any combination of cardiogenic, obstructive, hemorrhagic, or vasoplegic shock occurs commonly in post-cardiotomy patients. The approach to the diagnosis and management of these shock states has many facets that are distinct compared to non-surgical cardiac intensive care unit patients.

Management of the peri-intubation period in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and respiratory failure.

Purpose Of Review: The endotracheal intubation of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in respiratory distress is a highly morbid procedure that can precipitate hemodynamic collapse. Here we review our strategy for confronting this difficult clinical situation.

Recent Findings: There are no clinical trials that explore best practices in the management of patients with PAH and respiratory failure.

Quantitative flow ratio computed from invasive coronary angiography as a predictor for cardiac allograft vasculopathy after cardiac transplant.

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a significant determinant of long-term survival in heart transplant recipients. Standard CAV screening typically utilizes invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a computational method for functional testing of coronary stenosis, and may add diagnostic value to ICA in assessing CAV.

Management of Patients After Cardiac Arrest.

Cardiac arrest remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, although contemporary care now enables potential survival with good neurologic outcome. The core acute management goals for survivors of cardiac arrest are to provide organ support, sustain adequate hemodynamics, and evaluate the underlying cause of the cardiac arrest. In this article, the authors review the current state of knowledge and clinical intensive care unit practice recommendations for patients after cardiac arrest, particularly focusing on important areas of uncertainty, such as targeted temperature management, neuroprognostication, coronary evaluation, and hemodynamic targets.

Shock Teams: A Contemporary Review.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a time-sensitive and often fatal condition. To address this issue, many centers have developed multidisciplinary shock teams with a common goal of expediting the recognition and treatment of CS. In this review, we examine the mission, structure, implementation, and outcomes reported by these early shock teams.

Dual mechanical valve thrombosis resolution through thrombolytics: a case series.

Background: Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a severe complication of mechanical valve replacement. Simultaneous thrombosis of multiple prosthetic valves is rare and is associated with worse outcomes. Treatment options include anticoagulation, thrombolysis, and redo operative valve replacement, with rare reports of adjunctive balloon valvuloplasty.

Management of Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valve Thrombosis: JACC Review Topic of the Week.

Mechanical prosthetic heart valves, though more durable than bioprostheses, are more thrombogenic and require lifelong anticoagulation. Mechanical valve dysfunction can be caused by 4 main phenomena: 1) thrombosis; 2) fibrotic pannus ingrowth; 3) degeneration; and 4) endocarditis. Mechanical valve thrombosis (MVT) is a known complication with clinical presentation ranging from incidental imaging finding to cardiogenic shock.

Cardiac patterns for differentiation of neurogenic stunned myocardium in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage versus acute ischemic stroke.

Aims: Neurogenic stunned myocardium (NSM) has heterogeneous presentations for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We sought to better define NSM and differences between AIS and SAH by evaluating individual left ventricular (LV) functional patterns by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE).

Methods: We evaluated consecutive patients with SAH and AIS.

The Role of Echocardiography in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Purpose Of Review: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used to temporarily support patients in severe circulatory and/or respiratory failure. Echocardiography is a core component of successful ECMO deployment. Herein, we review the role of echocardiography at different phases on extracorporeal support including candidate identification, cannulation, maintenance, complication vigilance, and decannulation.

Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network (CCCTN): a cohort profile.

Aims: The aims of the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network (CCCTN) are to develop a registry to investigate the epidemiology of cardiac critical illness and to establish a multicentre research network to conduct randomised clinical trials (RCTs) in patients with cardiac critical illness.

Methods And Results: The CCCTN was founded in 2017 with 16 centres and has grown to a research network of over 40 academic and clinical centres in the United States and Canada. Each centre enters data for consecutive cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) admissions for at least 2 months of each calendar year.

Impella Management for the Cardiac Intensivist.

The Impella mechanical circulatory support (MCS) system is a catheter-based continuous flow cardiac assist device that is widely used in the treatment of cardiogenic shock in medical and surgical cardiac intensive care units. As with all forms of MCS, device-related complications remain a major concern, the incidence of which can be mitigated by adhering to a few fundamental concepts in device management. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively describe our strategy for managing, repositioning, and weaning the Impella catheter.

Management and Outcomes of Cardiogenic Shock in Cardiac ICUs With Versus Without Shock Teams.

Background: Single-center studies suggest that implementation of multidisciplinary cardiogenic shock (CS) teams is associated with improved CS survival.

Objectives: The aim was to characterize practice patterns and outcomes in the management of CS across multiple centers with versus without shock teams.

Methods: The Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network is a multicenter network of cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) in North America.

Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Left Atrial Appendage Volumetric Analysis.

Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) echocardiographic assessment is difficult because of the complex shape and relatively small size of the LAA. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic imaging can overcome the limitations of two-dimensional imaging. Pulsed-wave Doppler is the only currently standard LAA functional parameter.

Incidence, underlying conditions, and outcomes of patients receiving acute renal replacement therapies in tertiary cardiac intensive care units: An analysis from the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network Registry.

Background: The prevalence of renal disease in cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) is increasing, but little is known about the utilization, concurrent therapies, and outcomes of patients requiring acute renal replacement therapy (RRT) in this specialized environment.

Methods: In the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network, 16 centers submitted data on CICU admissions including acute RRT (defined as continuous renal replacement therapy and/or acute intermittent dialysis).

Results: Among 2,985 admissions, 178 (6.

Neurogenic Stunned Myocardium in Severe Neurological Injury.

Purpose Of Review: Neurogenic stunned myocardium (NSM) is a poorly recognized cardiac manifestation of neurological illness. This review addresses the contemporary understanding of NSM pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and clinical management.

Recent Findings: While the precise pathophysiology and diagnosis remain unclear, NSM is phenotypically atypical stress cardiomyopathy that can be partially attributed to excess catecholaminergic toxicity.