A rare anomaly of the aortic arch: aberrant right subclavian artery associated with common carotid trunk.

With increasing use of transradial access (TRA) to perform coronary angiography, arterial anomalies of the upper extremity are more frequently encountered. We describe a patient with an aberrant right subclavian artery (RSCA) originating as the last major branch of the aortic arch, which eventually led to failure of the transradial approach. Subsequent arch aortography revealed an associated common carotid trunk.

Double atrial septal defect: diagnosis and closure guidance with 3D transesophageal echocardiography.

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a common form of congenital heart disease that often persists well into adulthood before discovery or intervention. The authors report the case of a patient referred for routine percutaneous ASD closure that was found on three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography to have two large separate ostium secundum defects which were subsequently closed under 3D echocardiographic guidance.

Reduced estrogen in menopause may predispose women to takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Background: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (apical ballooning syndrome) has been reported with increased frequency, most commonly in postmenopausal women. Despite the gender disparity, no clear link between estrogen and its possible cardioprotective effects has been shown.

Objectives: We present a case series of takotsubo cardiomyopathy in women and examine the prevalence of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), in addition to conducting a systematic literature review on this topic.

Reclassification of patients for aggressive cholesterol treatment: additive value of multislice coronary angiography to the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines.

Background: National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines have been used to define treatment goals in patients with hypercholesterolemia. However, epidemiology-based guidelines are unable to identify all subjects with coronary artery disease for aggressive lipid intervention.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the additive value of multislice computed tomography (MSCT) angiography to the NCEP guideline classification for lipid treatment.