Delayed presentation of left ventricular outflow tract aneurysm after penetrating cardiac trauma.

We report a case of posttraumatic left ventricular outflow tract aneurysm in a patient who had a stab injury to the chest requiring emergency operation 40 years previously. After apparent decades without symptoms, the patient presented with exertional dyspnea. Clinical and echocardiographic assessment revealed aortic regurgitation and left ventricular outflow tract aneurysm.

How long is too long? Association of time delay to successful reperfusion and ventricular function outcome in acute myocardial infarction: the case for thrombolytic therapy before planned angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of time delays to reperfusion on ventricular function after myocardial infarction. This allows one to identify a group of patients in whom a strategy using antecedent pharmacologic reperfusion therapy before planned direct angioplasty may offer significant benefit.

Background: Direct angioplasty for myocardial infarction is associated with a high rate of successful reperfusion compared with pharmacologic reperfusion.

Advancing Antithrombin Therapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction Management: Low Molecular Weight Heparins Plus Fibrinolysis.

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) has been traditionally used as an antithrombotic agent following fibrinolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction. However, UFH has pharmacokinetic, biophysical, and biological limitations. Although early infarct artery patency has been superior with UFH as compared with placebo, aggregate data has demonstrated only a modest reduction in clinical events.