Infective Endocarditis of a Left Ventricular Myxoma in a Heroin User.

Infected cardiac myxomas are rare and can have disastrous sequelae; urgent surgical resection is typically indicated. We report the case of a 43-year-old user of intravenous heroin who presented with weakness and dyspnea. He was diagnosed with infective endocarditis of a myxoma attached to the left ventricular lateral wall.

Successful Retrieval of a Migrated Shunt Catheter Causing Severe Pulmonary Insufficiency.

We report a case of a woman who presented with worsening shortness of breath due to a migrated ventriculoatrial shunt catheter into the pulmonary artery causing severe pulmonary insufficiency. She underwent surgical catheter removal. The majority of the catheter was easily retrieved; however, there were areas where the catheter was embedded into the myocardium, which would have posed a challenge with an endovascular approach.

Serum vitamin D levels correlate to coronary artery disease severity: a retrospective chart analysis.

Background: The pro-atherosclerotic nature of vitamin D deficiency has been shown to increase cardiovascular events. We further emphasized and evaluated the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) with varying levels of vitamin D in relation to age, gender, ethnicity and baseline confounders.

Methods: A retrospective, single-center study of 9,399 patients admitted between 2005 and 2014 for chest pain who underwent coronary angiography.

Pulmonic Valve Repair in a Patient with Isolated Pulmonic Valve Endocarditis and Sickle Cell Disease.

A 49-year-old woman with sickle cell disease presented with one month of exertional dyspnea, weakness, and fever and was diagnosed with isolated pulmonic valve endocarditis secondary to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus bacteremia in the setting of a peripherally inserted central venous catheter. Chest computerized tomography showed multiple bilateral pulmonary nodular opacities consistent with septic emboli. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms revealed a large echodensity on the pulmonic valve requiring vegetation excision and pulmonic valve repair.

The Assessment and Potential Implications of the Myocardial Performance Index Post Exercise in an at Risk Population.

Background: The myocardial performance index (MPI) first described by Chuwa Tei in 1995 is a relatively new echocardiographic variable used for assessment of overall cardiac function. Previous studies have demonstrated the MPI to be a sum representation of both left ventricular systolic and diastolic function with prognostic value in patients with coronary artery disease as well as symptomatic heart failure.

Methods: Ninety patients with either established coronary artery disease (CAD) or CAD risk factors underwent routine treadmill exercise stress testing with two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography using the standard Bruce protocol.

The short-term effects of vitamin D repletion on cholesterol: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is common and associated with dyslipidemia. However, it is unclear whether oral vitamin D supplementation improves the lipid profile. Therefore, we conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to determine the short-term effects of vitamin D repletion on the lipid profile.

Sitcom syncope: a case series and literature review of gelastic (laughter-induced) syncope.

Syncope is a common complaint that is frequently evaluated without identifying a precipitating cause. Gelastic (laughter-induced) syncope is an uncommon and poorly understood condition. We describe 3 patients who experienced loss of consciousness during vigorous laughter.

Cardiac manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis: Case report and review of the literature.

Wegener's granulomatosis, first characterized as a clinical syndrome in 1936, is a rare form of vasculitis of the small- and medium-sized blood vessels affecting mainly the upper and lower respiratory tracts as well as the kidneys. This review article describes the case of a 45-year-old man who developed aortic regurgitation and third degree heart block secondary to Wegener's granulomatosis. He subsequently presented to our institution 3 years later with pulmonary hemorrhage.