Time-to-Treatment for Myocardial Infarction: Barriers and Facilitators Perceived by American Indians in Three Regions.

Early recognition of acute myocardial infarction (MI), followed by prompt emergency care, improves patient outcomes. Among rural American Indian (AI) populations there are disparities in access to care for MI and processes of care, resulting in poor MI-related health outcomes compared to the general population. We sought to gain an understanding of barriers related to MI time-to-treatment delays using a qualitative approach.

Left atrial appendage aneurysm-a rare anomaly with an atypical presentation.

Left atrial appendage aneurysm (LAAA) is a rare condition caused by congenital dysplasia of the atrial muscles. Patients usually present with atrial tachyarrhythmias as a result of ectopic foci of atrial rhythm generation or systemic thromboembolism. We report a case of a 38-year-old Native American female presenting with 1-month history of cough, in sinus rhythm, and found to have a large cyst-like structure next to the left ventricular lateral wall on transthoracic echocardiography.

The increasing incidence of coronary artery disease and cardiovascular risk factors among a Southwest Native American tribe: the White Mountain Apache Heart Study.

Background: Rates of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors seem to be increasing in American Indian populations, yet these changes have received little documentation.

Objectives: To evaluate incidence rates of coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, and cardiac events during a 10-year period (1987-1996); to assess cardiac risk factors for an American Indian tribe in Arizona.

Methods: A retrospective medical chart review was performed for tribal members from January 1, 1987-December 31, 1996.