Development and Internal Validation of a Risk Prediction Model for Acute Cardiovascular Morbidity in Preeclampsia.

Background: Women with preeclampsia are at increased short-term risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes during pregnancy and the early postpartum period. We aimed to develop and internally validate a risk assessment tool to predict acute cardiovascular morbidity in preeclampsia.

Methods: The study was conducted at an academic obstetrics hospital.

Sensitivity and Specificity of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in Diagnosing Heart Failure in Pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of B-type natriuretic peptide as a diagnostic tool for heart failure in pregnant or postpartum women with singleton gestations.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of diagnostic accuracy. We identified pregnant and postpartum women with B-type natriuretic peptide and echocardiography performed at an obstetric teaching hospital from 2007 to 2018.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection in a man with intense coughing spasms.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of acute myocardial infarction of emerging significance, which occurs predominantly in young women without coronary artery disease risk factors. Valsalva-like activities such as coughing have been identified as potential triggers for the development of SCAD. We report a case of SCAD in a man in whom the only identifiable predisposing factor was excessive coughing.

Direct ultrasound measurement of longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strain using 2-dimensional strain imaging in normal adults.

Current noninvasive techniques used to evaluate left ventricular systolic function are limited by dependence on the angle of insonation (tissue Doppler imaging/TDI) or limited by availability (MRI tagging). We utilized 2-dimensional speckle strain (epsilon) imaging (1) to establish normal values for all three epsilon vectors; (2) to compare circumferential epsilon values with circumferential shortening (midwall fractional shortening (FS(mw)); (3) to examine the relationship between left ventricular epsilon and wall stress; and (4) to compare 2D echocardiographic characteristics by gender. Echocardiography was performed in 60 normal subjects (mean 39 +/- 15 years).