Platypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome: Rare or Under-Diagnosed Syndrome? 3 Case Reports and a Literature Review.

Platypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome (POS) is dyspnea and hypoxemia in the upright position that improves in the supine position. Cardiac POS is predominantly caused by congenital interatrial communications (CIC) paired with changes in the thoracic anatomy, allowing orthostatic right to left cardiac shunting. High suspicion, especially with hypoxemia without significant pulmonary disease, that does not easily correct with supplemental oxygen, should lead the clinician to obtain echocardiographic imaging, documenting right to left shunting, typically through a patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Epstein-Barr Virus: From Kissing Disease to Broken Heart.

We present a case of a 59 year old female patient that presented with exertional chest pain and palpitations. A workup revealed an EKG with signs of right ventricular hypertrophy, a high Pro-BNP and 3 sets of negative troponin levels. A CT scan of the chest was negative for pulmonary embolism (PE) but revealed a nodular thickening of the atrial septum with right atrial extension encasing the right coronary artery.

Case of an Intracranial Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor in the Setting of Pacer-dependent Heart Block.

Intracranial malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are an extremely rare entity with only a handful of cases reported in the literature. MPNSTs typically occur in the extremities and the trunk. The treatment algorithm includes, when possible, gross-total resection as these tumors are extremely aggressive.

Confronting system barriers for ST- elevation MI in low and middle income countries with a focus on India.

Our previous research found seven specific factors that cause system delays in ST-elevation Myocardial infarction management in developing countries. These delays, in conjunction with a lack of organized STEMI systems of care, result in inefficient processes to treat AMI in developing countries. In our present opinion paper, we have specifically explored the three most pertinent causes that afflict the seven specific factors responsible for system delays.