Cardiotoxicity of BRAF/MEK Inhibitors Mimicking Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Cardio-oncology is a new and fast-evolving collaborative subdiscipline of cardiology whose goal is to increase the quality and length of the lives of oncological patients with precise prophylactic and therapeutical interventions. Novel targeted therapies present a challenge to recognize and treat rare adverse cardiovascular effects, usually without any evidence-based guidance. Therefore, scrupulous descriptions of clinical cases and drafting trials for real-world safety are paramount.

Obesity as a risk factor in atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

Objectives: The aim of this article is to provide an insight into the role of obesity as a risk factor, and as a potential etiologic agent of atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF).

Methods: A narrative (non-systematic) review article summarizing currently available data regarding the interaction between obesity, AF and HF.

Results: Obesity is considered a risk factor of AF and chronic HF.

Recurrent Infective Endocarditis of the Mitral Valve after Orthotopic Heart Transplantation.

Introduction: Orthotopic heart transplantation is the gold standard for the treatment of advanced heart failure in the absence of contraindications. Infective endocarditis is a rare complication in patients after heart transplantation. The treatment of endocarditis after heart transplantation is challenging since there is a need for ongoing immunosuppression.

A Fast-Growing Myxoma of the Left Atrium.

Introduction: Myxoma of the left atrium is a less typical cause of mitral obstruction. If this develops, a flash pulmonary oedema can be the first manifestation.

Case Description: We present a case report of a 50-year-old woman who was admitted to our internal department because of dyspnoea.

A Rare Early-Onset Fatal Complication after Transarterial Chemoembolization: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a minimally invasive treatment for liver cancer, often employed as a bridging therapy or destination treatment for non-operable cases. This case report discusses an 82-year-old woman with a large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent elective TACE due to the high surgical risk associated with her tumor size. Unexpectedly, the patient experienced liver rupture 20 h post-procedure, leading to acute surgical intervention.

Unilateral upper and lower limb ischemia mimics stroke: a case report.

Background: Although stroke and acute limb ischemia seem easily distinguishable by anamnesis and physical examination, symptoms may overlap and sometimes mislead the examiner. Such a situation can arise in the occurrence of unilateral neurological symptoms affecting the upper and lower limbs at the same time. As timely diagnosis and a correct therapeutic intervention are crucial to prevent irreversible damage in both diseases, knowledge of the possibility of one disease mimicking the other is essential.

Role of Platelets in Rheumatic Chronic Autoimmune Inflammatory Diseases.

Platelets are essential in maintaining blood homeostasis and regulating several inflammatory processes. They constantly interact with immune cells, have immunoregulatory functions, and can affect, through immunologically active substances, endothelium, leukocytes, and other immune response components. In reverse, inflammatory and immune processes can activate platelets, which might be significant in autoimmune disease progression and arising complications.

The Anti-Thrombotic Effects of PCSK9 Inhibitors.

Atherosclerosis is the primary process that underlies cardiovascular disease. The connection between LDL cholesterol and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques is established by solid evidence. PCSK9 inhibitors have proven to be a valuable and practical resource for lowering the LDL cholesterol of many patients in recent years.

MiR-126 and miR-146a as markers of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study.

Introduction: Despite known risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), the research community still tries to discover new markers that would widen our diagnostic and therapeutic approach to diabetes. Therefore, research on microRNA (miR) in diabetes thrives. This study aimed to assess the utility of miR-126, miR-146a, and miR-375 as novel diagnostic markers for T2D.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection-Associated Aortic Thrombosis Treated with Oral Factor Xa Inhibition.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute complex systemic disorder caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).While SARS-CoV-2 is known to cause significant pulmonary disease, various extrapulmonary manifestations of COVID-19 have also been reported. Growing evidence suggests that COVID-19 is associated with coagulopathy leading to micro and macrovascular complications.

Recurrent Ileal Variceal Bleeding as a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge.

Introduction: Massive ileal variceal bleeding is a rare intricate condition that needs rapid management and treatment. The absence of randomized clinical trials in this field leads to a lack of evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutical approaches. We present a case report describing imaging, endoscopic, and surgical procedures leading to the diagnosis and resolution of severe ileal variceal bleeding.

Diabetic Heart Failure with Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: Review of Current Pharmacotherapy.

Diabetes is associated with several diabetic-related abnormalities which increase the risk of onset or worsening of heart failure. Recent studies showed that the majority of diabetic patients present with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and the prevalence of HFpEF in diabetics is alarming. Moreover, outcomes in HFpEF are poor and could be compared to those of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), with 1-year mortality ranging between 10 and 30%.

Acute kidney rejection after anti-SARS-CoV-2 virus-vectored vaccine-case report.

COVID-19 infection remains a threat to the health systems of many countries. Potential success in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is the vaccination of high-risk groups, including patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and after solid organ transplantation (SOT). Immunosuppression in kidney transplant recipients can also reduce the immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (varied by vaccine platform), available data suggest that they are efficacious in approximately 50-70%, compared to non-transplant situations.

Duration of Social Isolation Affects Production of Nitric Oxide in the Rat Brain.

Social isolation deprives rodents of social interactions that are critical for normal development of brain and behavior. Several studies have indicated that postweaning isolation rearing may affect nitric oxide (NO) production. The aim of this study was to compare selected behavioral and biochemical changes related to NO production in the brain of rats reared in social isolation for different duration.

Natural Psychoplastogens As Antidepressant Agents.

Increasing prevalence and burden of major depressive disorder presents an unavoidable problem for psychiatry. Existing antidepressants exert their effect only after several weeks of continuous treatment. In addition, their serious side effects and ineffectiveness in one-third of patients call for urgent action.

Severe hypoglycemia due to insulin self-injection as a cause of acute ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Introduction: The role of hypoglycemia in cardiovascular disease still needs to be evaluated. Incidental case studies provide direct, but so far limited, evidence for the direct impairment of heart caused by hypoglycemia. We present a case of severe hypoglycemia manifesting with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Apixaban: a novel agent to treat heparin induced thrombocytopenia and to prevent embolism in patient with atrial fibrillation after multiple valve replacement?

Very limited but promising experiences with the use of direct factor Xa inhibitors for the treatment of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) have been reported. This contribution features our first experience with the use of apixaban (without a pre-treatment with parenteral anticoagulant) to treat a case of HIT which developed in a patient after multiple heart replacement surgery. Apixaban was effective, well tolerated and safe.

[Potential possibility of phosphocreatine usage in internal medicine].

Adenosintriphosphate is basic unit of cellular energetics, although during situations of high energy demand, cell had developed metabolic inert molecules - phosphagens - including phosphocreatine. Nowadays there are not so many recent publications describing positive effect of phosphocreatine supplementation., its potential benefit in supplementation is mainly in cardiology - acute myocardial infarction, acute or chronic heart failure.