Inadequacy of Pulse Oximetry in the Catheterization Laboratory. An Exploratory Study Monitoring Respiratory Status Using Arterial Blood Gases during Cardiac Catheterization with Conscious Sedation.

Background: Benzodiazepines and opioids are commonly used for conscious sedation (CS) in cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) patients. Both drugs are known to predispose to hypoxemia, apnea and decreased responsiveness to PCO, resulting in decreased arterial pH and PO, as well as increased PCO. We want to determine the effects of CS on arterial blood gas (ABG) in CCL patient, and identify if pulse oximetry monitoring is adequate.

Cardiac tumors in a tertiary care cancer hospital: clinical features, echocardiographic findings, treatment and outcomes.

Cardiac tumors are a rare entity, comprised of tumors with diverse histology and natural history. We report the clinical characteristics, echocardiograhic findings, therapy and outcome of 59 patients with primary and metastatic cardiac tumors. Our institutional echocardiogram data base from 1993 through 2005 was reviewed to identify patients diagnosed with intra-cardiac tumor.

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

We describe a patient with asymptomatic apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM) who later developed cardiac arrhythmias, and briefly discuss the diagnostic modalities, differential diagnosis and treatment option for this condition. AHCM is a rare form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which classically involves the apex of the left ventricle. AHCM can be an incidental finding, or patients may present with chest pain, palpitations, dyspnea, syncope, atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, embolic events, ventricular fibrillation and congestive heart failure.

Myocardial Infarction due to Endocarditis.

We present a case of a 43-year-old man who sustained a myocardial infarction due to infective endocarditis.

Antiplatelet therapy and percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome and thrombocytopenia.

Platelets are crucial in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome. Treatment for acute coronary syndrome usually involves antiplatelet, anticoagulant, and antithrombotic therapy, and the performance of percutaneous coronary intervention. All of the medications are associated with bleeding sequelae and are typically withheld from patients who have thrombocytopenia.

Acute myocardial infarction associated with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.

Herein, we describe the cases of 4 patients who each experienced a myocardial infarction in association with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis. We discuss the clinical presentation of this rare condition, distinguish between infective and nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis via a review of the medical literature, and present treatment options for myocardial infarction that is associated with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.

5-Fluorouracil-induced coronary vasospasm.

Cardiotoxicity due to 5-fluorouracil involves rare and life-threatening cardiotoxic events occurring in less than 1% of the patients. We describe a case of coronary vasospasm due to parenteral 5-fluorouracil, which did not recur with oral capecitabine. We also give a brief review of the cardiotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil, its treatment and prevention.