Atrioventricular Synchrony Restoration Aided by a Temporary Permanent Pacemaker in Right Ventricular Infarction and Complete Heart Block.

Pacemakers are effective treatments for a variety of bradyarrhythmias. Cardiac pacemakers generally consist of a pulse generator and one or more leads. The conventional temporary transvenous ventricular cardiac pacemaker utilizing a passive fixation lead is commonly associated with multiple complications such as increased infection rate, lead dislodgement, venous thrombosis, longer duration of hospital stay, and atrioventricular (AV) dyssynchrony.

Anomalous Interarterial Right Coronary Artery: Approach to a High-Risk Course.

Congenital coronary anomalies can be an incidental finding in the adult population. Implications of an anomalous coronary artery vary depending on its course and the anomaly. An interarterial course of an anomalous coronary artery is considered malignant with a high risk of sudden cardiac death.

Critical Stenosis in Left Anterior Descending Artery: Beware of T- Wave Inversions.

Wellens' syndrome (WS) is a pattern on an electrocardiogram (ECG) characterized by biphasic T waves or deeply inverted T waves in leads V2-V3 with a recent clinical history of angina. Wellens' pattern on the ECG is particular for critical left anterior descending artery (LAD) stenosis. Wellens' sign and WS have been used interchangeably in the literature.

Empowering Patients: Promoting Patient Education and Health Literacy.

Patients are generally keen to understand and obtain more information about their medical conditions. There exists a need to develop updated and thorough yet concise patient education handouts and to encourage healthcare providers (HCPs) to use uniform patient education methods. A thorough review of literature on patient education material was performed prior to starting the study.

Isolated calf deep vein thrombosis in the community setting: the Worcester Venous Thromboembolism study.

The prevalence of isolated calf deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the community setting is relatively unexplored. Confusion remains with regards to its management and contemporary natural history. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the number of cases of calf DVT in the community, use of early management strategies, and rates of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence and major bleeding.

A rare case of simultaneous pulmonary and paradoxical emboli with a thrombus straddling a patent foramen ovale.

Background: Paradoxical embolism is a rare event and the exact contribution of patent foramen ovale in stroke is unclear. Intracardiac thrombi or 'embolus-in-transit' are associated with high mortality. Acutely elevated pulmonary arterial pressure due to pulmonary embolism or Valsalva maneuver make foramen ovale patent and promote right to left migration of intraatrial clot.

Factors associated with adverse outcomes in outpatients presenting with pulmonary embolism: the Worcester Venous Thromboembolism Study.

Background: Data from clinical trials suggest that short-term mortality in outpatients presenting with pulmonary embolism (PE) is low and that outpatient therapy may be appropriate. However, subjects enrolled in these studies may not be representative of patients seen in the community setting.

Methods And Results: The medical records of residents from Worcester, Mass, with International Classification of Disease, Ninth Edition, codes consistent with potential venous thromboembolism during 1999, 2001, and 2003 were independently validated and reviewed by trained abstractors.

Incidence rates, clinical profile, and outcomes of patients with venous thromboembolism. The Worcester VTE study.

While there have been advances in prophylaxis and management of venous thromboembolism (VTE), there are a dearth of data from the perspective of a community-wide study, on the epidemiology, management, and outcomes of patients with a first episode of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). The purpose of this population-based observational study was to describe trends in the incidence rates, clinical profile, management, and outcomes for patients with VTE. The medical records of Worcester (MA) metropolitan area residents with ICD-9 codes consistent with possible VTE during 1999, 2001, and 2003 were independently validated and reviewed by trained abstractors.

Venous thromboembolism and bleeding in a community setting. The Worcester Venous Thromboembolism Study.

Bleeding is the most frequent complication of antithrombotic therapy for venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, little attention has been paid to the impact of bleeding after VTE in the community setting. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the incidence rate of bleeding after VTE, to characterize patients most at risk for bleeding, and to assess the impact of bleeding on rates of recurrent VTE and all-cause mortality.

Venous thromboembolism in the elderly. A community-based perspective.

While the magnitude of venous thromboembolism (VTE) increases dramatically with advancing age, relatively little is known about the contemporary management of VTE in the elderly and the impact of age on associated short- and long-term outcomes. The objectives of this population-based study were to compare the clinical characteristics, treatment practices, and outcomes of subjects > or = 65 years with VTE to those of younger patients. The medical records of residents of the Worcester (MA, USA) metropolitan area with ICD-9 codes consistent with VTE during 1999, 2001, and 2003 were independently validated and reviewed by trained data abstractors.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection associated with sexual intercourse.

We report a case of spontaneous coronary artery dissection associated with sexual intercourse in a 32-year-old, morbidly obese patient. This is the first report of spontaneous coronary artery dissection induced by coital activity and the sixth such report in a male patient.