Introduction: Severe aortic stenosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The existing treatment pathway for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) traditionally relies on tertiary Heart Valve Centre workup. However, this has been associated with delays to treatment, in breach of British Cardiovascular Intervention Society targets.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an increasingly recognized and important cause of acute myocardial infarction, particularly in women under 50, often with minimal risk factors. Many patients have underlying arteriopathy, most commonly in the form of fibromuscular dysplasia.
Case Summary: A 38-year-old woman presented to the hospital with chest pain and elevated high-sensitivity Troponin.
Aims: Healthcare services worldwide have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent reports have shown a decline in hospitalization for emergency cardiac conditions. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospitalization and particularly mortality due to acute heart failure has not been thoroughly described.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 57-year-old man presented for an elective pacemaker upgrade, complicated by the discovery of device infection. He had a background of complex congenital heart disease, including replacement of heart valves, and was treated for presumed infective endocarditis that was later confirmed by echocardiography. Antibiotic treatment, with intravenous vancomycin, was given as per the tissue sample sensitivities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent NICE guidance has highlighted the importance of appropriate and safe intravenous fluid use. We aimed to improve the quality of out of hours fluid prescription in a Bristol hospital by ensuring that indications and cautions for fluid therapy were clearly documented at the time of initiation. Time-pressured on-call doctors need quick access to information regarding patients' care.
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