Ischemic Stroke in a Young Patient With Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis.

Rheumatic fever is the most common cause of mitral stenosis worldwide. Embolic events represent severe complications of mitral stenosis. We describe the case of a 45-year-old women who had an ischemic stroke as the initial manifestation of previously unrecognized mitral stenosis in the absence of atrial fibrillation.

Long-Term Mortality in Cardioinhibitory Carotid Sinus Hypersensitivity Patient Cohort.

Background: Cardioinhibitory carotid sinus hypersensitivity (CICSH) is defined as ventricular asystole ≥ 3 seconds in response to 5-10 seconds of carotid sinus massage (CSM). There is a common concern that a prolonged asystole episode could lead to death directly from bradycardia or as a consequence of serious trauma, brain injury or pause-dependent ventricular arrhythmias.

Objective: To describe total mortality, cardiovascular mortality and trauma-related mortality of a cohort of CICSH patients, and to compare those mortalities with those found in a non-CICSH patient cohort.

Complications related to carotid sinus massage in 502 ambulatory patients.

Background: The carotid sinus massage (CSM) is a simple and low-cost technique with many indications.

Objective: To determine the safety of CSM in outpatients with high prevalence of atherosclerotic disease and cardiopathy.

Methods: A transversal study.

Cardioinhibitory carotid sinus hypersensitivity: prevalence and predictors in 502 outpatients.

Background: Cardioinhibitory response (CIR) is defined as asystole >3 seconds in response to 5-10 seconds of carotid sinus massage (CSM). Pacemaker implantation is indicated for patients with unexplained syncope episodes and CIR.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and predictors of CIR in patients with a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and assess the clinical significance of CIR in patients with a history of unexplained syncope or falls.