Described for the first time in the middle of the last century, platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) is an uncommon condition of positional dyspnea and hypoxemia, triggered by standing and relieved with recumbency. It is most commonly associated with right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale (PFO) or atrial septal defect, however its pathophysiology is not entirely understood. As a rare syndrome, it remains underdiagnosed in many patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about significant changes in the medical field. While primarily characterized as a respiratory syndrome, COVID-19 is also associated with vascular events, particularly thrombotic complications. These events can manifest as initial presentations or develop as complications during the course of the disease, predominantly driven by immune-mediated mechanisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIdiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome is a rare condition characterized by persistent severe eosinophilia and organ damage without any apparent cause. A 20-year-old male patient with no significant medical history was admitted to the Emergency Department with retrosternal chest pain, fatigue and asthenia. EKG showed ST elevation I, II, III, aVF, V4-V6 and blood tests showed elevated troponin levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMethemoglobinemia is a rare, life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is exposed to oxidative stress. We present the case of a 72-year-old female with a past medical history of hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and heart failure who was admitted to the emergency department with altered mental status and respiratory failure. After admission, we also identified an atrioventricular block 2:1, anemia, and skin discoloration.
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