Echocardiographic predictors and associated outcomes of multiple vegetations in infective endocarditis: A pilot study.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening infection with an annual mortality of 40%. Embolic events reported in up to 80% of patients. Vegetations of > 10 mm size are associated with increased embolic events and poor prognosis.

Brugada Sign in a Cardiac Transplant Donor.

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a rare entity represented by the Brugada sign on an electrocardiogram (EKG) and is associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD). There is little data to guide the management of donor Brugada syndrome in the setting of cardiac transplantation. A 31-year-old male sustained out-of-hospital cardiac arrest secondary to polysubstance use and was found asystole.

Right Atrial Thrombus Mimicking a Myxoma: Synergism of Hormonal Contraceptives and Antiphospholipid Antibodies.

Cardiac thrombus, the most common intracardiac mass, is typically seen in the left side of the heart in the presence of atrial fibrillation, mitral stenosis, or impaired global wall motion. Right atrial thrombus, which is rarer, is usually associated with central venous catheter placement or pulmonary embolism. We present the case of a 24-year-old woman with a history of mitral valve prolapse who presented with fatigue and palpitations.

Harms and Contributors of Leaving Against Medical Advice in Patients With Infective Endocarditis.

Introduction: Patients leaving against medical advice (AMA) are commonly encountered in hospital medicine. The problem is prevalent worldwide and across all fields of medicine. A retrospective study of 47,583 patients reported a 3.

Predictors, patterns and outcomes following Infective endocarditis and stroke.

Patients with infective endocarditis can have multiple neurological manifestations.  Cerebrovascular events (CVE) in patients with IE can be hemorrhagic or embolic.  Multiple factors are known to predispose to CVE and increased mortality in patients with IE.

Acute Marginal Artery Laceration as a Complication of Pericardiocentesis.

The safety of pericardiocentesis as a therapy for cardiac tamponade has improved since the advent of echocardiography-guided pericardiocentesis. The most life-threatening, albeit rare, complication is injury to the coronary vessels or ventricular wall resulting in recurrent tamponade. We present a rare case of acute marginal artery laceration resulting from pericardiocentesis.

Quantifying and reporting cardiac findings in imaging of COVID-19 patients.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection continues to be a public health emergency and a pandemic of international concern. As of April 31st,  the reported cases of COVID-19 are three million in 186 countries. Reported case fatality has crossed 200 thousand among which more than fifty thousand has been in the USA.

The Impact of COPD on in-Hospital Outcomes in Patients with Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a known comorbidity of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), and COPD exacerbation is a potential triggering factor of TCM. The association between COPD and in-hospital outcomes and complications among TCM patients is not well established. We sought to assess the effect of COPD on hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of TCM.

The association between anxiety disorders and in-hospital outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction.

Background: Anxiety disorders are prevalent in patients with myocardial infarction (MI), but the effects of anxiety disorders on in-hospital outcomes within MI patients have not been well studied.

Hypothesis: To examine the effects of concurrent anxiety disorders on in-hospital outcomes in MI patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in patients with a principal diagnosis of MI with and without anxiety disorders in the National Inpatient Sample 2016.

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.

Sgarbossa criteria and acute myocardial infarction.

Diagnosis of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the presence of left bundle branch block is difficult. present a case of acute myocardial infarction with LBBB diagnosed and treated using the Sgarbossa criteria.

Association of myocardial ischemia and coronary angiographic lesions with increased left atrial dimension during exercise tolerance tests among patients without known coronary heart disease.

The association between left atrial (LA) dilation and fundamental exercise parameters has not shared equal extensive investigation as its clinical correlate, interatrial block (IAB; P waves > or =110 ms). We prospectively identified 94 consecutive patients with LA dilation on 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography but without atrioventricular valvular disease, hypertension, or coronary artery disease who had undergone coronary angiography after exercise tolerance tests (ETTs) for assessment of new coronary artery disease. Duke prognostic treadmill (DPT) scores were calculated and exercise capacity was expressed as METs of workload achieved.

Potential factors that affect electrocardiographic progression of interatrial block.

Introduction: Interatrial block (IAB; P wave > or = 110 ms) is associated with atrial tachyarrhythmias and left atrial electromechanical dysfunction. This subtle abnormality is highly prevalent and may exist as partial (pIAB) or advanced IAB (aIAB). Indeed, theoretically pIAB could progress to aIAB with worsening interatrial conduction over time.

Association of atrial fibrillation in patients with interatrial block over prospectively followed controls with comparable echocardiographic parameters.

Interatrial block (IAB) (P wave >or=110 ms) is a potential risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, few investigations have assessed the relevance of echocardiographic parameters, particularly the contribution of its known correlate, left atrial enlargement in this regard. We identified 32 consecutive patients with comparable echocardiographic parameters, such as left atrial dimension and left ventricular ejection fraction.

Prospective evaluation of atrial tachyarrhythmias in patients with interatrial block.

Introduction: Interatrial block (P-wave> or =110 ms) is clinically associated with left atrial enlargement and electromechanical dysfunction as well as atrial tachyarrhythmias. We prospectively evaluated the incidence of such arrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation among patients with interatrial block over the course of 1 year.

Methods: 118 patients (aged 48 to 104 years; female 56.

Prevalence of interatrial block in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).

Interatrial block (IAB) (P wave > or =110 milliseconds) is a potent correlate of atrial tachyarrhythmias, left atrial electromechanical dysfunction, and embolism. IAB has been demonstrated to be highly prevalent in the general hospital population, but no investigation has addressed this in the elderly community outside the hospital. We appraised the prevalence of IAB in a service of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), the Elder Service Plan (ESP).