Predictors of Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction After Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement in Severe Mitral Annular Calcification: An Analysis of the Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement in Mitral Annular Calcification Global Registry.

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Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Pathophysiology and role of cardiac biomarkers in differential diagnosis.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is characterized by reversible ventricular dysfunction, not limited to the distribution of an epicardial coronary artery. A disease primarily afflicting post-menopausal women, it is frequently mistaken for acute anterior wall myocardial infarction. Alternatively called Stress Cardiomyopathy, physical or emotional triggers are identified in only three fourths of TC patients.

Vascular complications of transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A concise literature review.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a relatively newer therapeutic modality which offers a promising alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement for patients with prohibitive, high and intermediate surgical risk. The increasing trend to pursue TAVR in these patients has also led to growing awareness of the associated potential vascular complications. The significant impact of these complications on eventual clinical outcome and mortality makes prompt recognition and timely management a critical factor in TAVR patients.

External Compression of Epicardial Coronary Arteries with Partial Calcific Pericarditis.

Calcific pericarditis (CP) is a rare disease which results from long-standing pericardial inflammation. Pericardial calcification may completely or partially encase the ventricles, resulting in impaired diastolic filling. We present a case of a 53-year-old male who was incidentally found to have annular CP resulting in external compression of a large territory diagonal branch (D1) reaching the apex with likely chronically occluded left anterior descending artery with collateral circulation from the right coronary artery with hemodynamic compromise on coronary angiography.

AParadigm Shift: The New Novel Oral Anticoagulation Agents.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and represents one-third of the arrhythmia-related hospital admissions in the developed countries. Embolic strokes associated with AF are more severe and disabling. Thromboembolic stroke prevention is a major goal in treatment of AF and Warfarin has successfully served this purpose for many years.

Ventricular fibrillation with intracoronary adenosine during fractional flow reserve assessment.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement provides useful hemodynamic assessment of intermediate coronary stenoses affecting long term outcomes. While the gold standard remains intravenous adenosine, intracoronary (IC) bolus administration of adenosine is routinely used in clinical practice because of its ease of use and lower dose providing comparative hyperemia with the most common side effect being a transient atrioventricular block. A 62year old male underwent left heart catheterization after ruling in for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Cardiovascular Impact of Eating Disorders in Adults: A Single Center Experience and Literature Review.

Eating disorders have multiple medical sequelae, including potentially life-threatening cardiovascular complications. This article describes our cardiology practice experience of treating adults with eating disorders in the outpatient setting and documents baseline cardiac findings in this complex patient population. We describe our findings in patients across the spectrum of eating disorders; past studies have generally focused on anorexia only.

Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently encountered arrhythmia. Prevalence increases with advancing age and so as its associated comorbidities, like heart failure. Choice of pharmacologic therapy depends on whether the goal of treatment is maintaining sinus rhythm or tolerating AF with adequate control of ventricular rates.

Antiarrhythmic drug therapy for atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently encountered arrhythmia. Prevalence increases with advancing age and so as its associated comorbidities, like heart failure. Choice of pharmacologic therapy depends on whether the goal of treatment is maintaining sinus rhythm or tolerating AF with adequate control of ventricular rates.

Recurrent right ventricular cardiac myxoma in a patient with Carney complex: a case report.

Introduction: Carney complex is a multiple neoplasia syndrome involving cardiac, endocrine, neural and cutaneous tumors with a variety of pigmented skin lesions. It has an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Approximately 7% of cardiac myxomas are related to the Carney complex.

The relationship between left ventricular ejection fraction and mortality in patients with acute heart failure: insights from the ASCEND-HF Trial.

Aim: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality but the relationship between LVEF and outcomes is unclear. We explored the association between LVEF and 30 and 180 day mortality in 7007 ADHF patients enrolled in the Acute Studies of Nesiritide in Decompensated Heart Failure (ASCEND-HF) trial.

Methods And Results: We explored the association between LVEF and 30 and 180 day mortality in 7007 ADHF patients enrolled in the Acute Studies of Nesiritide in Decompensated Heart Failure (ASCEND-HF) trial.

Primary pericardial mesothelioma unique case and literature review.

A 72-year-old woman, on warfarin therapy and with a remote history of breast cancer and radiation treatment, presented with a 10-day history of nausea, dyspnea, dry cough, and dizziness. An electrocardiogram showed new-onset atrial fibrillation. Computed tomography of the chest revealed multiple pulmonary emboli and a pericardial effusion.

Recurrent takotsubo cardiomyopathy in the setting of transient neurological symptoms: a case report.

Introduction: First described in Japan, takotsubo cardiomyopathy is increasingly becoming recognized worldwide as a cause of sudden and reversible diminished left ventricular function characterized by left apical ballooning and hyperkinesis of the basal segments, often with symptoms mimicking a myocardial infarction. Associated with physical or emotional stress, its exact pathogenesis has not been established, though evidence supports a neurohumoral etiology. Additionally, recurrence of this condition is rare.

Factors influencing in-hospital length of stay and mortality in cancer patients suffering from febrile neutropenia.

Introduction: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a major complication of chemotherapy, costly in terms of morbidity, mortality and associated financial expenditure. The present study was conducted with the goal of highlighting FN as a serious problem in Pakistan, with the longer term objective of improved cancer survival, reduction in length of stay (LOS) in hospital, morbidity, mortality and costs in our existing developing country scenario.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on patients, > or =18 years, admitted with FN as a consequence of chemotherapy at a referral hospital in Karachi from 1st September 2006 to 30th April 2007.