Tobacco Use, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, and Vulnerable Populations: Current Landscape and Opportunities for Improvement.

The tobacco epidemic has claimed countless lives, caused significant morbidity, and cost billions of dollars in direct costs and lost productivity. Despite its acute vascular effects, nicotine alone has not been definitively linked to cardiovascular events. Rather, additives found in cigarettes and other tobacco products likely play a bigger role in tobacco's link to cardiovascular events.

Rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular complications during delivery: a United States inpatient analysis.

Background And Aims: Persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of obstetric-associated complications, as well as long-term cardiovascular (CV) risk. Hence, the aim was to evaluate the association of RA with acute CV complications during delivery admissions.

Methods: Data from the National Inpatient Sample (2004-2019) were queried utilizing ICD-9 or ICD-10 codes to identify delivery hospitalizations and a diagnosis of RA.

Nicotine and Cardiovascular Health: When Poison is Addictive - a WHF Policy Brief.

Nicotine is universally recognized as the primary addictive substance fuelling the continued use of tobacco products, which are responsible for over 8 million deaths annually. In recent years, the popularity of newer recreational nicotine products has surged drastically in many countries, raising health and safety concerns. For decades, the tobacco industry has promoted the myth that nicotine is as harmless as caffeine.

The Role of Serum Monocytes and Tissue Macrophages in Driving Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction and Cardiac Inflammation Following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background: Neurocardiogenic injury is common after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) despite low prevalence of preexisting cardiac disease. Potential mechanisms include autonomic dysregulation due to excess catecholamines as well as systemic inflammation. Understanding how inflammation contributes to cardiac dysfunction may aid in identifying novel therapeutic strategies.

The association between implementation of multidisciplinary rounds and clinical outcomes.

Background: Multidisciplinary rounds (MDR) consisting of social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, physical therapists, nurses, and physicians have been implemented at many healthcare institutions to address the complex components of inpatient care. However, little is known on the association of MDR on clinical outcomes across cardiovascular pathologies. This study aimed to investigate the impact of MDR on cardiovascular patients.

Cardiovascular disease risk evaluation impact in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Although rheumatoid arthritis (RA) results in a 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, comparable to the risk associated with diabetes mellitus, a significant care gap remains in cardiovascular risk management for this high-risk population. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a minority-serving institution to assess demographic, clinical, and laboratory data associated with referral to cardiology by rheumatology. The results showed that a minority (5%) of patients were referred to cardiology during an outpatient rheumatology encounter.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease mortality in a major metropolitan area.

Background: The mortality from COVID-19 alone cannot account for the impact of the pandemic. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality has increased disproportionately in specific racial/ethnic populations.

Objective: This study aimed to characterize how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the association between CVD mortality and social and demographic factors as characterized by the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI).

Left atrial echocardiographic parameters predict the onset of atrial fibrillation: the SMASH2 scoring system.

Background: As AF-associated morbidity and mortality are increasing, there is an acute need for improved surveillance and prevention strategies to reduce the impact of AF and related strokes. Specific echocardiographic parameters that can best predict future onset of AF within 3 months are lacking.

Methods: Twenty patients with AF, as identified by presence of ICD-9 diagnosis code, were compared with a control group of twenty age- and sex-matched patients selected from the same clinic population but without a diagnosis of AF.

Elevated Serum Leukocytes are Predictive of Cardiac Injury Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Objectives: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) accounts for 5% of strokes but results in significant morbidity and mortality. In addition to systemic inflammation, up to half of patients develop cardiac injury; however, the relationship between systemic inflammation and cardiac injury after aSAH is unknown. We investigated changes in leukocyte counts in relation to cardiac dysfunction MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of consecutive patients with SAH at our large academic medical referral center.

Managing Ischemic Heart Disease in Women: Role of a Women's Heart Center.

Purpose Of Review: Heart centers for women (HCW) were developed due to the rising cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in women in the United States in the early 1990s. Our review encompasses the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnostic strategies, treatments, and the role of HCW in managing women with ischemic heart disease (IHD).

Recent Findings: HCW use a multidisciplinary team to manage women with IHD.

Addressing Racial/Ethnic Equity in Access to COVID-19 Testing Through Drive-Thru And Walk-In Testing Sites in Chicago.

Mile Square Health Center (MSHC), a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) run by the University of Illinois Hospital (UIH) in Chicago, established Drive-Thru and Walk-Up COVID-19 testing sites. The primary aim of the UIH/MSHC testing project was to increase testing capacity in the most affected, racial/ethnic minority communities. More than 7,500 tests were performed over a six-month period.

Cardiac MRI and Myocardial Injury in COVID-19: Diagnosis, Risk Stratification and Prognosis.

Myocardial injury is a common complication of the COVID-19 illness and is associated with a worsened prognosis. Systemic hyperinflammation seen in the advanced stage of COVID-19 likely contributes to myocardial injury. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is the preferred imaging modality for non-invasive evaluation in acute myocarditis, enabling risk stratification and prognostication.

Epidemiology of out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests, knowledge of cardiovascular disease and risk factors in a regional setting in India: The Warangal Area out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest Registry (WACAR).

Objective: Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) is a global public health problem. There is inadequate data on OHCA in India. The Warangal Area out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest Registry (WACAR) was planned to understand OHCA in a regional setting in India.

Feasibility of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Wideband Protocol in Patients With Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators and Its Utility for Defining Scar.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have been a relative contraindication to cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. Although cardiovascular magnetic resonance provides valuable information regarding scar in patients with ventricular arrhythmias or cardiomyopathy, ICDs in these patients frequently cause artifacts hindering accurate interpretation of both cine and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images. We sought to quantify the frequency and severity of artifact on LGE images and assess whether a modified wideband LGE protocol could improve the diagnostic yield of scar identification in agreement with invasive electroanatomic mapping (EAM).

Fusion of Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Regional Myocardial Strain with Cardiac Computed Tomography for Noninvasive Evaluation of the Hemodynamic Impact of Coronary Stenosis in Patients with Chest Pain.

Background: Combined evaluation of coronary stenosis and the extent of ischemia is essential in patients with chest pain. Intermediate-grade stenosis on computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) frequently triggers downstream nuclear stress testing. Alternative approaches without stress and/or radiation may have important implications.

Single-lead portable ECG devices: Perceptions and clinical accuracy compared to conventional cardiac monitoring.

Introduction: Portable ECG devices are widely available yet there are limited data on their accuracy, physician and patient perceptions, and ease of use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of 4 single-lead portable ECG devices compared to a conventional 3-lead hospital cardiac monitor and to assess physician and patient perceptions of portable ECG devices.

Methods: Twenty consecutive hospitalized patients were provided 4 portable ECG devices for 30 second cardiac rhythm recording.

Impact of insurance carrier, prior authorization, and socioeconomic status on appropriate use of SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging in private community-based office practice.

Background: The impact of health insurance carrier and socioeconomic status (SES) on the adherence to appropriate use criteria (AUC) for radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is unknown.

Hypothesis: Health insurance carrier's prior authorization and patient's SES impact adherence to AUC for MPI in a fee-for-service setting.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1511 consecutive patients who underwent outpatient MPI in a multi-site, office-based, fee-for-service setting.

The value of diastolic function parameters in the prediction of left atrial appendage thrombus in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Background: Left ventricular diastolic impairment and consequently elevated filling pressure may contribute to stasis leading to left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated whether transthoracic echocardiographic parameters can predict LAAT independent of traditional clinical predictors.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 297 consecutive nonvalvular AF patients who underwent transthoracic echocardiogram followed by a transesophageal echocardiogram within one year.