A Case Report of an Unusual Acute Intramural Hematoma Disguise as Pulmonary Embolism.

Aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) is characterized by an aortic wall hematoma without intimal flap and it is a variant of acute aortic syndromes (AAS). This entity may represent 10%-25% of the AAS involving the ascending aorta and aortic arch (Stanford Type A) in 10%-30% of cases and the descending thoracic aorta (Stanford Type B) in 60%-70% of cases. IMH impairs the aortic wall and may progress to either inward disruption of the intima, which finally induces typical dissection or outward rupture of the aorta.

Posterior mitral leaflet cleft in nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomiopathy.

A 43-year-old nigerian woman presented to cardiac intensive care unit for acute pulmonary edema with severe mitral regurgitation in a hypertrophic non obstructive cardiomyopathy for prevalent hypertrophy of posterior and lateral walls. A transesophageal echocardiography showed the isolated cleft of posterior mitral leaflet. In literature deep and multiple mitral valve clefts are described in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy undergoing septal myectomy, including possible true posterior clefts, but they are not associated with the premyectomy severity of mitral regurgitation or jet direction, and do not result in surgical MV intervention.

[An unexpected case of right heart dilation in the elderly].

Atrial septal defects (ASD) represent the most common congenital heart defect diagnosed in adulthood. Adults with an ASD are often asymptomatic, but sometimes may present with non-specific symptoms such as dyspnea on exertion or exercise intolerance. Isolated sinus venosus atrial defect is an extremely rare anomaly.

[Barlow's disease with arrhythmic phenotype: a case report].

Barlow disease represents the extreme form of the degenerative mitral valve spectrum described by Carpentier. The myxoid degeneration of the mitral valve may result in a billowing leaflet or in a prolapse and myxomatous degeneration of the mitral leaflets. There are increasing evidences of the association between Barlow disease and sudden cardiac death.

The Utility of Paraspinal Acoustic Windows for the Evaluation of Acute Dissection of Descending Thoracic Aorta in the Emergency Setting.

Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is the prevalent acute aortic syndrome characterized by rapid onset and progression with time-dependent prognosis. When suspecting AAD of descending thoracic aorta in the context of the emergency department setting, computed tomography scanning and trans-esophageal echocardiography are the most useful imaging modalities. The sensitivity of transthoracic echocardiography in diagnosing for type B dissection is only 31%-55% when compared with other modalities.

Imaging of Cardiac Masses: An Updated Overview.

Studying cardiac masses is one of the most challenging tasks for cardiac imagers. The aim of this review article is to focus on the modern imaging of cardiac masses proceeding through the most frequent ones. Cardiac benign masses such as myxoma, cardiac papillary fibroelastoma, rhabdomyoma, lipoma, and hemangioma are browsed considering the usefulness of most common cardiovascular imaging tools, such as ultrasound techniques, cardiac computed tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and in the diagnostic process.

Shock and Diffuse ST-elevation in a Patient with Coronavirus Disease-2019 Disease.

The infection by the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cardiac events require prompt diagnosis and management, also in the SARS-CoV-2 era. A 58-year-old male, heavy smoker and with known SARS-CoV-2 infection, abruptly developed severe hypotension and asthenia.

Prediction of major bleeding in patients receiving DOACs for venous thromboembolism: A prospective cohort study.

Background: In the direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) era, extended anticoagulation is an attractive strategy after venous thromboembolism (VTE). The role of currently available bleeding risk scores for VTE patients treated with DOACs in clinical practice is undefined.

Methods: Consecutive patients with VTE were included in a prospective multicenter cohort at the initiation of treatment with DOACs.

Data on the use of oral anticoagulants in nonagenarians with atrial fibrillation.

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled "Patients aged 90 years or older with atrial fibrillation treated with oral anticoagulants: A multicentre observational study" [1]. This article unveils original data of a cohort of 546 patients aged 90 years or older with non-valvular atrial fibrillation treated with oral anticoagulants. Here, we describe the time course of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism and of major bleeding according to the presence of outcome predictors and report the causes of permanent discontinuation and of death.

Patients aged 90 years or older with atrial fibrillation treated with oral anticoagulants: A multicentre observational study.

Background: Patients aged 90 years or older are often excluded from or under-represented in clinical trials and cohort studies. The clinical benefit of anticoagulation in nonagenarians with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains undefined.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and safety of oral anticoagulants in AF patients aged 90 years or older.

Long-term outcome in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation on dabigatran: a prospective cohort study.

Most studies on thromboembolic and bleeding risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) exposed to non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants stem from interrogation of insurance databases. Areas covered: We studied 742 consecutive patients with NVAF who started treatment with dabigatran in three hospitals in Italy. Average follow-up was 1.

Patients with cancer and atrial fibrillation treated with doacs: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Limited data are available on the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with cancer and atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Consecutive patients with non-valvular AF treated with DOACs were enrolled in a prospective cohort with the aim of evaluating thromboembolic (ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack or systemic embolism) and major bleeding (MB) events according to presence and type of cancer. The risk of study outcomes over time was compared using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test or Cox proportional hazards regression.

Thrombotic Risk after a Major Bleeding During Anticoagulation: A Clinical Case.

We report on a 81-year-old female admitted to the emergency department for the occurrence of abdominal pain after a minor trauma. She was on treatment with warfarin for atrial fibrillation. The abdominal computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed a retroperitoneal hematoma (RH) of the left iliopsoas muscle with no evidence of active bleeding.

Permanent discontinuation of non vitamin K oral anticoagulants in real life patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Background: Persistence to treatment affects clinical outcomes in patients with chronic disease such as atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: This prospective cohort study included consecutive non-valvular AF patients prescribed with non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and investigated for any permanent discontinuation at 1-year of this therapy, as well as any reasons for discontinuation.

Results: Overall, 1305 patients were prescribed with dabigatran (N=473), rivaroxaban (N=425) or apixaban (N=407).

Vitamin K and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for non-valvular atrial fibrillation in real-life.

Background: Current guidelines recommend vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: We compared the clinical features of consecutive in- and out-patients with non-valvular AF newly-treated with NOACs or on treatment with VKAs.

Results: Overall, 1314 patients newly-treated with NOACs and 1024 on treatment with VKAs were included in the study.

Low-molecular-weight heparin and cancer survival: review of the literature and pooled analysis of 1,726 patients treated for at least three months.

Background: Heparin has been the main subject of intensive investigation and clinical use because of its therapeutic anticoagulant properties. It also exhibits many other biological activities, and it was claimed that it shows a beneficial effect on cancer spreading. Searching for papers investigating the effect of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) on cancer mortality we found clinical trials and meta-analyses which showed a reduction in the mortality rate in cancer patients.