Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance-Based Tissue Characterization in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common hereditable cardiomyopathy that affects between 1:200 to 1:500 of the general population. The role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in the management of HCM has expanded over the past 2 decades to become a key informant of risk in this patient population, delivering unique insights into tissue health and its influence on future outcomes. Numerous mature CMR-based techniques are clinically available for the interrogation of tissue health in patients with HCM, inclusive of contrast and noncontrast methods.

Contrast Echocardiography in Heart Failure: Update 2023.

Purpose Of Review: The application of ultrasound-enhancing agents (contrast agents) has improved the accuracy and reproducibility of echocardiography. The review focuses on the currently approved and evolving indications for contrast echocardiography in patients with heart failure, specifically examining clinical studies conducted after the publication of the guidelines in 2017 and 2018.

Recent Findings: The current ASE/EACVI recommendations for contrast echocardiography are based on its accuracy and reproducibility in comparison to non-enhanced echocardiography or other imaging modalities like cardiac MRI.

Outcomes of pregnancy in women with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A systematic review.

Introduction: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disorder that can be complicated by heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Pregnancy causes hemodynamic changes, which may be deleterious in patients with HCM. Existing cohort studies, analyzing maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnant HCM patients, are limited by small sample sizes.

Plasma Exchange for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Myocarditis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy has been shown to improve outcomes across many types of malignancies. However, immune checkpoint inhibitor has been associated with several immune-related adverse events including myocarditis. We describe the case of a 69-year-old man with fulminant myocarditis likely due to pembrolizumab therapy, complicated by biventricular failure with cardiogenic shock.

Cardiomyopathies and Genetic Testing in Heart Failure: Role in Defining Phenotype-Targeted Approaches and Management.

Cardiomyopathies represent an important cause of heart failure, often affecting young individuals, and have important implications for relatives. Genetic testing for cardiomyopathies is an established care pathway in contemporary cardiology practice. The primary cardiomyopathies where genetic testing is indicated are hypertrophic, dilated, arrhythmogenic, and restrictive cardiomyopathies, with left ventricular noncompaction as a variant phenotype.

Anemia and Blood Transfusion in Patients with Isolated Traumatic Brain Injury.

Rationale. By reducing cerebral oxygen delivery, anemia may aggravate traumatic brain injury (TBI) secondary insult. This study evaluated the impact of anemia and blood transfusion on TBI outcomes.

Patients' preferences for physicians' attire in Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To assess Saudi patients' preferences regarding Saudi physicians' attire, and its influence on patients' level of trust and confidence in their physician.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May to June 2011 among patients waiting to be seen by their physicians from the outpatient medical clinics of King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Patients were asked multiple questions, which included their choice of preference regarding the attire of male and female physicians.