The Importance of the 15-lead Versus 12-lead ECG Recordings in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Right Ventricle and Left Ventricle Posterior and Lateral Wall Acute Myocardial Infarctions.

Introduction: The 12-lead ECG at admission of patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is mandatory for accurate diagnosis and prompt therapeutic measures, mainly reperfusion. It has been shown that recording additional ECG leads may improve the diagnostic accuracy and therefore, the prognosis of selected cases.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of the 15-lead ECG (12 classic plus 3 posterior leads) in the management of chest pain patients, especially when 12-lead ECG is not diagnostic of AMI.

Right Ventricular Function and Sexual Function: Exploring Shadows in Male and Female Patients With Heart Failure.

Introduction: Sexual health plays an important role in heart failure (HF) patients, and the relationship between HF and sexual dysfunction is well established; however, the role of right ventricular function in sexual dysfunction has not been investigated sufficiently.

Aim: To investigate the potential association between right ventricular dysfunction and sexual dysfunction in both male and female patients with HF.

Methods: Patients with a clinical diagnosis of HF were evaluated in a cross-sectional study.

Hypertension in hematologic malignancies and hematopoietic cell transplantation: An emerging issue with the introduction of novel treatments.

Blood pressure levels are directly associated with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality, rendering arterial hypertension a major public health problem affecting almost 1 billion people worldwide. Several models have been used for cardiovascular risk prediction based on traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Among them, hypertension represents a factor that may be triggered by distinct pathogenetic mechanisms in specific disease populations.

Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 (TREM-1) and its soluble in the plasma form (sTREM-1) as a diagnostic biomarker in neonatal sepsis.

Neonatal sepsis, defined as sepsis occurring within the first 28 days of life, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is undeniable that finding and appliance of biomarkers in clinical practice is of great importance, aiming at the early recognition of the impending clinical deterioration and the prompt and targeted therapeutic intervention. A er systematic and thorough research of the limited relevant literature, we attempt to present a documented point-of-view on the diagnostic value of TREM-1 and its soluble form both in early and late onset neonatal sepsis.

Exertional dyspnea after myocardial infarction: thinking beyond the diagnosis of heart failure.

Introduction: We herein present an unusual case of a pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricular myocardium, which is a rare and fatal complication of myocardial infarction.

Case Report: A 64-year-old man with a history of bipolar disorder and arterial hypertension was hospitalized for delayed presentation ST-elevation myocardial infarction. He was admitted to our hospital 24 hours after symptom onset.

Manual Versus Mechanical Compression of the Radial Artery After Transradial Coronary Angiography: The MEMORY Multicenter Randomized Trial.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare manual versus mechanical compression of the radial artery after coronary angiography via transradial access regarding radial artery occlusion (RAO), access-site bleeding complications, and duration of hemostasis.

Background: Hemostasis of the radial artery after sheath removal can be achieved either by manual compression at the puncture site or by using a mechanical hemostasis device. Because mechanical compression exerts a more stable, continuous pressure on the artery, it could be hypothesized that it is more effective compared with manual compression regarding hemostasis time, bleeding, and RAO risks.

Acute Coronary Syndrome With Normal Coronary Arteries: a Case of Spontaneous Spasm Lysis.

Introduction: Patients suffering from Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) are found with no obstructive coronary artery disease on coronary arteriography. The Aim of this interesting case report is to present a patient with acute chest pain, temporal ST-segment elevation and MINOCA.

Case Report: A case of a young woman who presented with acute chest pain suggestive of angina, with temporal ST-segment elevation, accidentally recorded and not rising of myocardial necrosis biomarkers in blood tests is described.

Central Venous Oxygen Saturation as a Predictor of a Successful Spontaneous Breathing Trial from Mechanical Ventilation: A Prospective, Nested Case-Control Study.

Background: Weaning from mechanical ventilation is a key element in the care of critically ill patients, and Spontaneous Breathing Trial (SBT) is a crucial step in this procedure. This nested case-control study aimed to evaluate whether central oxygen saturation (ScvO) values and their changes could independently predict the SBT outcome among mechanically ventilated patients.

Methods: A prospective cohort of patients who were mechanically ventilated for at least 48hours and fulfilled the criteria of readiness to wean constituted the study population.

Clinical features, follow-up, and reprogramming of patients with pacemaker in a secondary care center.

Introduction: During recent years, several recommendations and guidelines regarding cardiac pacing have been published in the literature. However, only a few studies have examined the implementation of these guidelines in clinical practice. The current study aimed to record and evaluate the effects of the mainstream studies, and the experience gathered by all patients who have been followed-up at the pacemaker Unit of Veroia Hospital, which is a secondary care center.

Smoking Cessation Advisory Intervention in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease.

Introduction: Several studies have examined the efficacy of smoking cessation therapies in the general population. However little is known about the efficacy of these advisory methods in cardiovascular patients.

Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence and the characteristics of smoking abstinence in cardiovascular patients, after a smoking intervention during hospitalization.

The Effect of Vitamin E on Oxidative Stress Indicated by Serum Malondialdehyde in Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus Patients with Retinopathy.

Background: Several studies have focused on oxidative stress on diabetes mellitus (DM). Our purpose was to investigate the impact of oxidative stress on progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in insulin-dependent DM patients, measuring serum malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as to examine the effect of vitamin E on DR progression in the above-mentioned patients.

Methods: Participants in the study were 282 insulin-dependent DM patients with DR.

Atrial fibrillation causing ST elevation myocardial infarction due to coronary embolism: case report and review of the literature.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is a rare but important nonatherosclerotic cause of ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Case Description: We report the case of a 69 years old woman who presented to our hospital with ST elevation myocardial infarction and permanent atrial fibrillation and eventually treated with thrombus aspiration from the left descending coronary artery.

Conclusion: We have to notice the importance of the appropriate antithrombotic treatment in atrial fibrillation to prevent systemic embolism.

Vernakalant versus ibutilide for immediate conversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation.

Background: The pharmacological cardioversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) is a challenge for the clinician. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy, the safety, and the overall cost of intravenous (iv) administration of vernakalant, which is a relatively new atrial-selective antiarrhythmic agent, versus ibutilide, in cardioversion of recent-onset AF.

Methods: We enrolled in this study 78 patients (56 men, 22 women; mean age 63.

Afebrile Seizures as Initial Symptom of Hypocalcemia Secondary to Hypoparathyroidism.

Hypocalcemia is rare in childhood and caused, among other conditions, by hypoparathyroidism. DiGeorge syndrome is the most common cause of hypoparathyroidism in childhood. Presentation of a rare cause of hypocalcemia in childhood and the necessity of measuring serum electrolyte levels in patients presenting with afebrile seizures.

Comparison of two different molecular weight intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is an incurable joint disorder, representing a major public health issue. Among options for symptom control, viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid (HA) had established usefulness in pain and function improvement of the knee. However, it is not clear which form of HA yields better results.

The Impact of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents after Phacoemulsification on Quality of Life: A Randomized Study.

Introduction: The purpose of our study was to investigate the impact of ketorolac addition to the well-established combination of antibiotic-steroid agent in terms of vision-related quality of life.

Methods: Patients were randomized to: (1) fixed combination of tobramycin 0.3%-dexamethasone 0.

A Comparison of Prognostic Value of the Levels of ProBNP and Troponin T in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS).

Introduction: The propeptide of brain natriuretic peptide (ProBNP) is used for the diagnosis of left ventricle dysfunction and heart failure. In patients with an Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) it can contribute to both short and long term prognosis of cardiovascular events that could be very important for management and therapy of these patients.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of ProBNP for the clinical course after an acute coronary syndrome, compared with that of cardiac troponine T (cTnT) and the risk stratification of patients with acute coronary syndrome, both during hospitalization and six months later.

Dissection of the right coronary artery following blunt cardiac injury.

Background: Coronary artery dissection is a rare complication of blunt thoracic trauma which can become rapidly lethal necessitating prompt diagnosis and treatment. Most reported cases of coronary artery injury, including dissection, involve the left anterior descending coronary artery, given its anatomical location in relation to the impact.

Description Of Case: A 72-year-old male, who was involved in a vehicular accident, sustained blunt thoracic trauma which resulted in isolated right coronary artery dissection and acute myocardial infarction.

Acute pulmonary edema after a single oral dose of acetazolamide.

Introduction: Anaphylactic shock and pulmonary edema are unusual but life-threatening adverse reactions to drugs. We encountered a case of serious anaphylactic shock and acute pulmonary edema caused by a single oral intake of acetazolamide, a frequently used medication by several medical specialties especially in ophthalmology.

Case Presentation: An 80-year-old female was admitted to our emergency Coronary Unit presenting symptoms and signs of shock with acute pulmonary edema.

Control of a Multi-Drug-Resistant Outbreak after Orthopedics Department Relocation.

clinical isolates have the ability to survive in the hospital niche for prolonged time periods and to develop resistance against multiple antimicrobial agents. Therefore, has emerged as an important cause of nosocomial outbreaks worldwide, especially in critical-care environments such as intensive care units. In the present communication, we report a multi-drug-resistant outbreak that occurred in an orthopedics department in Greece after the admission of a patient previously hospitalized in the intensive care unit of a Greek tertiary care hospital.