An unusual anatomic variation of the Posterior Descending Coronary Artery.

Purpose: To report a rare coronary anatomic variation.

Methods: Review of the coronary angiogram of a patient with evidence of myocardial ischemia.

Results: The posterior descending artery was aberrant, originating from a large intermediate brunch.

Rationale and design of a prospective, observational, multicentre study on the safety and efficacy of apixaban for the prevention of thromboembolism in adults with congenital heart disease and atrial arrhythmias: the PROTECT-AR study.

Introduction: The risk for stroke in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) is increased, especially in the setting of commonly ensuing atrial arrhythmias (AA), namely atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter or intra-atrial re-entrant tachycardia. Data are limited regarding treatment with non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants in long-term studies involving patients with ACHD and AA.

Methods And Analysis: PReventiOn of ThromboEmbolism in Adults with Congenital HearΤ disease and Atrial aRrhythmias is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, non-interventional cohort study designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of apixaban for the prevention of thromboembolism in ACHD with AA in a 'real-world' setting.

Updating the Risk Stratification for Sudden Cardiac Death in Cardiomyopathies: The Evolving Role of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging. An Approach for the Electrophysiologist.

The prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in cardiomyopathies (CM) remains a challenge. The current guidelines still favor the implantation of devices for the primary prevention of SCD only in patients with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and heart failure (HF) symptoms. The implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a protective barrier against arrhythmic events in CMs, but the benefit does not outweigh the cost in low risk patients.

Antithrombotic Therapy in Carotid Artery Disease.

The management of asymptomatic atherosclerotic carotid artery disease and the role of antithrombotic therapy is of increasing importance for stroke prevention. Non-invasive imaging of carotid plaques can identify high-risk plaque features that are associated with the risk of plaque rupture. Carotid plaque necrosis, hemorrhage, fibrous cap thinning, and the presence of foam cells have all been correlated with the risk of rupture and onset of neurological symptoms in patients with carotid stenosis.

The Impact of Obesity on the Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Disease.

The aim of this article is to review the literature regarding the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its modification in the presence of obesity. Despite the strong association between vitamin D status and cardiovascular outcomes, vitamin D supplementation trials in the general population have failed to decrease the incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality. A comprehensive study of the published literature and a comparison with experimental data lead to the conclusion that obesity, due to its high prevalence and strong association with both vitamin D deficiency and CVD, may act as a critical confounder, which is responsible for the different results on this association.

Apical Periodontitis Is Associated with Elevated Concentrations of Inflammatory Mediators in Peripheral Blood: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction: Apical periodontitis (AP), except for the local known consequences, may also be a systemic burden. Circulating inflammatory mediators that are released to sustain the AP lesion can in theory harm other bodily tissues. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the existing evidence on the influence of AP on the peripheral blood levels of inflammatory mediators and markers of systemic stress.

Xanthomas Regression in an 8-Year-Old Boy Treated With Lomitapide.

This case reports on an 8-year-old boy with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia with large tuberous xanthomas over his hands, elbows, buttocks, knees, and feet. Lomitapide 40 mg daily (steadily increased) was added to his classical lipid-lowering therapy. A 50% reduction in the thickness, hardness, size, and color intensity of xanthomas was reported after 2 years of treatment.

CMR feature tracking in cardiac asymptomatic systemic sclerosis: Clinical implications.

Background: Impaired myocardial deformation has been sporadically described in cardiac asymptomatic systemic sclerosis (SSc). We aimed to study myocardial deformation indices in cardiac asymptomatic SSc patients using cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) and correlate these findings to the phenotypic and autoimmune background.

Methods: Fifty-four cardiac asymptomatic SSc patients (44 females, 56±13 years), with normal routine cardiac assessment and CMR evaluation, including cine and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images, were included.

Tying the knot: An uncommon complication.

Cardiothoracic procedures require continuous hemodynamic monitoring and a fair proportion of these require the insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter, known also as Swan-Ganz catheter. Given, however, the invasive nature of these procedures, unforeseen complications may ensue. Early recognition and appropriate handling are essential to minimize adverse outcomes.

Cardiac implantable electronic devices with a defibrillator component and all-cause mortality in left ventricular assist device carriers: results from the PCHF-VAD registry.

Aims: To compare characteristics of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients receiving a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) with a defibrillator component (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillation, CIED-D) vs. those without one, and to assess whether carrying such a device contiguously with an LVAD is associated with outcomes.

Methods And Results: Overall, 448 patients were analysed (mean age 52 ± 13 years, 82% male) in the multicentre European PCHF-VAD registry.

Geographical Variations in Patterns of DAPT Cessation and Two-Year PCI Outcomes: Insights from the PARIS Registry.

Background: Data on geographical variations in dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) cessation and the impact on outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are limited. We sought to evaluate geographical patterns of DAPT cessation and associated outcomes in patients undergoing PCI in the United States versus Europe.

Methods: Analyzing data from the PARIS registry, we studied 3,660 U.

Definition and treatment of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy: an updated expert panel report.

It is 35 years since the first description of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and more than 20 years since the first reports establishing desmosomal gene mutations as a major cause of the disease. Early advances in the understanding of the clinical, pathological and genetic architecture of ARVC resulted in consensus diagnostic criteria, which proved to be sensitive but not entirely specific for the disease. In more recent years, clinical and genetic data from families and the recognition of a much broader spectrum of structural disorders affecting both ventricles and associated with a propensity to ventricular arrhythmia have raised many questions about pathogenesis, disease terminology and clinical management.

Restoring pulsatility and peakVO in the era of continuous flow, fixed pump speed, left ventricular assist devices: 'A hypothesis of pump's or patient's speed?'.

Despite significant improvement in survival and functional capacity after continuous flow left ventricular assist device implantation, the patient's quality of life may remain limited by complications such as aortic valve insufficiency, thromboembolic episodes and gastrointestinal bleeding attributed to high shear stress continuous flow with attenuated or absence of pulsatile flow and by a reduced peak oxygen consumption (peakVO) primarily associated with a fixed pump speed operation. Revision of current evidence suggests that high technology pump speed algorithms, a 'hypothesis of decreasing pump's speed' to promote pulsatile flow and a 'hypothesis of increasing pump's speed' to increase peakVO, may only partially reverse these barriers. A 'hypothesis of increasing patient's speed' is introduced, suggesting that exercise training may further contribute to the patient's recovery, enhancing peakVO and pulsatile flow by improving skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and strength, peripheral vasodilatory and ventilatory responses, favour changes in preload/afterload and facilitate native flow, formulating the rationale for further studies in the field.

Diagnosis and treatment complications of primary cardiac lymphoma in an immunocompetent 28-year old man: a case report.

Background: Primary cardiac lymphomas (PCL) represent extremely rare cardiac tumors which are accompanied by poor prognosis, unless they are timely diagnosed and treated.

Case Presentation: Herein we present a 28-year-old, immunocompetent man who presented to our hospital due to progressively worsening symptoms and signs of superior vena cava syndrome. Multi-modality imaging demonstrated a large intracardiac tumor, which was proven, by biopsy, to be a PCL.

"Save the Last Dance" for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance.

Despite high mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is underestimated in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs), due to its atypical presentation. The multi-faceted nature of CVD in ARDs created the need of a dedicated outpatient cardio-rheumatic clinic. Clinical examination, rest/exercise ECG, echocardiography, nuclear techniques and cardiac catheterisation were used as first-line diagnostic tools.

An alternative technique for downsizing a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt.

An alternative surgical approach for downsizing an existed modified Blalock-Taussig shunt is described as a reoperation in a hemodynamically unstable patient. This method was selected in order to minimize the surgical manipulations in the setting of a critically ill infant.