Catheter Ablation or Antiarrhythmic Drugs for Ventricular Tachycardia.

Background: Patients with ventricular tachycardia and ischemic cardiomyopathy are at high risk for adverse outcomes. Catheter ablation is commonly used when antiarrhythmic drugs do not suppress ventricular tachycardia. Whether catheter ablation is more effective than antiarrhythmic drugs as a first-line therapy in patients with ventricular tachycardia is uncertain.

Higher-Than-Usual Target International Normalized Ratio (INR) Range Required With On-X Aortic Valve Secondary to Recurrent Thromboembolic Strokes: A Case Report.

Although the On-X aortic valve (AO) is considered less thrombogenic compared to its counterparts, we present a case where recurrent thromboembolic ischemic stroke occurred, first with a sub-therapeutic, then even with an elevated International Normalized Ratio (INR).  A 36-year-old male, the background of On-X AO replacement but no other risk factors, developed thromboembolic stroke twice while on Warfarin, first with INR 1.4, second with INR 2.

Alpha-adducin 1 (rs4961) gene and its expression associated with sodium sensitivity in hypertensive patients: a cohort study in the western Ukrainian population.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of the α-adducin-1 gene () (Gly460Trp [rs4961]) polymorphism and its expression in association with renal dysfunction and sodium sensitivity in hypertensive patients in western Ukrainian population. One-hundred patients with essential arterial hypertension (EAH) and hypertensive-mediated target organ damage (stage 2), moderate, high, and very high cardiovascular risk were enrolled in case-control study. Sixty healthy individuals were assigned as controls.

Joint Preserving Limb Salvage Secondary to Septic Nonunion Following Placement of a Fibular Intramedullary Nail: A Case Report.

Several challenges exist for the foot and ankle surgeon when addressing the complications associated with ankle fracture repair. The risk of joint destruction, debilitation, and even limb loss may be amplified by the noncompliant patient. There is an abundance of literature documenting the management of fracture nonunions in the setting of infection with a variety of techniques proven successful in managing large osseous defects and eradicating infection.

Predictive significance of cardio ankle vascular index for the assessment of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients: A systematic review.

Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is an innovative indicator of large-artery stiffness, which is evaluated by the pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement. Mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular diseases among the general public with high-risk conditions such as hypertension are usually associated with arterial stiffness. CAVI modelizes the hazard of future cardiovascular events with standard risk factors.

Transient haemoptysis after taking sildenafil.

We report a case of a man in his 70s who developed haemoptysis 3 days after commencing sildenafil. Before postulating a potential connection between sildenafil use and haemoptysis, it is important to rule out potential other causative factors and comorbidities. The patient suffers from multiple medical conditions and takes various medications.

The role of exercise training and dietary sodium restriction in heart failure rehabilitation: A systematic review.

Heart failure (HF) rehabilitation seeks to enhance the entire well-being and quality of life of those with HF by focusing on both physical and mental health. Non-pharmacological measures, particularly exercise training, and dietary salt reduction, are essential components of heart failure rehabilitation. This study examines the impact of these components on the recovery of patients with heart failure.

The role of biomarkers in the prognosis and risk stratification in heart failure: A systematic review.

Acute heart failure (AHF) episodes are marked by high rates of morbidity and mortality during the episode and minimal advancements in its care. Multiple biomarker monitoring is now a crucial supplementary technique in the therapy of AHF. A scientific literature search was conducted by assessing and evaluating the most pertinent research that has been published, including original papers and review papers with the use of PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane databases.

The prognostic significance of pro-BNP and heart failure in acute pulmonary embolism: A systematic review.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most common type of cardiovascular disease and carries a high mortality rate of 30% if left untreated. Although it is commonly known that individuals who suffer heart failure (HF) are more likely to experience a pulmonary embolism, little is known concerning the prognostic relationship between acute PE and HF. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic usefulness of heart failure and pro-BNP in pulmonary embolism cases.

A Case of Deep Venous Thrombosis in an HIV-Infected Patient despite Therapeutic Anticoagulation.

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have an increased likelihood of venous thromboembolism (VTE) owing to factors such as acquired protein C and S deficiency, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, and heightened levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This case report highlights an exceptionally uncommon occurrence of deep venous thrombosis in an HIV-infected patient receiving a therapeutic dose of enoxaparin. This underscores the need for cautious consideration of the risk of VTE in HIV-infected individuals, even with preventive or therapeutic anticoagulant treatment.

Black Cohosh: An Uncommon Culprit of Bradycardia in Postmenopausal Women.

The use of herbal supplements has become increasingly prevalent, with black cohosh (BC) gaining popularity for managing menopausal symptoms. However, reports of adverse effects associated with BC are limited. We present a case of bradycardia linked to prolonged BC ingestion.

Participant retention in follow-up studies of intensive care unit survivors - A scoping review.

Objective: To synthesize participant retention data and related reporting in studies evaluating post-hospital outcomes of survivors of critical illness after an intensive care unit (ICU) stay.

Review Method Used: A synthesis of literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews checklist.

Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry.

An Unseen Challenge: Mycotic Pseudoaneurysm Emerges in the Wake of Everolimus-Eluting Stent Deployment.

This case report presents a unique instance of mycotic pseudoaneurysm in the proximal right coronary artery (RCA) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a 75-year-old male with a complex medical history. Despite successful initial intervention and resolution of bacteremia, the patient presented three months later with recurrent anginal symptoms. The diagnostic evaluation revealed a mycotic pseudoaneurysm in the RCA, leading to surgical clipping and graft implantation.

Temporal Trends of Enrollment by Sex and Race in Major Cardiovascular Randomized Clinical Trials.

Background: Women and racialized minorities continue to be underrepresented in cardiovascular (CV) trial outcomes data, despite comprising a significant global burden of CV disease. This study evaluated the impact of trial characteristics on the temporal enrollment of women and racialized minorities in prominent CV trials published in the period 1986-2023.

Methods: MEDLINE was searched for CV trials published in , the and the .

An Unusual Encounter: Aeromonas veronii Infection in a Case of Ulcerative Colitis.

-associated ulcerative colitis flare is sparsely reported in the literature but is a treatable condition with antibiotics including trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), fluoroquinolones, and second/third-generation cephalosporins. We report a case of a patient with long-standing ulcerative colitis (UC), who presented with bloody stools, fatigue, and oliguria that did not respond to standard regimen including steroids. The lab finding was significant for leukocytosis and anemia.

Cannabis-Associated Pneumothorax: A Case Report.

The use of cannabis for therapeutic and recreational purposes has been on the rise in recent years. This has increased the prevalence of cannabis use disorder across various demographic subgroups. A recent medical literature review describes a few cases demonstrating the association of spontaneous pneumothorax and bullous lung disease in cannabis users without concomitant tobacco use.

Partial Small Bowel Obstruction and Volvulus Due to B-cell Lymphoma in a Common Variable Immunodeficiency Patient.

This case report presents a 43-year-old female with a history of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and a recent diagnosis of mesenteric volvulus. The patient presented with symptoms of partial small bowel obstruction and was diagnosed with obstruction and mesenteric volvulus primarily affecting the proximal jejunum. During the exploratory laparotomy, a probable polyposis syndrome and a possible adenocarcinoma of the small bowel were identified.

Substantial influence of psychological factors on return to sports after anterior shoulder instability surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to (1) determine the proportion of patients who underwent anterior shoulder instability surgery and did not return to sports for psychological reasons and (2) estimate differences in psychological readiness scores between patients who did and did not return to sports.

Methods: The EBSCOhost/SPORTDiscus, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies. The data synthesis included the proportion of patients who did not return to sports for psychological reasons and the mean differences in the psychological readiness of athletes who returned and those who did not return to sports.

An Unusual Association of Idiopathic Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion (SIADH) With Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD).

Although the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is commonly associated with many lung conditions and drugs used for treating them, no literature describes a direct association between SIADH and interstitial lung disease. This case report discusses a 79-year-old male patient who presented to the emergency department (ED) with altered mental status following a fall. The patient had clinical symptoms and imaging findings concerning interstitial lung disease (ILD), and laboratory tests from the ER indicated severe hyponatremia and an increased white blood cell count, suggesting an unusual clinical picture.