Serial Electrocardiographic Changes in a Young Female with Acute Myocarditis

Electrocardiographic changes in myocarditis mimic a wide range of ECG diagnoses ranging from ST-elevation myocardial infarction to complete heart block. We report a case of acute myocarditis in a young female with a wide range of ECG changes that mimic ST-elevation myocardial infarction and atrioventricular block.

Importancia de las arritmias cardiacas inducidas por tioridazina en las edades geriátricas / Importance of the heart arrhythmias induced by thioridazine in geriatric ages

RESUMEN Introducción: la discapacidad mental, íntimamente relacionada con el incremento de la expectativa de vida, se considera uno de los problemas más graves que hay que enfrentar en la centuria recién iniciada. Esto trae consigo el aumento de la prescripción de agentes anti psicóticos, como la tioridazina, lo que tiende a convertirse en un problema de salud al causar arritmias y en ocasiones fatales. Aún no se conoce en qué grado estas alteraciones son responsables de algunas muertes súbitas ocurridas en personas que tomaban estos medicamentos. Objetivo: identificar cuáles son las alteraciones clínicas y electrocardiográficas en los pacientes que usan la tioridazina, como droga de elección en los trastornos psiquiátricos. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, a los ancianos atendidos en el Servicio de Geriatría que ingieran tioridazina, en cualquier dosis. Durante al período de marzo del año 2017 hasta marzo del 2018. Resultados: predominaron los ancianos del sexo femenino y comprendido en las edades 60 y 74 años, con nivel de escolaridad secundario, lo que se correlacionó con la doble función de la mujer en la sociedad actual, y el elevado nivel de escolaridad de la ciudadanía cubana. Predominaron antecedentes de hipertensión arterial y diabetes, al igual las palpitaciones en relación a un aumento de los bloqueos del has de his, observados en los electrocardiogramas. No se presentaron fallecidos. Conclusiones: deben utilizarse dosis bajas del medicamento, por corto tiempo y bajo supervisión electrocardiográfica (AU).

ABSTRACT Introduction: mental incapacity, tightly related to the life expectancy increase, is considered one of the most serious problems to afford in the current century. It brings about the increase of the prescription of anti-psychotic agents, like thioridazine, tending to become a health problem because of causing arrhythmias that are occasionally life-threatening. It is still unknown in what level these alterations are responsible for several sudden deaths in persons who took these drugs. Objective: to identify which are the clinical and electrocardiographic alterations in patients using thioridazine as drug of choice in psychiatric disorders. Materials and methods: a descriptive study was carried out in all patients who attended the Geriatric Service taking thioridazine in any doses during the period from March 2017 to March 2018. Results: female elder people aged 60-74 years predominated, with secondary school scholarship, finding a relationship with the double function of women in the current society, and the high level of scholarship among Cuban citizen. Arterial hypertension and diabetes antecedents predominated, and also palpitations related to the increase of His bundle blockade observed in electrocardiograms. There were no deaths. Conclusions: low doses of the drug should be used for a short time and under electrocardiographic supervision (AU).

Cardiovascular abnormalities in severe scrub typhus

Background: Himachal Pradesh is an endemic area for scrub typhus. If not treated early, it can lead to life threatening complications, affecting various systems of the body. Hence, this study was done with an objective to study the cardiovascular abnormalities in patients of severe scrub typhus.Methods: Authors conducted a hospital-based study in Departments of Medicine and Cardiology, of a tertiary care hospital in Sub-himalayan region in patients of severe scrub typhus from June 2016 to May 2017.Results: Thirty-two (55%) patients were aged <60 years with female preponderance (72%).   Electrocardiographic changes included sinus tachycardia in 56 (97%), axis deviation in 5(9%), ST-T changes in 3(5%) and atrial fibrillation in 1(2%). Echocardiographic changes included tricuspid regurgitation in 14(24%), pericardial effusion in 4(7%), myocarditis in 1(2%) and Regional wall motion abnormality in 1(2%). Left ventricular ejection fraction >45% in 47 (81%) and <45% in 11(19%).  Fifty-one patients had hypotension at presentation and 49 (90%) of them improved. Interestingly, 10 of 11 patients with reduced EF (<45%) survived whereas 6 of total 7 patients, who died, had preserved EF (>45 %).Conclusions: Severe scrub typhus manifested with ST/T changes, myocarditis, pericardial effusion, arrhythmias, shock and patients with reduced EF on Echocardiography had better outcome.

Alteraciones electrofisiológicas y/o bioquímicas del trauma cardíaco / Electrophysiological and/or biochemical alterations of cardiac trauma

Resumen El trauma cardíaco constituye una de las primeras causas de mortalidad en la población general. La gran mayoría son causados por accidentes automovilísticos. Su diagnóstico es difícil y requiere alto índice de sospecha en trauma cerrado. Posee un índice de mortalidad muy elevado, cercano al 76%. Existen varios métodos diagnósticos disponibles para facilitar su detección pero ninguno logra alcanzar una sensibilidad cercana al 100%. El trauma cardíaco contuso puede variar desde lesión cardíaca asintomática hasta ruptura cardíaca y muerte. Actualmente se utilizan marcadores bioquímicos como enzimas cardíacas, siendo la Troponina I la más específica; y electrofisiológicos como hallazgos en el electrocardiograma sugestivos de bloqueo de rama y taquicardia sinusal, siendo estos los más frecuentemente encontrados.

Abstract Heart trauma is one of the leading causes of mortality in the general population. The vast majority are caused by automobile accidents. Its diagnosis is difficult and requires a high index of suspicion in closed trauma. It has a very high mortality rate, close to 76%. There are several diagnostic methods available to facilitate its detection, but none can reach a sensitivity close to 100%. Contusive heart trauma can range from asymptomatic cardiac injury to cardiac rupture and death. Currently, biochemical markers are used as cardiac enzymes, with Troponin I being the most specific; and electrophysiological findings in the electrocardiogram suggestive of branch block and sinus tachycardia, these being the most frequently found.

Delayed ST-Segment Elevation after Electrical Injury Mimicking Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Case Study.

Electrical injury can cause cardiac problems and various electrocardiographic (ECG) changes. It has been suggested that an electrical current may permanently damage the cardiac conduction tissue and predispose to late dysrhythmia. Less serious delayed transient ECG changes have also been described after electrical injury, such as ST segment elevation. In the emergency department, a patient who has chest pain and ECG changes should be investigated through his history about any previous electrical injury, so that we can differentiate myocardial infarction and other cardiac problems mimicking it.Here, we report a man with delayed ST Segment Elevation due to electric shock. Although he had frankly normal coronary arteries by coronary angiography, myocardial infarction was objectively evident by cardiac enzymes & electrocardiography. He was discharged in good health with non-specific electrocardiographic changes.

Bloqueio atrioventricular adquirido por uso de amiodarona: relato de caso / Atrioventricular block induced by amiodarone therapy: case report

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A amiodarona é um antiarrítmicoda classe III, amplamente utilizado nas mais diversas arritmias. Entretanto, a despeito de seus benefícios hemodinâmicos e eletrofisiológicos, ela produz efeitos colaterais relevantes, como coloração azulada da pele, fotossensibilidade,disfunção tireoidiana, depósito corneal, neuropatia periférica, supressão da medula óssea, hepatite, bloqueios cardíacos, pneumonites e outros. Os principais efeitos colaterais cardíacos, após terapia prolongada com amiodarona são: bradicardia sinusal, observada mais frequentemente e,menos comumente, bloqueio atrioventricular (BAV). O objetivo deste estudo foi relatar um caso de BAV por uso de amiodarona.RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo masculino, 73 anos, negro,portador de insuficiência renal crônica dialítica, encaminhado para internação com história de inapetência, vômitos, emagrecimento e dor abdominal, além de bradicardia assintomática. No eletrocardiograma (ECG) observou-se bloqueio atrioventricular total (BAVT). Após a suspensão dos fármacos utilizados, os sintomas desapareceram em seis dias. CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes em uso inadvertido e prolongado de alguns fármacos devem ser com frequência reavaliados, clinica e laboratorialmente, pois níveis acima da janela terapêutica só serão descobertos desta forma, na ausência de sintomatologia.(AU)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic, widely used in a variety of arrhythmias. However, despite its hemodynamic and electrophysiological benefits,amiodarone produces serious collateral effects such as blue skin coloration, photosensitivity, thyroid dysfunction, corneal deposits,peripheral neuropathy, bone marrow suppression, hepatitis,heart blocks, pneumonitis and other. The main cardiac side effects after prolonged therapy with amiodarone are bradycardia,observed more frequently and less commonly, atrioventricular block. The objective of this study is to report a case of atrioventricular block due to use of amiodarone.CASE REPORT: Male, year 73, a black patient with chronic renal failure, referred to internation, with history of innapetency,vomiting, weight loss and abdominal pain and also asymptomatic bradycardia. On EKG there was an atrioventricular block. After discontinuation of the drug, the symptoms disappeared in 6 days.CONCLUSION: Patients on inappropriate use of some drugs,mainly long-term, should be frequently reassessed, so clinical and laboratory, because levels above the therapeutic window only this way will be discovered, in absence of symptoms.(AU)

Alteraciones electrocardiográficas en hemorragia subaracnoidea / Electrocardiographic alterations in subarachnoid hemorrhage

Los enfermos con hemorragia subaracnoidea (HSA) presentan con frecuencia alteraciones electrocardiográficas (ECG), las más frecuentes son alargamiento del segmento QT, ondas T negativas, elevación o inversión del segmento ST y ondas U. La inversión de las ondas T asociada a la prolongación del QT se correlaciona con alteraciones de la contractilidad ventricular y es una indicación para practicar ecocardiograma. Se reporta el caso de un paciente con HSA secundaria a ruptura de aneurisma intracraneal que presentó cambios electrocardiográficos, enfatizando en la patogénesis de éstos y el impacto que tienen en el comportamiento clínico y la evolución.

Electrocardiographic (EGC) changes have been frequently observed in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The most frequent anomalies reported are prolonged of the QT interval, negative T waves, elevation or inversion of the ST segment and U wave. T wave inversion associated to QT interval prolongation is related to alterations in ventricular contraction indicating that echocardiographic screening is required. We report the case of a patient with SAH secondary to intracranial aneurism rupture who showed electrocardiographic changes, emphasizing the pathogenesis of the latter and the impact they have in both clinical manifestations and evolution.