Hypoxia Due to a Large Right to Left Interatrial Shunt with Normal Right-Sided Filling Pressures in the Setting of a Separation between the Septum Primum and Secundum: A Case Report.

Hypoxia secondary to right to left interatrial shunting in the setting of normal right-sided filling pressure is an uncommon clinical presentation. We present a case of persistent hypoxia irrespective of body position in a patient with a wide separation between the septum primum and secundum, creating a tunnel channeling flow from the right to the left atrium. Hypoxia resolved instantly following closure of the defect with an Amplatzer occluder under intracardiac echocardiography guidance. Although platypnea-orthodeoxia leads to hypoxia in the setting of normal right-sided filling pressures, the finding of a coexisting wide gap between the septum primum and secundum is likely to have worsened the hypoxia making it severe irrespective of body position. Closure of the interatrial septal defect led to immediate and sustained resolution of the hypoxia.

Ranolazine versus placebo in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and persistent chest pain or dyspnea despite optimal medical and revascularization therapy: randomized, double-blind crossover pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) may continue to experience persistent chest pain and/or dyspnea despite pharmacologic therapy and revascularization. We hypothesized that ranolazine would reduce anginal symptoms or dyspnea in optimally treated ICM patients. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, crossover-design pilot study, 28 patients with ICM (ejection fraction less or equal 40%) were included after providing informed consent. A total of 24 patients completed both placebo and ranolazine treatments and were analyzed. All patients were on treatment with a beta blocker, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (or angiotensin receptor blocker), and at least one additional antianginal drug. After randomization, patients received up to 1,000 mg ranolazine orally twice a day, as tolerated, versus placebo. The primary end point was change in angina as assessed by the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ), or in dyspnea as assessed by the Rose Dyspnea Scale (RDS). Change in the RDS and SAQ score from baseline was compared, for ranolazine and placebo, using the Wilcoxon signed rank test or paired t-test. RESULTS: Patients had the following demographic and clinical variables: mean age of 71.5 years; male (82.1%); prior coronary bypass surgery (67.9%); prior coronary percutaneous intervention (85.7%); prior myocardial infarction (82.1%); diabetes (67.9%); and mean ejection fraction of 33.1%. No statistical difference was seen between baseline RDS score and that after placebo or ranolazine (n=20) (P≥0.05). There was however, an improvement in anginal frequency (8/10 patients) (P=0.058), quality of life (8/10 patients) (P=0.048), and mean score of all components of the SAQ questionnaire (n=10) (P=0.047) with ranolazine compared with placebo. CONCLUSION: In optimally treated ICM patients with continued chest pain or dyspnea, ranolazine possibly had a positive impact on quality of life, a reduction in anginal frequency, and an overall improvement in the mean SAQ component score compared with baseline. Ranolazine did not change the dyspnea score compared with baseline.