A Case of Peripartum Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in a Woman With a History of Obesity.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with a high prevalence in young pregnant females. A 38-year-old female with a history of morbid obesity status post-bariatric surgery presented with chest pain. The electrocardiogram (EKG) revealed ST-segment elevation in the inferior leads as well as slightly elevated troponin. Urgent cardiac catheterization showed SCAD, and she was subsequently managed with medical therapy. We hypothesize that the history of obesity leads to a compromise in the coronary vasculature, thereby predisposing the patient to SCAD.

Current Practice of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Coagulation Disorders.

Acute coronary artery disease represents the leading cause of death worldwide. Some studies have shown that coagulation disorders can play a protective role against ischemic heart disease, presumably due to hypocoagulable state and decrease thrombin formation. However, autopsy reports showed atherosclerotic lesions in some patients with hemophilia. Since the introduction of clotting factors and replacement therapies, the life expectancy of patients with coagulation disorders has increased significantly. As a result, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases became higher making their treatment more challenging. Door to balloon strategy applies in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and percutaneous coronary intervention should not be delayed. While in non-STEMI (NSTEMI) and unstable angina, a hematology consult is essential. Prophylactic coagulation factor replacement is crucial in these patients in order to avoid bleeding complications, but on the other hand, these factors were also associated with thrombotic complications. Historically, bare-metal stents were preferred over drug-eluting stents in view of the shorter duration of dual antiplatelets therapy (DAPT). Currently, some trials have demonstrated the safety of new-generation drug-eluting stents in patients with elevated bleeding risk, where DAPT use is limited to four weeks. The radial artery is the preferred access and was found to have less bleeding complications when compared to the femoral access. Anticoagulation with heparin is the safest in view of antidote availability and shorter half-life. Bivalirudin has also been used in some case reports, while GP2b3a inhibitors are usually avoided except in a high thrombus burden. Close peri procedural follow-up is important with patient education about symptoms of bleed. Carefully and individually tailored antithrombotic and factor replacement therapy is required to overcome these clinically challenging situations. Early screening for cardiovascular risk factors and considering early intervention and management might help to improve the general health status of this population and reduce morbidity.

Gender-related Disparities of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Chart Review of 500 Patients.

Door-to-balloon (DTB) time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a predictive indicator of outcomes and mortality. Traditional gender-related differences that existed in the provision of DTB in STEMI had been allegedly improving until recent controversial data showed re-emergence of longer DTB in females. The objective of our study was to compare circadian disparities in percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI according to gender in our institution. We compared DTB and symptom-to-balloon (STB) as well as mortality outcomes in a registry of 514 patients. We studied 117 females and 397 males. Baseline characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors were similar among both populations. Men used more self-transportation (51% vs. 38%) compared with women. Both had similar DTB median times: males, 63 (47-79) min; and females, 61 (44-76) min. In addition, STB median times were also similar: males, 155 (116-264) min; and females, 165 (115-261) min. Mortality outcomes at 1 month were comparable at 3% in males versus 0.9% in females (P = 0.164). In a review of a tertiary care center in New York, we observed no gender differences in DTB and STB, endorsing the role of emergency medical service transportation in eliminating disparities.

Extremely Late In-Stent Thrombosis 12 Years After Implantation of a Drug-Eluting Stent.

Stent thrombosis is one of the most feared complications of percutaneous coronary intervention. Most commonly it occurs within the first few days after the deployment of the stent. Once the stent is completely endothelialized, this complication becomes extremely rare. Few cases of very late stent thrombosis were reported in the literature with the longest interval being around 11 years after the initial intervention. We report here the case of a 78-year-old male patient who presented with acute onset chest pain found to have acute inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction due to thrombotic occlusion of a prior paclitaxel drug-eluting stent placed 12 years prior. This is, to our knowledge, the first case of stent thrombosis occurring after this long duration since stent implantation.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence after Ablation of Nodal and Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia: A Meta-analysis.

Introduction Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT) are frequently associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Targeting the slow or accessory pathways has been advocated as therapy for coexisting AF. But in practice, AF has frequently recurred after ablation, possibly because of various risk factors. The objective of this study is to investigate these risk factors and check for their significance in AF recurrence. Materials and methods A systematic review of Medline, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases was conducted. Articles that studied AF recurrence after either AVNRT or AVRT ablation were reviewed. Publication bias was adequately assessed, and the random method was applied for all dichotomous values. Finally, the odds ratio (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for each risk factor. Results Four studies were included, with a total of 1,308 participants. Only 218 participants had dual tachycardia (AF with either AVNRT or AVRT). The mean follow-up time was 29 +/- 3.3 months. The mean age was 56 +/- 15 years. Age constituted the only significant risk factor for AF recurrence (OR: 3.4, CI: 2.1-5.3, p<0.001). Atrial vulnerability did not significantly correlate with a higher risk of AF recurrence (OR: 4.8, CI: 0.7-29, p<0.008). Again, neither male gender (OR: 1.5, CI: 0.8-2.8, p<0.16) nor left atrial diameter (OR: 1.5, CI: 0.2-10, p<0.67) were significant risk factors for recurrence of AF. Conclusion Older age was the only significant predictor of AF recurrence after ablation of AVNRT or AVRT. Further studies are needed to determine the age cut-off at which concomitant pulmonary vein isolation would be beneficial in patients undergoing ablation of AVNRT/AVRT.

Pooled Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Video Capsule Endoscopy in Patients with Implantable Cardiac Devices.

Background: To date, video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is still contraindicated by the FDA and the main manufacturers of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIED) in patients with CIED, given a theoretical electromagnetic interference and possible device malfunction. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the safety profile and efficacy of VCE in patients with implantable cardiac devices through analyzing the risk of mutual interference. Methods: A systematic review of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases was conducted. Peer-reviewed original articles, published in the English language and containing "capsule endoscopy" AND "pacemaker", "defibrillator" OR "left ventricular assist device" as keywords, were selected. Studies performed in vitro, isolated case reports, and abstracts/posters were excluded. Results: A total of 735 VCE procedures were performed in patients with cardiac devices in various clinical settings. Cardiac events were not seen in any case. Interference on capsule images transmission was noted in 5 cases (left ventricular assist device (LVAD)) where few images were lost when the capsule was closest to the device. Finally, interference between capsule and telemetry leads was noted in 6 cases (4 Permanent Pacemakers (PPM), 2 Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)) leading to image artifacts. Discussion: Adverse cardiac events were not seen in any study. Loss of images occurred when the VCE was in proximity to the device (only with LVAD) or after telemetry leads installation without affecting the completion rate and diagnostic yield of VCE. Conclusion: VCE is safe and remains efficient in patients with cardiac devices. If cardiac monitoring is required, wired systems are preferable.

Frequency of 30-Day Readmission and Its Causes After Endovascular Aneurysm Intervention of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (from the Nationwide Readmission Database).

Endovascular aneurysm intervention (EVAI) is one of the most commonly performed vascular interventions for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Data regarding 30-day readmission rates after EVAI are poorly reported in the literature. We used the United States Nationwide Readmission Database from 2010 to 2014 to identify all patients ≥18 years who were readmitted within 30 days after a hospital discharge for EVAI of the AAA. Incidence, etiologies, predictors of 30-day readmission, and trends of readmission rates were analyzed. In 138,014 patients who survived to discharge after an EVAI procedure for AAA, 14,146 (10.24%) were readmitted within 30 days. Median time to readmission was 11 days. Cardiac causes (16.34%) followed by infections (15.40%) and vascular complications (12.86%) were common etiologies of readmission. Greater patient age, female sex, coexisting co-morbidities such as heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease, lung disease, and chronic kidney disease were independent predictors of 30-day readmission. In-hospital complications during an index admission such as major bleeding or vascular complications were also predictive of 30-day readmission. Trend analysis showed a progressive decline in readmission rates from 11.3% in 2010 to 9.6% in 2014 (ptrend <0.0001), 20% lower odds in 2014 compared with 2010 (odds ratio 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.72 to 0.87, p <0.0001). In this contemporary study of EVAI for AAA, nearly 1 in 10 patients was readmitted within 30 days of discharge after an index admission. Cardiac complications and infections were common causes of readmission within 30 days.

Interventional Approach to Left Main Coronary Artery Dissection.

A left main coronary artery (LMCA) iatrogenic dissection is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of coronary angioplasty. It can range from a simple tear in the artery wall to a severe dissection, causing complete blood flow obstruction. We report the case of a 63-year-old male patient who was presented to our catheterization laboratory following a positive stress test. An angiogram showed a proximal left anterior descending (LAD) artery tight lesion. Balloon inflation was complicated by an ostial LAD dissection that rapidly extended into the left main and the left circumflex arteries treated with angioplasty and stenting. Cardiac catheterization four days later showed a residual LMCA intimal flap that remained asymptomatic and stable. This is an interesting case of a stable LMCA dissection with the intimal flap intermittently obstructing the ostium of the left anterior descending artery. In addition, we will discuss the factors that increase the risk of coronary dissection and focus on methods to help prevent the occurrence of such complications.

Prothrombin complex concentrate and fatal thrombotic adverse events: A complication to keep in mind.

Thromboembolic events such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are well-known complications that can occur after prothrombin complex concentrate therapy. However, acute myocardial infarction is a very rare but potentially life-threatening complication that was exclusively described in patients with bleeding disorders who received chronic and recurrent concentrate infusions. We report the case of a 70 year-old male patient with cholangiocarcinoma who was admitted to our hospital with worsening fatigue and weakness. His stay was complicated by uncontrolled bleeding secondary to rivaroxaban use and advanced liver disease. By the end of the prothrombin complex concentrate infusion used to reverse his coagulopathy, patient developed ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock and passed away. This is the first reported case of acute myocardial infarction that occurs in a patient without hemophilia and after the first prothrombin complex concentrate infusion.

Sudden cardiac death in isolated right ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrabeculation/noncompaction of the myocardium is a rare disorder that involves most commonly the left ventricle of the heart and it has been recognized as a distinct cardiomyopathy by the World Health Organization. However, it is extremely rare for this condition to involve exclusively the right ventricle. We report the cases of three patients who presented with ventricular tachyarrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. They were found to have isolated right ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction on echocardiography. This supports the hypothesis that this condition is highly arrhythmogenic and is associated with high mortality similarly to the left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction cardiomyopathy.

Asystole caused by Hydroxycut Hardcore: A case report and literature review.

Obesity is a rising epidemic worldwide driving people to search for remedy through nonconventional therapies. Hydroxycut products are popular supplements used as weight loss aids. Many reports revealed serious adverse effects related to their ingestion. We report the case of a 37-year-old healthy male patient who presented following an episode of syncope. On telemetry, he manifested recurrent sinus node arrests, including a symptomatic 24 s sinus pause. The patient admitted to taking Hydroxycut Hardcore for 10 days previously. After discontinuation of the drug, his symptoms completely resolved. This is the first case of Hydroxycut-associated syncope secondary to bradyarrhythmia.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy: The Treatment Approved.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder resulting in progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. It is universally fatal, especially if the respiratory muscles are involved leading to repetitive aspiration and respiratory failure. Historically, the treatment for this disease was only supportive. Herein we describe an adult patient who presented with worsening weakness and fatigue and was subsequently diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy. Increased awareness of this condition and a new treatment modality is required.

A Plasma Cell Dyscrasia Presenting as Amyloid Cardiomyopathy and Autonomic Dysfunction in a Healthy Patient.

Systemic amyloidosis is a rare multisystem disease caused by incorrectly folded proteins that deposit pathologically in different tissues and organs of the human body. It has a very wide spectrum of clinical presentations according to the affected organ(s), and its diagnosis is commonly delayed. Cardiac involvement is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality and carries a poor prognosis, especially in primary light chain amyloidosis. Therefore any delay in the diagnosis can result in devastating outcomes for the patient. We report the case of a 65-year-old man who presented with dizziness and lightheadedness. He was found to have orthostatic hypotension and further investigations revealed the diagnosis of amyloid cardiomyopathy complicating a plasma cell dyscrasia. What is worth noting, in this case, is that the patient had cardiac amyloidosis presenting primarily as autonomic dysfunction and orthostatic hypotension, without any cardiac-specific symptoms such as heart failure or angina. This is a very unusual presentation of advanced-stage cardiac amyloidosis. This article highlights the variety of clinical presentations of cardiac amyloidosis, and focuses on the recent progress such as novel diagnostic and surveillance approaches using imaging, biomarkers, and new histological typing techniques. Current and future promising treatment options are also discussed, including methods directly targeting the amyloid deposits.