Sedation and Analgesia for Cardiac Catheterisation and Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: While cardiac catheterisation is typically well tolerated, discomfort and anxiety are commonplace. Sedation using anxiolytic and analgesic medications has the potential to ameliorate such symptoms, however, is variably employed, with lack of standardised regimens and limited evidence. METHODS: We performed a review of the role of sedation for cardiac catheterisation, including current practices and summarising available evidence relevant to diagnostic and interventional coronary procedures in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory. RESULTS: Use of sedation and the medication regimens employed are highly variable. Available relevant studies are limited in number and mostly small. Sedation appears to modestly reduce anxiety and pain in most studies. The incidence of radial spasm and the consequent need to alter access site is reduced with procedural sedation. The majority of existing evidence applies to benzodiazepines and opioid use, which appear acceptably efficacious and safe when used with appropriate training and staffing; noting opioid medications reduce the absorption of loading doses of oral anti-platelet drugs. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, benzodiazepines and opioids result a modest reduction in pain, improved patient tolerability and reduced risk of radial artery spasm. The decision on whether to use sedation, and which agent(s) and dose, should be individualised based on patient factors, including need for oral antiplatelet therapy administration. Appropriate staffing and monitoring is essential.

Mycotic Coronary Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Mycotic coronary aneurysms (MCA) are rare but often lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Evidence on the topic is limited to case reports and small case series. A systematic review was performed to improve understanding of this challenging diagnosis. A case report prompting this review is also included. METHODS: Relevant articles were identified by searching databases Medline and Google Scholar for terms 'mycotic coronary aneurysm'. Manual searching from article references identified further case reports. RESULTS: Ninety-seven (97) published cases of MCA were identified between 1812 and 2017; 80 cases since the introduction of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stents in 1986. The most common associations were PCI (40.0%) and infective endocarditis (IE) (40.0%). Complications including aneurysm rupture (28.9%), pericardial effusion (37.3%) and myocardial infarction (39.8%) were frequent. Short-term mortality was high at 42.6%. The most common treatment was surgical resection of the aneurysm with bypass grafting. CONCLUSIONS: We present a case and the largest systematic review to date of this rare diagnosis, identifying 97 published case reports. Clinical scenarios in which to consider MCA include febrile illness after recent PCI, febrile illness (particularly infective endocarditis) with evidence of coronary ischaemia, and purulent pericarditis. Given the high rate of complications and mortality, immediate surgical referral is recommended.

Targeting elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure following primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction - a phase one safety and feasibility study.

INTRODUCTION: Elevated left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) is an independent predictor of mortality and heart failure in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Whether lowering elevated LVEDP improves outcomes remains unknown. METHODS: This non-randomized, single blinded study with prospective enrolment and sequential group allocation recruited patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI with LVEDP ⩾ 20 mmHg measured immediately after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The intervention arm (n=10) received furosemide 40 mg intravenous bolus plus escalating doses of glyceryl trinitrate (100 µg per min to a maximum of 1000 µg) during simultaneous measurement of LVEDP. The control group (n=10) received corresponding normal saline boluses with simultaneous measurement of LVEDP (10 readings over 10 min). Efficacy endpoints were final LVEDP achieved, and the dose of glyceryl trinitrate needed to reduce LVEDP by ⩾ 20%. Safety endpoint was symptomatic hypotension (systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg). RESULTS: From 1 April 2017 to 23 August 2017 we enrolled 20 patients (age: 64±9 years, males: 60%, n=12, anterior STEMI: 65%, n=13). The mean LVEDP for the whole cohort (n=20) was 29±4 mmHg (intervention group: 28±3 mmHg vs. control group: 31±5 mmHg; p=0.1). The LVEDP dropped from 28±3 to 16±2 mmHg in the glyceryl trinitrate + furosemide group (p <0.01) but remained unchanged in the control group. The median dose of glyceryl trinitrate required to produce ⩾ 20% reduction in LVEDP in the intervention group was 200 µg (range: 100-800). One patient experienced asymptomatic decline in systolic blood pressure to below 90 mmHg. There was no correlation between LVEDP and left ventricular ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: The administration of glyceryl trinitrate plus furosemide in patients with elevated LVEDP following primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI safely reduces LVEDP.

Acute myocarditis with thrombus near left ventricular outflow tract.

A young woman presented with fulminant heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed severe left ventricular dysfunction with a mass adjacent to the basal anterior wall, near the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). The cause of the acute heart failure and mass was unclear. Transesophageal echocardiography, with contrast, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings were consistent with thrombus near the LVOT. Cardiac biopsy suggested giant cell myocarditis. The patient was treated with anticoagulation, steroids, and heart failure medications with resolution of the thrombus. This case was remarkable for the location of thrombus at the base of the ventricle.

ST elevation myocardial infarction in patients with anomalous left main coronary artery: Case series and review of the literature.

Anomalous left main coronary artery is rare. We present four cases where anomalous left main coronary artery was diagnosed during emergent cardiac catheterization for ST elevation myocardial infarction. Procedural characteristics, technical challenges, and relevant literature are discussed.