Dan Elian

Acquired left ventricular—Right atrial communication caused by infective endocarditis detected by transesophageal echocardiography: Case report and review of the literature

Acquired left ventricular-right atrial communication due to infective endocarditis was diagnosed in a 64-year-old patient by transesophageal echocardiography and confirmed by cardiac catheterization. The patient was initially treated medically and then referred for corrective surgery.

Reversible catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy presenting as acute pulmonary edema in a patient with pheochromocytoma

Cardiac injury caused by elevated levels of circulating catecholamines is a well-known phenomenon. We report a patient who, secondary to transient regional left ventricular dysfunction (despite normal coronary arteries), developed acute pulmonary edema. Echocardiography showed marked anteroapical hypokinesia and an apical thrombus. The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was made by plasma catecholamine levels, abdominal ultrasound and finally at operation. The patient recovered completely long before surgical intervention was undertaken.

Subclavian Coronary Steal Syndrome: An Obligatory Common Fate between Subclavian Artery, Internal Mammary Graft and Coronary Circulation

The long-term patency of the left internal mammary artery (IMA) has made it the preferred conduit for myocardial revascularization. The proximal segment of the subclavian artery becomes functionally connected to the coronary circulation as a result of IMA implantation during coronary artery bypass surgery. The subclavian coronary steal syndrome results from stenosis in the left subclavian artery proximal to the IMA, compromising blood flow to the myocardium. We describe 7 patients, aged 55–75 years, 1.7–10.5 years after coronary bypass who presented with recurrent angina due to subclavian artery stenosis. The IMA graft was found open in each patient. A true steal mechanism was not demonstrated, casting doubt on the syndrome’s traditional name. Angioplasty and stenting of the subclavian artery resulted in the immediate disappearance of angina and continuous benefit at a follow-up of 3–32 months. The subclavian coronary steal syndrome, although rare, is a severe condition readily treated by angioplasty and stenting.

Antiplatelet Effect of Thienopyridine (Clopidogrel or Prasugrel) Pretreatment in Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Intervention for ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Although previous retrospective studies have suggested the clinical benefits of clopidogrel pretreatment in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI), the antiplatelet effect of thienopyridines during a narrow door-to-balloon time frame has not been evaluated. Seventy-nine consecutive patients with STEMI were treated with either 600 mg of clopidogrel (n = 49) or 60 mg of prasugrel (n = 30) loading on admission. All patients underwent PPCI with a door-to-balloon time of 48 ± 20 minutes. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation (PA) was determined by light transmission aggregometry before thienopyridine loading, at PPCI, and after 72 hours. Baseline ADP-induced PA was comparable in clopidogrel- and prasugrel-treated patients (79 ± 10% vs 76 ± 9%, p = 0.2). Although ADP-induced PA was reduced significantly in both clopidogrel- and prasugrel-treated patients (p <0.01 for both), it was significantly lesser in prasugrel-treated patients (63 ± 18% vs 74 ± 12%, p = 0.002). Yet, <50% of the prasugrel-treated patients achieved adequate platelet inhibition (ADP-induced PA <70%) at PPCI. Prasugrel-treated patients, compared with clopidogrel-treated patients, were more likely to have Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction myocardial perfusion grade of ≥2 (79% vs 49%, p = 0.01), lower Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction frame count (10.2 ± 5.7 vs 13.6 ± 7.2, p = 0.03), and a numerically greater incidence of early ST-segment resolution >50% (26 of 30 [87%] vs 35 of 49 [71%], p = 0.1), suggesting better myocardial reperfusion. In conclusion, overall, prasugrel compared with clopidogrel pretreatment resulted in greater platelet inhibition at PPCI, but even with prasugrel, only <50% of the patients achieved early adequate platelet response.

Left main coronary artery atresia : Extremely rare coronary anomaly in an asymptomatic adult and an adolescent soccer player

Left main coronary artery atresia is a very rare coronary anomaly with only 33 cases reported in the literature, of whom only 1 patient is asymptomatic. Pediatric patients are usually very symptomatic early in life (dyspnea, syncope, failure to thrive, ventricular tachycardia, and sudden death), whereas adult patients begin showing symptoms (angina or sudden death) only at an advanced age. Given the high risk related to the presence of left main coronary artery atresia, and in view of the good results obtained by coronary artery bypass surgery, coronary artery revascularization should always be considered as the possible treatment of choice for establishing adequate myocardial blood flow.

Coronary arterioluminal communications in routine angiography.

Visualization of the left ventricular cavity from coronary arterioventricular communications is rarely encountered in routine coronary angiography. We report 14 patients, of 5,500 consecutive cardiac catheterizations, in whom these communications were evident during coronary angiography. All 14 patients had angina pectoris; in each the arterioluminal communication originated from the left anterior descending coronary artery. Two patients had evidence of anterior wall ischemia despite a normal left anterior descending coronary artery, suggesting that a possible steal phenomenon is responsible for the myocardial ischemia.

The impact of gender mismatching on early and late outcomes following heart transplantation: Gender mismatching impacts heart transplantation outcomes

The role of donor/recipient gender matching on the long‐term rejection process and clinical outcomes following heart transplantation (HT) outcomes is still controversial. We aim to investigate the impact of gender matching on early and long‐term outcome HT.

RAPID VENTRICULAR PACING DURING TAVR IS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR SHORT- AND LONG-TERM OUTCOME

Background: Rapid ventricular pacing (RVP) is frequently performed during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in order to temporarily reduce cardiac output. The clinical impact of these hypotensive episodes is unknown. Our aim was to assess correlation between RVP, its duration, and

Effect of Chewing vs Swallowing Ticagrelor on Platelet Inhibition in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Dual anti-platelet therapy represents standard care for treating patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Ticagrelor is a direct-acting P2Y12 inhibitor and, unlike clopidogrel and prasugrel, does not require metabolic activation. Objective To evaluate whether chewing a loading dose (LD) of ticagrelor, 180 mg, vs traditional oral administration of an equal dose enhances platelet inhibition at 30 minutes and 1 hour after LD administration in patients with STEMI. Design, Setting, and Participants A randomized clinical trial was conducted in adults aged 30 to 87 years from May to October 2016 in a large tertiary care center. Analyses were intention-to-treat. Interventions Fifty patients with STEMI were randomized to either chewing an LD of ticagrelor, 180 mg, or standard oral administration of an equal dose. Main Outcomes and Measures P2Y12 reaction units were evaluated using VerifyNow (Accumentrics) at baseline, 30 minutes, 1 hour, and 4 hours after LD. Results Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. The mean (SD) of P2Y12 reaction units in the chewing group compared with the standard group at baseline, 30 minutes, 1 hour, and 4 hours after ticagrelor LD were 224 (33) vs 219 (44) (95% CI, −16.77 to 27.73; P = .26), 168 (78) vs 230 (69) (95% CI, −103.77 to −19.75; P = .003), 106 (90) vs 181 (89) (95% CI, −125.15 to −26.29; P = .005), and 43 (41) vs 51 (61) (95% CI, −36.34 to 21.14; P = .30), respectively. Platelet reactivity in the chewing group was significantly reduced by 24% at 30 minutes after LD (95% CI, 19.75 to 103.77; P = .001). The relative inhibition of platelet aggregation in the chewing vs the standard group were 51% vs 10% (95% CI, 13.69 to 67.67; P = .005) at 1 hour and 81% vs 76% (95% CI, −12.32 to 16.79; P = .24) at 4 hours, respectively. Major adverse cardiac and cardiovascular event rate at 30 days was low (4%) and occurred in 1 patient in each group (95% CI, 0.06 to 16.93; P > .99). Conclusions and Relevance Chewing an LD of ticagrelor, 180 mg, in patients with STEMI is feasible and facilitates better early platelet inhibition compared with a standard oral LD. Larger studies are warranted to see if our preliminary findings translate into clinical outcomes. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02725099

Risk of Early, Intermediate, and Late Rejection Following Heart Transplantation: Trends Over the Past 25 Years and Relation to Changes in Medical Management Tertiary Center Experience: The Sheba Heart Transplantation Registry

To explore the trends in the risk for rejection following heart transplantation (HT) over the past 25 years, and their relation to changes in medical management.