Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society
-
Lyme disease is a tick-borne spirochetal infection that may affect the heart. Cardiac manifestations include conduction disturbances and other pathologies of the heart. We report on a 37-year old male, who was admitted to the emergency department because of dizziness and generalized tiredness. ⋯ Lyme serology and Western blot were positive for Borrelia antibodies. After institution of antibiotic therapy with ceftriaxone, atrioventricular heart block resolved rapidly. We therefore have to assume that in this patient Lyme carditis was the cause of third-degree AV block.
-
Hypertensive urgency/emergency occurs frequently, yet no prospective data on common secondary causes, including sleep apnea (SA), renal artery stenosis (RAS), and hyperaldosteronism, are available. ⋯ Secondary causes of hypertension are common and predominantly unrecognized in patients with hypertensive urgency/emergency. Co-prevalence of secondary causes occurs in about 15% and should be considered before therapeutic intervention.