Texas Heart Institute journal
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Case Reports
Platypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome: Diagnostic Challenge and the Importance of Heightened Clinical Suspicion.
Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is an uncommon condition of positional dyspnea and hypoxemia; symptoms occur when the patient is upright and resolve with recumbency. Causes can be broadly categorized into 4 groups: intracardiac shunting, pulmonary shunting, ventilation-perfusion mismatch, or a combination of these. ⋯ When platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is due to intracardiac shunting without pulmonary hypertension, intracardiac shunt closure can be curative. In this article, we report a case of platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome in an 83-year-old woman who was successfully treated by means of percutaneous transcatheter closure of an atrial septal defect.
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Case Reports
Successful Prasugrel Therapy for Recurrent Left Main Stent Thrombosis in a Clopidogrel Hyporesponder.
Stent thrombosis is a life-threatening sequela of drug-eluting stent implantation. Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and thienopyridine is typically used to prevent this catastrophic event. ⋯ We present the case of a 64-year-old woman whom we successfully treated with prasugrel after she had repeated episodes of stent thrombosis caused by a poor response to clopidogrel. This case highlights the potential role of new antiplatelet agents for patients who are undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation.
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Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy improves survival, hemodynamic status, and end-organ perfusion in patients with refractory advanced heart failure. Hospital readmission is an important measure of the intensity of LVAD support care. We analyzed readmissions of 148 patients (mean age, 53.6 ± 12.7 yr; 83% male) who received a HeartMate II LVAD from April 2008 through June 2012. ⋯ Unplanned admissions for LVAD-related sequelae and ongoing comorbidities were common. Diabetes mellitus and shorter distance from residence to hospital were significant predictors of readmission. We project that improved management of comorbidities and of anticoagulation therapy will reduce unplanned readmissions of LVAD patients in the future.
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The radiofrequency maze procedure achieves sinus rhythm in 45%-95% of patients treated for atrial fibrillation. This retrospective study evaluates mid-term results of the radiofrequency maze-performed concomitant to elective cardiac surgery-to determine sinus-rhythm predictive factors, and describes the evolution of patients' echocardiographic variables. From 2003 through 2011, 247 patients (mean age, 64 ± 9.5 yr) with structural heart disease (79.3% mitral disease) and atrial fibrillation underwent a concomitant radiofrequency modified maze procedure. ⋯ Concomitant radiofrequency maze procedure provided remarkable outcomes. Shorter preoperative atrial fibrillation duration, monopolar device use, and prompt treatment of arrhythmia recurrences increase the midterm success rate. Early sinus rhythm restoration seems to result in better left ventricular ejection fraction recovery.
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Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States. Pregnant women are not immune to cardiac arrest, and the treatment of such patients can be difficult. Pregnancy is a relative contraindication to the use of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest. ⋯ To our knowledge, this is only the 3rd reported case of a successful outcome following the initiation of therapeutic hypothermia for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in a pregnant woman. On the basis of this and previous reports of successful outcomes, we recommend that therapeutic hypothermia be considered an option in the management of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the pregnant population. To facilitate a successful outcome, a multidisciplinary approach involving cardiology, emergency medicine, obstetrics, and neurology should be used.