Revista portuguesa de cardiologia : orgão oficial da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia = Portuguese journal of cardiology : an official journal of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology
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Accurate risk stratification is an important step in the initial management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and current guidelines recommend the use of risk scores, such as the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score (GRACE RS). Recent studies have suggested that abdominal obesity is associated with cardiovascular events in patients with ACS. However, little is known about the additional value of abdominal obesity beyond risk scores. The aim of our study was thus to assess whether waist circumference, a surrogate of abdominal adiposity, adds prognostic information to the GRACE RS. ⋯ Abdominal obesity does not add prognostic information to the GRACE RS to predict six-month mortality or myocardial reinfarction.
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Postoperative delirium (POD) is a frequent post-surgical complication that is associated with increased mortality and poor patient outcomes. POD is a complex disorder with multiple risk factors such as pre-existing patient comorbidities and perioperative complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of POD and to identify risk factors for the development of POD in a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). ⋯ Patients who developed POD had longer hospital and PACU stays and higher in-hospital mortality. Congestive heart disease was considered an independent risk factor for POD.
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We aimed to study the psychosocial adjustment (PSA), psychiatric morbidity and quality of life of adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) to determine which demographic and clinical variables negatively affect adjustment and which increase resilience. ⋯ Patients with CHD appear to be more prone to psychopathology and female patients are more likely to show worse PSA. Social support was shown to play a crucial role in buffering stress and promoting patients' adjustment.
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Acute heart failure in patients with severe aortic stenosis and left ventricular systolic dysfunction is well known for its dire prognosis and limited therapeutic options. The authors describe the case of a man admitted for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Diagnostic exams revealed severe aortic stenosis, with good left ventricular systolic function, and two-vessel coronary artery disease. ⋯ The patient subsequently underwent successful aortic valve replacement. This case highlights the challenge that characterizes the management of patients with concomitant coronary artery disease, left ventricular systolic dysfunction and severe aortic stenosis. Percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty and levosimendan were safe and effective in the treatment of acute heart failure, acting as a bridge to surgery.