Research in Cardiovascular Medicine

BACKGROUND: In a cardiac patient, anxiety is the result of the individual's perception of the treatment and is characterized by inability to predict, control, or achieve the desired treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to investigate the extent of clinical anxiety in patients who underwent a cardiac rehabilitation program with different attitudes toward the disease risk factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The administrative data of this retrospective study were obtained from the database of the cardiac rehabilitation department of a hospital in Iran...

Background: Thrombolytic therapy in patients with sub-massive pulmonary embolism (SMPTE) needs further assessment. Objectives: The current study aimed to assess a potential benefit of thrombolytic and non-thrombolytic therapy in patients with SMPTE. Patients and Methods: One hundred-nineteen patients were enrolled with SMPTE from 2006 to 2010 in the tertiary care center of Rajaie medical and research center. The patients who had pulmonary thromboemboli (PTE) and received thrombolytic plus heparin therapy and or non-thrombolytic (unfractionated heparin alone) were evaluated for hemodynamic changes (blood pressure, pulse rate, pulmonary artery systolic pressure, right ventricular failure and right ventricle enlargement), before and after 48 hours of treatment...

BACKGROUND: The duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) is one of the most important clinical factors which predict outcomes in pediatric cardiac surgery. The prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) following cardiac surgery is a multifactorial phenomenon and there are conflicts regarding its predictors in pediatric population between different centers. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to describe PMV predictors in patients undergoing cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease in a tertiary center for pediatric cardiovascular diseases in Iran...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a rare tumor that can cause potentially fatal outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a case where the tumor originated on the mitral valve and extended through the left ventricular outflow tract and aortic valve and into the left main artery obstructing it. Due to the hemodynamic instability of the patient, we proceeded for cardiac catheterization with the intention to aspirate the mass but were forced to do percutaneous intervention to stabilize the patient and bridge him to surgery...

INTRODUCTION: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is considered a risk factor for, or even a potential contraindication to, lung transplantation. However, only a few pediatric cases have been described thus far. CASE PRESENTATION: A 9-year-old boy with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension developed cardiac arrest after the insertion of a central catheter. ECMO was used as a bridge to lung transplantation. However, after prolonged resuscitation, he developed medullary ischemia and medullary syndrome...

BACKGROUND: Women with congenital heart disease (CHD) may experience menstrual disturbances secondary to hemodynamic instability during the mensturation phase. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the menstrual bleeding pattern and its relationship with certain clinical findings in adult women with CHD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical data and menstrual bleeding pattern of adult women ≥15 years old who were referred to adult CHD clinic between March and September 2014 were recorded...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION: Giant coronary artery aneurysm is an extremely rare form of coronary artery disease. The most common cause of coronary artery aneurysms is atherosclerosis. Although it is usually asymptomatic, it may have various clinical presentations, including angina, myocardial infarction or sudden death. CASE PRESENTATION: A 32-year-old woman presented with edema of the upper and lower limbs, palpitation, and chest pain, and was diagnosed with a giant right coronary artery aneurysm that had initially mimicked a mediastinal cyst...

INTRODUCTION: The cardiac manifestations of influenza A are broad, ranging from self-limited pericarditis to fatal cardiomyopathy. The 2009 H1N1 influenza A (H1N1) strain is a rare cause of pericarditis, and its role in developing a pericardial effusion leading to tamponade has infrequently been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a case of a young female with no prior cardiovascular history who presents with a pericardial effusion and shock secondary to cardiac tamponade from pericarditis due to H1N1 influenza A...

BACKGROUND: Echocardiography is a key screening tool in the diagnostic algorithm of pulmonary hypertension (PH). In addition, tissue doppler imaging (TDI) is a promising method for the noninvasive estimation of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to validate the accuracy of measuring the time from the beginning of the right ventricular isovolumetric contraction time (RV IVRT) to the peak of the S wave in the TDI of the base of the RV free wall (time to peak or TTP), as an indicator for the non-invasive estimation of pulmonary hypertension...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION: Endoleaks remains one of the primary concerns of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) and is routinely followed with CT angiography (CTA). However, certain imaging findings can mimic endoleaks. CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old woman who had endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of an abdominal aortic aneurysm with Endologix Powerlink system developed marked new circumferential cauliflower-like bulging of contrast-filled sacs at mid-stent-graft with enlargement of the excluded aneurysm at 3-year follow-up...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac resynchronization devices are part of modern heart failure management. After implantation, we analyze and program devices in an attempt to ensure their success. Biventricular pacing should be 98% or more for the lowest mortality and best symptom improvement. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case series, we present a combination of far field sensing and automatic mode switching (AMS) in six patients. It is found that this combination causes ventricular sensing (VS) episodes with wide QRS and no synchronization...

BACKGROUND: Prolongation of the QT interval is considered a risk factor for cardiac adverse events and mortality. Left bundle branch block (LBBB) lengthens the QT interval. The corrected QT interval (QTc) is most likely overestimated because its prolongation is caused by increases in depolarization duration and not in repolarization. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to apply corrected JT interval (JTc) as an appropriate measure of ventricular repolarization for predicting QTc in a formula...

INTRODUCTION: In Turner syndrome, cardiovascular complications are the most important causes of early mortality. Congenital cardiovascular abnormalities are found in approximately one third of Turner syndrome patients. Developments in diagnosis and treatment have decreased the rate of mortality related to these abnormalities. In recent years, many papers have mentioned that coronary artery disease developing at early ages in patients with Turner syndrome causes sudden deaths. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient, a 27-year-old female was admitted to the emergency room with chest pain at rest...

INTRODUCTION: Coronary vessel perforation is one of the most feared complications of coronary angioplasty. The treatment of this complication relies mostly on the implantation of covered stents. However, due to their design, covered stents are difficult to advance in a tortuous or calcified vessel. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a grade III coronary perforation in which the double guiding catheter technique helped us to deliver the graft stent. CONCLUSIONS: The double-guiding technique is useful in emergency situations to increase the safety and efficacy of sealing a coronary perforation...

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of data regarding the role of side branch (SB) predilation during the provisional stenting of bifurcation lesions. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to assess the effects of SB predilation on the outcomes of true bifurcation interventions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with true bifurcation lesions according to the Medina classification were included in the study and randomly assigned to receive SB predilation before stenting the main branch (n = 30) or no predilation as the control group (n = 30)...

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia diagnosed in humans and therefore causes a high socioeconomic burden. The Cox-Maze IV procedure is the gold standard treatment for atrial fibrillation. Minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of AF is also promising. OBJECTIVES: Our aim is to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and immediate plus medium-term results of concomitant AF ablation therapy in patients undergoing minimally invasive valve surgery through right-sided minithoracotomy...