Practical bedside topics in cardiology including ECG interpretation, hemodynamics, coronary angiography, PCI, and cardiothoracic thoracic.

Paravalvular Regurgitation after TAVI

2016-10-13T18:16:14-05:00October 28th, 2015|Cardiology|

Paravalvular regurgitation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation occurs in in over 50% of patients, and correlates with 1-year mortality. The regurgitant jets are best characterized with transesophageal echocardiography to define the circumferential extent and cross-sectional area. Overtime, most the regurgitation decreases, and occasionally disappears completely.

Transcatheter Cardiac Therapeutics

2016-10-13T18:16:14-05:00October 9th, 2015|Cardiology|

Transcatheter cardiac interventions are a fast evolving field. The past decade has seen the development of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement, septal defect closure devices and left atrial appendage closure devices for thromboprophylaxis.

Treatment of Left Main Disease

2016-10-13T18:16:14-05:00October 9th, 2015|Cardiology|

Left main stem disease is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Coronary artery bypass surgery has been the definitive treatment choice. However, advancements in percutaneous coronary intervention (such as drug-eluting stents and techniques, risk stratification, and intravascular ultrasound) have increased the viability of this treatment option.

Coronary Artery Diagramming

2016-10-13T18:16:14-05:00October 8th, 2015|Cardiology|

Coronary arteries can be difficult to visualize, especially when there are multiple lesions, interventions, and grafting. Diagramming the anatomy allows you to track lesions, stenting, grafts, size size/variation of native arteries. It is a useful technique for your own understanding and facilitating communication.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection

2016-10-13T18:16:17-05:00September 12th, 2015|Cardiology|

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a non-traumatic and non-iatrogenic separation of the coronary artery wall that is now recognised as an important cause of myocardial infarction, especially in younger women or those without traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Post-Catheterization Hemoglobin Drop

2016-10-13T18:16:21-05:00April 1st, 2015|Cardiology|

Hemorrhage is a feared and potentially life-threatening complication following catheterization. This may reflect retroperitoneal hemorrhage, pericardial bleeding including cardiac tamponade, gastrointestinal, intracranial, or hemolysis. However, there can also be benign or procedural causes.

ARVD diagnosis and advanced treatment

2016-10-13T18:16:26-05:00January 14th, 2015|Cardiology|

ARVD is a genetic cardiomyopathy that causes life-threatening arrhythmias and heart failure. Awareness and thorough evaluation are critical for diagnosis. New advanced treatments for ARVD are available for patients that have not had success with conventional therapies.

ACC Withdraws Choosing Wisely Recommendation

2016-10-13T18:16:29-05:00October 15th, 2014|Cardiology|

The results of recent studies PRAMI and CVPRVIT have demonstrated that stenting nonculprit high-grade lesions during primary PCI for myocardial infarction reduces adverse events, and has prompted the ACC with withdraw its ABIM Choosing Wisely campaign.

Therapeutic Hypothermia: The History of General Refrigeration (Podcast 02)

2018-04-03T23:54:40-05:00November 28th, 2013|Cardiology, Podcast, Procedures|

The Targeted temperature management Trial compared outcomes for therapeutic hypothermia at 33°C versus 36°C for cardiac arrest patients with persistent coma. It may very well be practice changing. Or maybe not. Before we can figure out what “truth” this research study may have uncovered, we will look at the development of therapeutic hypothermia and what the literature has already told us.

Anomalous Right Coronary Artery

2016-10-13T18:16:31-05:00November 26th, 2013|Cardiology|

There are congenital variations from the normal coronary artery anatomy that have significant clinical importance. There are many permutations of the origin site and course of the three primary coronary arteries (left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery)