Articles related to Cardiology, Interventional

An interesting case study in BRASH (bradycardia, renal failure, atrioventricular blockade, shock, and hyperkalemia) syndrome highlights Rare Disease Day, which took place on 2/28/22. After reviewing the patient’s history and symptoms, would you agree on the diagnosis?

Can you determine the appropriate case management for a 68-year-old man who is evaluated for an episode of syncope and repeated episodes of near-fainting when standing and working on his tractor? On physical examination, vital signs are normal. Supine blood pressure is 124/78 mm Hg, and pulse rate is 76/min. After the patient stands for three minutes, standing blood pressure is 88/68 mm Hg, and pulse rate is 94/min. The remainder of the examination is normal. How would you proceed?

A new cohort study has found physical, mental, and cognitive symptoms in patients one year after being treated in an intensive care unit (ICU) for COVID-19. The study involved an exploratory multicenter prospective cohort study that included 246 patients who were alive one year following ICU treatment for COVID-19. Three-quarters of patients reported physical symptoms, 1/4 reported mental symptoms, and about 15% reported cognitive symptoms a year after being hospitalized with the respiratory illness.

A proposed six-step approach to making sense of arterial blood gas (ABG) labs. This six-step process with simple table support helps ensure a complete and understandable interpretation of every ABG.

A study published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine puts forward a new and systematic approach to diagnosing and managing orthostatic hypotension. The article notes that current approaches to evaluating and managing the disease are based on limited data, but that patients would benefit from more consistent diagnosis and treatment methods.

Most current guidelines recommend at least 12 months of dual anti-platelet therapy for ACS and post PCI. But is that the best approach in an aging population with inherent higher bleeding risk? Some are advocating very early cessation of aspirin as well as scaling down the P2Y12 inhibitor in the first few months post event.