Prosthesis Tailoring for Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has risen over the past 20 years as a safe and effective alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement for treatment of severe aortic stenosis, and is now a well-established and recommended treatment option in suitable patients irrespective of predicted risk of mortality after surgery. Studies of numerous devices, either newly developed or reiterations of previous prostheses, have been accruing. We hereby review TAVI devices, with a focus on commercially available options, and aim to present a guide for prosthesis tailoring according to patient-related anatomical and clinical factors that may favor particular designs.

Restructuring Structural Heart Disease Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic: JACC Review Topic of the Week.

Patients with structural heart disease are at increased risk of adverse outcomes from the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) due to advanced age and comorbidity. In the midst of a global pandemic of a novel infectious disease, reality-based considerations comprise an important starting point for formulating clinical management pathways. The aims of these "crisis-driven" recommendations are: 1) to ensure appropriate and timely treatment of structural heart disease patients; 2) to minimize the risk of COVID-19 exposure to patients and health care workers; and 3) to limit resource utilization under conditions of constraint. Although the degree of disruption to usual practice will vary across the United States and elsewhere, we hope that early experiences from a heart team operating in the current global epicenter of COVID-19 may prove useful for others adapting their practice in advance of local surges of COVID-19.

Hyperhidrosis: an update on prevalence and severity in the United States.

Current published estimates of the prevalence of hyperhidrosis in the United States are outdated and underestimate the true prevalence of the condition. The objectives of this study are to provide an updated estimate of the prevalence of hyperhidrosis in the US population and to further assess the severity and impact of sweating on those affected by the condition. For the purposes of obtaining prevalence, a nationally representative sample of 8160 individuals were selected using an online panel, and information as to whether or not they experience hyperhidrosis was obtained. The 393 individuals (210 female, 244 non-Hispanic white, 27 black, mean age 40.3, SE 0.64) who indicated that they have hyperhidrosis were asked further questions, including body areas impacted, severity of symptoms, age of onset, and socioemotional impact of the condition. Current results estimate the prevalence of hyperhidrosis at 4.8 %, which represents approximately 15.3 million people in the United States. Of these, 70 % report severe excessive sweating in at least one body area. In spite of this, only 51 % have discussed their excessive sweating with a healthcare professional. The main reasons are a belief that hyperhidrosis is not a medical condition and that no treatment options exist. The current study's findings with regard to age of onset and prevalence by body area generally align with the previous research. However, current findings suggest that the severity and prevalence are both higher than previously thought, indicating a need for greater awareness of the condition and its associated treatment options among medical professionals.

Development of the intoxicated personality scale.

OBJECTIVE: To develop the Intoxicated Personality Scale (IPS). METHODS: Data were collected from 436 college students via an online survey. Through an iterative measurement development process, the resulting IPS was created. RESULTS: The 5 subscales (Good Time, Risky Choices, Risky Sex, Emotional, and Introvert) of the IPS positively related to alcohol consumption, alcohol problems, drinking motives, alcohol expectancies, and personality. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the Intoxicated Personality Scale may be a useful tool for predicting problematic alcohol consumption, alcohol expectancies, and drinking motives.