Thyrotoxic Cardiomyopathy: State of the Art.

Thyroid hormones, mainly triiodothyronine, have genomic and non-genomic effects on cardiomyocytes related to the contractile function of the heart. Thyrotoxicosis, which is the set of signs and symptoms derived from the excess of circulating thyroid hormones, leads to increased cardiac output and decreased systemic vascular resistance, increasing the volume of circulating blood and causing systolic hypertension. In addition, the shortening of the refractory period of cardiomyocytes produces sinus tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. This leads to heart failure. Approximately 1% of patients with thyrotoxicosis develop thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy, a rare but potentially fatal form of dilated cardiomyopathy. Thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy represents a diagnosis of exclusion, and prompt identification is crucial as it is a reversible cause of heart failure, and heart function can be recovered after achieving a euthyroid state using antithyroid drugs. Radioactive iodine therapy and surgery are not the best initial therapeutic approach. Moreover, it is important to manage cardiovascular symptoms, for which beta blockers are the first-line therapeutic option.

A 25-Year-Old Woman with a High-Risk Large and Occlusive Pulmonary Embolism, Later Diagnosed with Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Hyperhomocysteinemia: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND High-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when the pulmonary circulation is suddenly occluded by a thrombus and is a life-threatening medical emergency. In young and otherwise healthy individuals, there may be undiagnosed underlying risk factors for PE that require investigation. This report presents the case of a 25-year-old woman admitted as an emergency with a high-risk large and occlusive PE, later diagnosed with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and hyperhomocysteinemia. CASE REPORT A 25-year-old woman presented with sudden-onset dyspnea after elective cholecystectomy. One year earlier, the patient had lower limb deep vein thrombosis without an identified predisposing cause, and she received anticoagulation for 6 months. On physical examination, she had right leg edema. Laboratory tests revealed elevated levels of troponin, pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, and D-dimer. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) demonstrated a large and occlusive PE, and an echocardiogram showed right ventricular dysfunction. Successful thrombolysis was performed with alteplase. On repeat CTPA, a significant reduction in filling defects in the pulmonary vasculature was observed. The patient evolved uneventfully and was discharged home on a vitamin K antagonist. Due to unprovoked recurrent thrombotic events, suspicion of underlying thrombophilia was raised, and hypercoagulability studies confirmed primary APS and hyperhomocysteinemia. CONCLUSIONS This report presents the case of a life-threatening high-risk PE in a previously healthy young woman and highlights the importance of emergency management followed by investigation and treatment of underlying risk factors for venous thromboembolism, including APS and hyperhomocysteinemia.

Post-myocardial Infarction Ventricular Septal Rupture Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock Stage D: A Successful Case of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a Bridge to Delayed Surgical Repair.

Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) after myocardial infarction is often complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) with high in-hospital mortality rates. Early use of preoperative venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) and delayed surgical repair have demonstrated lower mortality rates; however, the optimal timing of surgical intervention remains controversial. We report the case of a 53-year-old man with CS stage D due to post-myocardial infarction VSR, who was successfully treated with VA ECMO as a bridge to delayed surgical repair. This case highlights the complexity of determining the optimal timing for surgical intervention in these patients and emphasizes the benefits of early use of VA ECMO for preoperative stabilization in patients with CS and multiorgan failure.

Clinically Suspected Acute Myocarditis in the First Trimester of Twin Gestation: A Case Report.

Acute myocarditis (AM) in early pregnancy is a rare disease. Its clinical presentation varies from asymptomatic disease to cardiogenic shock and death. A 28-year-old woman, 12 weeks primigravida of a dichorionic and diamniotic pregnancy, was admitted for hyperemesis gravidarum, associated with a common cold-like condition. During hospitalization, she developed new-onset sinus tachycardia and dyspnea. An electrocardiogram revealed sinus tachycardia and diffuse ST-segment elevation. Laboratory tests showed elevated levels of troponin and pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. Pelvic obstetric ultrasound and chest X-ray were normal. Speckle-tracking echocardiography showed mild apical hypokinesia with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. In view of these findings, AM was suspected, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was highly suggestive of AM. The patient had a favorable recovery without cardiovascular or obstetric complications.

ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction With Occluded Culprit Coronary Artery in a Young Patient Recovered From Mild COVID-19: A Case Report.

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a cardiovascular emergency that requires an early reperfusion strategy to reduce mortality and hemodynamic, mechanical, and electrical complications. STEMI is more frequent in men older than 40 years with well-known cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and smoking. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed this reality worldwide due to the fact that STEMI cases associated with severe forms of COVID-19 began to be reported, which generally affected the older adult population; in contrast, there is still limited data on young healthy patients recovering from mild COVID-19. The exact mechanism behind the association remains unclear. We present a case of a healthy 29-year-old man with a history of mild COVID-19, diagnosed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction 20 days before his admission with inferior STEMI. Coronary angiography revealed an occluded mid-right coronary artery, and he was successfully treated with a drug-eluting stent. The patient evolved favorably and was discharged on the fifth day of hospitalization.

Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy and Multiple Sclerosis: Associated or Independent Diseases? A Case Report.

Non-compaction cardiomyopathy (NCCM) is associated with neuromuscular disorders; however, there has been little investigation on its association with other neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. We present the case of a 46-year-old woman with a history of multiple sclerosis who developed heart failure and was diagnosed with non-compaction cardiomyopathy.

[Mechanical complications after myocardial infarction in a National Reference Hospital]. / Complicaciones mecánicas posinfarto de miocardio en un hospital de referencia nacional.

Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics, therapeutic and in-hospital mortality of patients with mechanical complications post myocardial infarction. Materials and methods: Observational, descriptive and retrospective study. We included patients >18 years old with a diagnosis of mechanical complication post myocardial infarction hospitalized at the Instituto Nacional Cardiovascular- INCOR in Lima -Peru, from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021. Variables like clinical characteristics, treatments, complications, and in-hospital mortality were studied. Results: We found 37 cases, with a predominance of males (73.0%) and a median age of 73 years old. The location of the myocardial infarction was 51.4% in the anterior wall and 43.2% in the inferior wall. The patients received reperfusion therapy with fibrinolysis in 5 cases (13.5%), coronary angioplasty in 5 (13.5%), and 73% received only medical management prior to the diagnosis of mechanical complications. Of the 37 patients, 13 (35.1%) presented isolated ventricular free wall rupture, 12 (32.4%) isolated interventricular septum rupture, 10 (27.0%) the combination of ventricular free wall rupture and interventricular septum, and 2 (5.4%) papillary muscle rupture. In-hospital mortality was 51.4%. Conclusions: The ventricular free wall rupture was the most frequent complication, patients with mechanical complications after myocardial infarction still maintain high intra-hospital mortality rates, mainly in those who did not have adequate surgical treatment.

[Incessant focal atrial tachycardia as a cause of cardiomyopathy. About a case]. / Taquicardia atrial focal incesante como causa de cardiomiopatía. A propósito de un caso.

Focal atrial tachycardia is a rare type of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, generally present in young people, and is a rare cause of tachycardiomyopathy (10%). We present a clinical case of tachycardiomyopathy in a 30-year-old man, without comorbidities, who was diagnosed with incessant focal atrial tachycardia, refractory to medical therapy, and electrical cardioversion. Successful endocardial ablation was performed, and in outpatient follow-up at 6 months, he showed a recovery of the left ventricular ejection fraction and reduction of the left chambers to normal ranges, with progressive decrease of dyspnea.

[Should I treat a high-risk chronic coronary syndrome in an invasive way from the beginning? No, in most cases]. / Controversias en Cardiología. Parte 2. ¿Debo tratar un síndrome coronario crónico de alto riesgo invasivamente desde el inicio? No, en la mayoría de casos.

The definition of the high-risk chronic coronary syndrome varies depending on the noninvasive test used to trigger ischemia. The triggering occurs through increased myocardial work and oxygen demand, either through exercise or drugs. The initial approach to the chronic coronary syndrome leads us to discuss in which cases to prioritize an optimal initial medical therapy or to perform an initial invasive procedure of myocardial revascularization. In this article, we analyze both approaches based on previous studies carried out to date, where the initial invasive management has not been shown to be superior to initial optimal medical therapy in outcomes such as death or major adverse cardiovascular events.