Life's essential eight as targets for cardiometabolic risk reduction among non-Hispanic black adults: A primary care approach.

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in the United States. Several studies have shown racial disparities in the cardiovascular outcomes. When compared to their Non-Hispanic White (NHW) counterparts, non-Hispanic Black (NHB) individuals have higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and thus, increased mortality from atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. This is evidenced by lower scoring in the indices of the American Heart Association's Life Essential 8 among NHB individuals. NHB individuals score lower in blood pressure, blood lipids, nicotine exposure, sleep, physical activity level, glycemic control, weight, and diet when compared to NHW individuals. Measures to improve these indices at the primary care level may potentially hold the key in mitigating the health care disparities in cardiovascular health experienced by NHB individuals.

Dehiscent Prosthetic Aortic Valve and Aortic Root Pseudoaneurysm Complicated by Left Main Coronary Artery Compression.

Prosthetic aortic valve dehiscence is an uncommon complication of prosthetic valve endocarditis that may occur in patients who have undergone aortic valve replacement (AVR). The concurrent presence of aortic root pseudoaneurysm may further complicate the clinical presentation through the external compression of coronary arteries. Thus, patients may present with clinical features of coronary ischemia. Echocardiogram and coronary angiography are useful in establishing diagnosis. Treatment involves a multidisciplinary approach involving cardiologists, infectious disease specialists, and cardiothoracic surgeons. The authors of this study discuss a 51-year-old male who presented with anginal chest pain and was found to have a new left bundle branch block, elevated troponins, and left main coronary artery compression complicating aortic root aneurysm. He ended up requiring a re-do AVR, repair of the pseudoaneurysm, and coronary artery bypass graft.

ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction on the Line: Inadvertent Arterial Infusion of Vasopressors Causing Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Central venous catheters (CVCs), regarded as lines of life, are helpful in hemodynamic monitoring and delivering medications to patients. However, there are several complications that can result from the placement of CVCs. This includes accidental arterial puncture, which has a temporal association with hemorrhage, hematoma, and stroke. Infusion of vasopressors through such a mispositioned arterial CVC further increases the risk of these complications with potential end-organ ischemia. Here, we discuss the case of a 76-year-old woman who developed a myocardial infarction, heart failure, and subarachnoid hemorrhage following the arterial infusion of vasopressors through a malpositioned CVC.

A Busted Sac: A Case of Spontaneous Bladder Rupture Secondary to Acute Urinary Retention in a Healthy Middle-Aged Male.

Spontaneous bladder rupture is a relatively rare medical emergency that can be easily misdiagnosed. Although spontaneous bladder rupture is more common in those with previously diagnosed bladder conditions, this phenomenon may also occur in patients with an otherwise insignificant past medical history. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to avoid fatal complications. Here, we present a 49-year-old male with insignificant past medical history who was diagnosed with spontaneous bladder rupture after the attempted placement of a Foley catheter.

Negative Stress Test Is Not Always Negative: Revisiting the Clinical Implications of Balanced Ischemia.

Myocardial perfusion imaging with technetium (99mTc) sestamibi often aids in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. This diagnostic tool is highly important in dictating future clinical decision-making and determining whether patients may benefit from revascularization. However, it is not completely sensitive and may be unreliable in diagnosing coronary artery disease in patients with balanced perfusion deficits. Here, we present the case of a 45-year-old male with severe coronary artery disease and false-negative myocardial perfusion imaging.

The Slower, the Better: Wide Complex Tachycardia Triggered by Flecainide in an Elderly Female.

Class IC antiarrhythmics are generally considered a safe means of treating many common arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (a-fib), atrial flutter (a-flutter), and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). Essentially, flecainide works by binding and blocking sodium channels more effectively at higher heart rates. However, this class of drugs is known to exhibit use dependence which could predispose patients to the development of malignant arrhythmias during episodes of tachycardia. In this case, we present a patient who was being treated with flecainide for a-fib who ultimately developed a wide complex tachycardia after her metoprolol was held.

A Review of miRNAs as Biomarkers and Effect of Dietary Modulation in Obesity Associated Cognitive Decline and Neurodegenerative Disorders.

There has been a progressive increase in the prevalence of obesity and its comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases worldwide. Recent studies have suggested that the crosstalk between adipose tissue and central nervous system (CNS), through cellular mediators and signaling pathways, may causally link obesity with cognitive decline and give rise to neurodegenerative disorders. Several mechanisms have been proposed in obesity, including inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, altered lipid and cholesterol homeostasis, which may result in neuroinflammation, altered brain insulin signaling, amyloid-beta (Aß) deposition and neuronal cell death. Since obesity is associated with functional and morphological alterations in the adipose tissues, the resulting peripheral immune response augments the development and progression of cognitive decline and increases susceptibility of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). Studies have also elucidated an important role of high fat diet in the exacerbation of these clinical conditions. However, the underlying factors that propel and sustain this obesity associated cognitive decline and neurodegeneration, remains highly elusive. Moreover, the mechanisms linking these phenomena are not well-understood. The cumulative line of evidence have demonstrated an important role of microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and transcriptional changes, as biomarkers of pathophysiological conditions. Despite the lack of utility in current clinical practices, miRNAs have been shown to be highly specific and sensitive to the clinical condition being studied. Based on these observations, this review aims to assess the role of several miRNAs and aim to elucidate underlying mechanisms that link obesity with cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, this review will also provide evidence for the effect of dietary modulation which can potentially ameliorate cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases associated with obesity.