Report of ventricular fibrillation in a 44-year-old man using kratom.

Kratom is an unregulated kappa-opioid receptor agonist available for order on the internet that is used as a remedy for chronic pain. We present a case of a middle-aged man who suffered a cardiac arrest in the setting of kratom ingestion.

ST-segment elevation and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings in myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries.

PURPOSE: Patients with myocardial infarction and non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) may present with or without ST-elevation (STE) on the electrocardiogram (ECG). Previous studies have shown that STE was associated with higher risk of early mortality and long-term major adverse coronary events, and that cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) can help to determine whether the cause of a MINOCA presentation is ischemic or non-ischemic. We set out to determine the relationship between STE and CMR findings in patients presenting with MINOCA. DESIGN: Patients who underwent CMR based on a provisional diagnosis of MINOCA were pooled from three prospective cohort studies: the multicenter Stockholm Myocardial Infarction with Normal Coronaries, a prospective University of Adelaide study, and a prospective NYU School of Medicine diagnostic imaging study. STE was defined as ≥1 mm in ≥2 contiguous leads. RESULTS: Among 292 patients, average age was 57.0 years (±11.9), and 68% were female. Fifty-seven had STE, 231 had no STE and four had left bundle branch block. There was no difference between patients with vs. without STE in the likelihood of the CMR findings of infarction (21% vs. 18%), myocarditis (10% vs. 14%), left ventricular wall motion pattern consistent with takotsubo syndrome on CMR (16% vs. 14%). CONCLUSION: STE on the presenting ECG was not associated with CMR findings in patients with a provisional diagnosis of MINOCA. Based on these findings, increased risk among MINOCA patients with STE does not appear to be related to variation in these CMR findings.

Prevalence of myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) amongst acute coronary syndrome in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLS) is well known to cause thrombotic events and premature atherosclerosis leading to coronary artery occlusion. The association of non-thrombotic acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) with APLS is not as clearly delineated. The objective of this study was to determine the relative prevalence of myocardial infarction with non obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) compared to MI from vaso-occlusive disease amongst patients with known APLS at our institution. Out of 575 patients with positive antiphospholipid antibodies, cardiac catheterizations were performed in 40 patients presented with AMI and had cardiac catheterizations. MINOCA was found in 8 patients. We found that MINOCA is common in patients with APLS presenting with ACS and that spasm may also play a role in AMI in patients with APLS.

Outcomes of Coronary Artery Revascularization Procedures in Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Published data on the outcome of coronary artery revascularization in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are limited. Because APS is associated with a high rate of arterial thrombosis, there is concern that coronary revascularization in this group may be complicated by increased need for repeat revascularization. We aimed to determine the incidence and timing of repeat revascularization performed in patients with APS undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: Our institutional database was queried for individuals (n = 575) testing positive for antiphospholipid antibodies between 2000 and 2012. From this group, 46 patients underwent cardiac catheterization. Charts were reviewed to identify subsequent revascularization procedures. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 15 patients (67 ±â€¯11 years, 11 females) who underwent revascularization. All of the study subjects had prior history of arterial (stroke, TIA n = 7) or venous (n = 10) thrombosis. Ten of the subjects had initial revascularization (6 CABG, 4 PCI) at an outside facility, while another five underwent initial PCI at our hospital. Repeat revascularization occurred in five patients (33%) at a median of 6 years (range 4, 13) following the initial revascularization. The median follow-up for patients who did not require repeat revascularization (n = 10) was 10 years (range 2, 15). CONCLUSION: Amongst patients with APS who underwent CABG or PCI the need for repeat revascularization was infrequent and occurred several years after initial procedure. Based on this small sample size the periprocedural risk associated with coronary artery revascularization in subjects with APS is not prohibitively high.

Seasonal and circadian patterns of myocardial infarction by coronary artery disease status and sex in the ACTION Registry-GWTG.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) presentations are more common during winter months and morning hours. However, it is unknown whether MI with obstructive coronary artery disease (MI-CAD) and non-obstructive CAD (MINOCA) display similar patterns. METHODS: We evaluated seasonal and circadian patterns of MI presentation by coronary artery disease (CAD) status and sex in patients with MI from 2007 to 2014 in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) Acute Coronary Treatment Intervention Outcomes Network (ACTION) Registry-Get With the Guidelines. Adult patients who underwent coronary angiography for MI were included. Patients with missing age, sex, or angiographic data, cocaine use, thrombolytic therapy prior to catheterization, or prior revascularization were excluded. Baseline demographics and characteristics of symptom onset, including season and time of day of presentation, were compared by CAD status and sex. RESULTS: Among 322,523 patients, 112,547 were female (35%); 18,918 had MINOCA (5.9%). There was no seasonal pattern of MI overall. However, both men and women with MINOCA presented more often in the summer and fall while MI-CAD presentations were equally distributed across seasons. The most common time of presentation was 8 am-2 pm regardless of CAD status or sex. A secondary peak in women with MINOCA during late afternoon hours was also identified. CONCLUSIONS: Seasonal variation of MI differed between MINOCA and MI-CAD, with a small increase in MINOCA incidence in the summer and fall. MINOCA and MI-CAD most commonly occurred in the morning, with a secondary peak in late afternoon in women with MINOCA. These differences in presentation may relate to underlying MI pathophysiology.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection in a postpartum e-cigarette smoker.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare but lethal cause of acute coronary syndrome that occurs in young women during the peripartum/postpartum periods. We present a case of a 41-year-old woman with no significant medical history, but was a habitual e-cigarette smoker who presented with atypical chest pain 2 weeks after an uncomplicated delivery while breast feeding. The patient was found to have elevated cardiac enzymes and ST segment elevations in the anterior leads. An urgent cardiac catheterisation was performed, which revealed dissection and occlusion of the left anterior descending artery, and a drug-eluting stent was placed that resulted in the resolution of chest pain. Physiological changes during the postpartum period may be linked to an increased risk of developing SCAD.1 In addition, e-cigarette smoking is associated with increased oxidative stress and sympathetic activity, which may predispose patients to an increased risk of acute coronary syndrome.

Case Report: My lung broke my heart! Takotsubo cardiomyopathy due to pneumonia.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, is a cardiac syndrome that often mimics acute myocardial infarction. TTC is commonly triggered by physical or emotional stress; however, acute infection is a rarer etiology. This report concerns the case of an 82-year-old female who presented with non-positional and non-pleuritic chest pain, with an associated fever and cough and chest x-ray findings consistent with pneumonia. Cardiac enzymes and ECG findings were consistent with acute coronary syndrome (ACS); however, during coronary angiography, no coronary artery disease could explain the patient's ACS. A post-catheterization echocardiogram revealed an ejection fraction of 25%, with apical akinesis. A repeat echocardiogram 4 weeks after presentation showed a normal EF and normal wall motion, confirming a diagnosis of TTC.