ABSTRACT
Description Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains the most common arrhythmia worldwide and is expected to affect approximately 12 million individuals in the United States alone by 2030. Thromboembolic events remain a feared complication of AF and should be treated and risk-stratified utilizing the CHA2DS2-VASc scoring system. Other complications of AF span a wide spectrum from impaired quality of life (QoL) to an increase in all-cause mortality. Rate control strategies consist of controlling the ventricular rate and have been shown to be a safe and effective strategy for asymptomatic AF patients. In patients who are plagued with symptoms leading to impaired QoL or a decrease in exercise capacity, rhythm control with antiarrhythmic drugs or catheter ablation may be suitable options. Mortality benefits when comparing rate versus rhythm control remain equivocal when comparing multiple studies over the past decade.
ABSTRACT
Description A poem expressing a daughter's love for her father through their shared passions for cardiology and medicine.
ABSTRACT
Flecainide is an antiarrhythmic agent that has been reported to have numerous cardiotoxic effects, including the development of arrhythmias and the reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, it is not commonly reported as a cause for left bundle branch block and cardiomyopathy. In this case report, we present the case of a 67-year-old female patient who developed transient cardiomyopathy and left bundle branch block (LBBB) secondary to flecainide therapy. The patient's condition improved upon cessation of flecainide.
ABSTRACT
Annular rupture is a rare yet fatal complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The likelihood of annular rupture is increased by the presence of extensive subannular calcification, excessive balloon dilatation for valve expansion or aggressive valve oversizing to prevent paravalvular leakage during TAVR. Although extensive annular or aortic root calcification increases the likelihood of annular rupture, rupture due to the presence of a calcified nodule in the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) is not commonly reported. We present the case of an 84-year-old man who developed an annular rupture during TAVR, likely due to the presence of a calcified nodule located in LVOT, which was noted on a pre-procedural computed tomography (CT) scan. The rupture was identified early and was successfully reversed with the administration of protamine sulfate during the procedure.