Chronic rheumatologic disorders and cardiovascular disease risk in women.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health threat to women worldwide. In addition to traditional CVD risk factors, autoimmune conditions are increasingly being recognized as contributors to adverse CVD consequences in women. Chronic systemic autoimmune and inflammatory disorders can trigger premature and accelerated atherosclerosis, microvascular dysfunction, and thrombosis. The presence of comorbid conditions, duration of the autoimmune condition, disease severity, and treatment of underlying inflammation are all factors that impact CVD risk and progression. Early identification and screening of CVD risk factors in those with underlying autoimmune conditions may attenuate CVD in this population. Treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, disease modifying agents and biologics may influence CVD risk factors and overall risk. Multi-disciplinary and team-based care, clinical trials, and collaborative team-science studies focusing on systemic autoimmune conditions will be beneficial to advance care for women.

Ischemia and no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA): A narrative review.

Myocardial ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) is a chronic coronary syndrome condition that is increasingly being recognized as a substantial contributor to adverse cardiovascular mortality and outcomes, including myocardial infarction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). While INOCA occurs in both women and men, women are more likely to have the finding of INOCA and are more adversely impacted by angina, with recurrent hospitalizations and a lower quality of life with this condition. Abnormal epicardial coronary vascular function and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) have been identified in a majority of INOCA patients on invasive coronary function testing. CMD can co-exist with obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD), diffuse non-obstructive epicardial CAD, and with coronary vasospasm. Epicardial vasospasm can also occur with normal coronary arteries that have no atherosclerotic plaque on intravascular imaging. While all predisposing factors are not clearly understood, cardiometabolic risk factors, and endothelium dependent and independent mechanisms that increase oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with microvascular injury, CMD and INOCA. Cardiac autonomic dysfunction has also been implicated in abnormal vasoreactivity and persistent symptoms. INOCA is under-recognized and under-diagnosed, partly due to the heterogenous patient populations and mechanisms. However, diagnostic testing methods are available to guide INOCA management. Treatment of INOCA is evolving, and focuses on cardiac risk factor control, improving ischemia, reducing atherosclerosis progression, and improving angina and quality of life. This review focuses on INOCA, relations to HFpEF, available diagnostics, current and investigational therapeutic strategies, and knowledge gaps in this condition.

Left atrial mural endocarditis in the absence of significant structural heart disease.

Primary mural endocarditis without valvular involvement is rare and most often involves the ventricular endocardium. Left atrial mural endocarditis is an extremely rare subset of infective endocarditis. We describe a case of a young woman with left atrial mural endocarditis without significant structural or valvular heart disease.

Sex differences in non-obstructive coronary artery disease.

Ischaemic heart disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in both women and men. Compared with men, symptomatic women who are suspected of having myocardial ischaemia are more likely to have no obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) on coronary angiography. Coronary vasomotor disorders and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) have been increasingly recognized as important contributors to angina and adverse outcomes in patients with no obstructive CAD. CMD from functional and structural abnormalities in the microvasculature is associated with adverse cardiac events and mortality in both sexes. Women may be particularly susceptible to vasomotor disorders and CMD due to unique factors such as inflammation, mental stress, autonomic, and neuroendocrine dysfunction, which predispose to endothelial dysfunction and CMD. CMD can be detected with coronary reactivity testing and non-invasive imaging modalities; however, it remains underdiagnosed. This review focuses on sex differences in presentation, pathophysiologic risk factors, diagnostic testing, and prognosis of CMD.

Myocardial Infarction and Persistent Angina With No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease.

Women with myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA) are increasingly recognized. Women with MINOCA are at high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events. In this case, we focus on the importance of early identification and management of MINOCA to improve patients' angina and related quality of life. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.).

Endoscopic Management of Giant Walled-Off Pancreatic Necrosis With a High Risk of Bleeding.

Walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) is one of the late complications of acute pancreatitis. We present a 37-year-old man who developed a large WOPN 6 weeks after treatment of severe complicated pancreatitis. Imaging studies revealed a necrotic retroperitoneal fluid collection measuring 27 × 12 × 27 cm with large crossing blood vessels. Cystogastrostomy was performed using a lumen-apposing metal stent. He underwent multiple necrosectomies with significant improvement in the cyst size. Bleeding is a major complication of direct endoscopic necrosectomy; hence, specific imaging and a careful approach should be taken into consideration, especially in WOPN with a high risk of bleeding.