Right Coronary Artery to Right Atrial Fistula: Role of Multi-Modality Imaging and Percutaneous Closure.

Coronary artery fistula (CAF) is a connection between a coronary artery and a cardiac chamber or nearby vessel. Our case represents a fistula arising from the right coronary artery and terminating in the right atrium, presenting as atrial fibrillation. CAF closure options include surgical and percutaneous approaches.

Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 2019 Case of the Week series.

The Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) is an international society focused on the research, education, and clinical application of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). The SCMR web site ( https://www.scmr.org ) hosts a case series designed to present case reports demonstrating the unique attributes of CMR in the diagnosis or management of cardiovascular disease. Each clinical presentation is followed by a brief discussion of the disease and unique role of CMR in disease diagnosis or management guidance. By nature, some of these are somewhat esoteric, but all are instructive. In this publication, we provide a digital archive of the 2019 Case of the Week series as a means of further enhancing the education of those interested in CMR and as a means of more readily identifying these cases using a PubMed or similar search engine.

Anticoagulation for stroke prevention in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation: A review.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with a prevalence of 23% and incidence of 3.1%. The risk of thromboembolism is high in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy regardless of CHADS2-VASc score. This review includes 5 observational studies that focused on prevention of thromboembolism in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation. The studies evaluated and compared outcomes between patients receiving either warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants. Data showed that direct oral anticoagulants are effective and safe in this patient population and may have a benefit over warfarin for thromboprophylaxis in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation. Because of the high risk of thromboembolism, lifelong anticoagulation with warfarin is recommended to prevent thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The available observational data reviewed suggest that direct oral anticoagulants may be safe and effective in this patient population. However, adequately powered randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm their efficacy and safety.

Bergeyella zoohelcum Bacteremia from Therapy Dog Kisses.

Bergeyella (B.) zoohelcum is a non-motile, aerobic, gram-negative rod, with only a few cases in the literature. Most of the human infections are related to dog or cat bites; however, there are also reports related to the ingestion of food prepared with goat's blood. We present a case of Bergeyella zoohelcum bacteremia in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) following close contact with their service dog. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of B. zoohelcum bacteremia in an AIDS patient.

Pregnancy-related Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Associated with Herpes Simplex Virus-2 Infection: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe inflammatory disorder characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of lymphocytes and histiocytes with hemophagocytic activity in the bone marrow. To our knowledge, there have been a few reported cases of pregnancy-related HLH. This case highlights the importance of considering HLH in a pregnant woman along with other diagnoses, such as HELLP (which stands for hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and low platelet levels) syndrome and hemolytic anemias. It points to the challenges of diagnosing and managing pregnancy-related HLH due to a similarity in presentation with other conditions.

Comparison of Clopidogrel With Prasugrel and Ticagrelor in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: Clinical Outcomes From the National Cardiovascular Database ACTION Registry.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor in clinical practice using the National Cardiovascular Database ACTION Registry®. Treatment guidelines for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention recommend dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for 12 months. Few clinical trials have compared the safety and efficacy of clopidogrel with that of newer antiplatelet therapies. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients hospitalized for ACS at Cleveland Clinic Akron General was conducted. Data elements included detailed medical history and clinical outcomes during hospital stay. The primary outcome was a composite of major clinical events (cardiogenic shock, atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, heart failure, bleeding, and mechanical ventilation). The independent variable was the type of DAPT. Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. A post-hoc analysis was performed to compare between the antiplatelet drugs head-to-head. RESULTS: Subjects (n = 1,388) admitted between January 2011 and March 2016 with ACS and treated with clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor were included in the study. Mean age was 65 ± 14 years and 46% had ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Prasugrel administration within 24 h was associated with a lower incidence of the composite outcome (P = 0.049), bleeding (P = 0.028), and heart failure (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference between the type of antiplatelet drug and clinical outcomes in ACS patients who were treated with DAPT. Observations from current study may provide important information for prescribers in clinical decision-making.