COVID-19 and the cardiovascular system: A review of current data, summary of best practices, outline of controversies, and illustrative case reports.

As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus pandemic continues to grow globally, an association is apparent between patients with underlying cardiovascular disease comorbidities and the risk of developing severe COVID-19. Furthermore, there are potential cardiac manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 including myocyte injury, ventricular dysfunction, coagulopathy, and electrophysiologic abnormalities. Balancing management of the infection and treatment of underlying cardiovascular disease requires further study. Addressing the increasing reports of health care worker exposure and deaths remains paramount. This review summarizes the most contemporary literature on the relationship of the cardiovascular system and COVID-19 and society statements with relevance to protection of health care workers, and provides illustrative case reports in this context.

The role of antiplatelet therapy in patients with peripheral artery disease and lower extremity peripheral artery revascularization.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Although antiplatelet agents are frequently prescribed to patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD), there is an overall lack of consensus among published evidence and guidelines with respect to this practice. RECENT FINDINGS: Antiplatelet agents are prescribed to patients with PAD to reduce both cardiovascular and limb-based events during the follow-up period. A large evidence base supports the use of antiplatelet monotherapy with aspirin or clopidogrel in patients with symptomatic PAD or a history of peripheral artery revascularization. However, antiplatelet monotherapy has not proven beneficial in patients with asymptomatic PAD. Dual antiplatelet therapy has not demonstrated a clear benefit in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with symptomatic PAD. Its role in reducing the risk of adverse limb events following endovascular or surgical revascularization also remains unclear. Recently, the use of vorapaxar in addition to aspirin and/or clopidogrel has been associated with a significant reduction in the need for repeat revascularization procedures and hospitalization for limb ischemia in patients with established PAD. SUMMARY: Eligible patients with symptomatic PAD or with a history of peripheral artery revascularization should be prescribed antiplatelet monotherapy for secondary prevention of both cardiovascular and limb events, using aspirin, clopidogrel, and/or vorapaxar. Given the significant overlap of PAD and coronary artery disease, the evidence presented in this article may have important implications for management of patients with coronary artery disease.

Comparison of dual-antiplatelet therapy durations after endovascular revascularization of infrainguinal arteries.

BACKGROUND: The optimal dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration after endovascular revascularization of infrainguinal arteries is uncertain. METHODS: This study examines DAPT prescription trends and 12-month major adverse limb events (MALEs; a composite of repeat endovascular or surgical revascularization, acute vessel thrombosis, or amputation of the target limb), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction [MI], stroke, or coronary revascularization), fatal bleeding events, and those requiring interruption or discontinuation of DAPT (hemorrhagic complications) for patients enrolled into the Excellence in Peripheral Artery Disease (XLPAD) registry. RESULTS: Data on 368 patients prescribed antiplatelet therapy were analyzed; 8.2% were prescribed antiplatelet monotherapy, 48.6% DAPT for ≤3 months, and 43.2% for >3 months. Patients in the >3 DAPT prescribed group were older, had preexisting coronary artery disease (CAD), and prior MI (all P < 0.001). Overall MALE in the ≤3 and >3-month DAPT prescribed groups were 22.3% and 23.9%, respectively (P = 0.541). Survival analysis showed significantly higher rates of MACE in patients prescribed >3-month DAPT (17.6% vs. 9.5%; P = 0.019). An "as-treated" analysis excluded 10 patients who were prescribed DAPT for >3 months and revealed similar rates of MALE (24.9% vs. 20.8%; P = 0.386) and MACE (12.2% vs. 14.8%; P = 0.443) in patients receiving ≤3 and >3 DAPT. Hemorrhagic complications were similar across all prescribed and "as-treated" DAPT groups. CONCLUSIONS: After infrainguinal endovascular procedures, patients with underlying CAD were prescribed longer (>3 months) duration of DAPT and experienced more cardiovascular events compared with those prescribed ≤3 months of DAPT. Adverse limb events were similar in both groups.

Endovascular treatment of infrainguinal chronic total occlusions using the TruePath device: features, handling, and 6-month outcomes.

PURPOSE: To report experience with a recently approved peripheral chronic total occlusion (CTO) crossing device in the superficial femoral (SFA), popliteal, and below-the-knee (BTK) arteries. METHODS: Thirteen patients (all men; mean age 68.6±7.9 years) from the XLPAD registry (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01904851) were treated between April 2012 and August 2013 with the TruePath device after an unsuccessful guidewire crossing attempt. More than half of the patients had diabetes mellitus. Most lesions were TASC classification type C (n=5) or D (n=6), with mean lesion length 169.8±83.3 mm; 12 lesions were de novo and severely calcified. Procedure success was defined as successful revascularization of the CTO. Technical success was placement of a guidewire beyond the distal CTO cap into the true lumen without the need for a re-entry device. RESULTS: All CTOs were successfully crossed using the TruePath, but 3 subintimal recanalizations required the use of a re-entry device (77% technical success). Eight lesions were stented, while the remaining were treated with balloon angioplasty and/or atherectomy. Average fluoroscopy time was 41.1±18.3 minutes, during which a mean 200.0±46.2 mL of iodinated contrast were used (radiation dose area product 211.2±202.6 Gy*cm(2)). There were no periprocedural complications. Significant improvement was seen in the 6-month ankle-brachial index (p=0.018) and Rutherford class (p=0.019). The 6-month clinically indicated target vessel revascularization rate was 8%. CONCLUSION: TruePath facilitated successful crossing of infrainguinal CTOs following an unsuccessful guidewire recanalization, with significant improvement in symptoms and no complications.

Direct Oral Anticoagulants for Rheumatic Heart Disease-Associated Atrial Fibrillation Post-Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in preventing ischemic and thromboembolic events may be suboptimal in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. However, their safety and effectiveness after mitral valve replacement (MVR) using bioprosthetic valves is unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of DOACs vs warfarin among patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD)-associated AF after bioprosthetic MVR. METHODS: We performed an observational analysis identifying patients with RHD and AF who underwent bioprosthetic MVR. Primary effectiveness and safety outcomes were ischemic events and major bleeding, respectively. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, cardiac thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and all-cause hospitalization. Propensity score matching was performed to account for the differences in baseline characteristics and comorbidities. RESULTS: A total of 3,950 patients were identified; 76% were on warfarin and 24% on DOAC post-MVR. The DOAC group had a higher burden of baseline comorbidities and prior cardiovascular procedures compared with the warfarin group. The propensity score matching balanced baseline characteristics in 1,832 patients (916 in each group), with a mean age of 69 years. At the 5-year follow-up, DOACs were associated with a lower incidence of major bleeding compared with warfarin (HR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.62-0.94), with no significant difference in ischemic events, mortality, cardiac thrombosis, myocardial infarction, or hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with RHD-associated AF patients post-bioprosthetic MVR, DOACs are associated with lower major bleeding and comparable effectiveness, indicating a potential alternative to warfarin. Further randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate these findings in this population.

Capnocytophaga canimorsus Endocarditis Presenting with Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis and Glomerulonephritis.

Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a gram-negative bacterium commonly found in the saliva of dogs and cats. Despite the frequency of animal bites, infection with Capnocytophaga species is rare, and severe infections are usually associated with underlying risk factors, such as alcohol use disorder, asplenia, or immunosuppression. We describe a case of a man who presented with a purpuric rash, lower extremity edema, and acute renal failure and was found to have tricuspid valve endocarditis and infection-associated glomerulonephritis due to C. canimorsus. Despite treatment with cefepime, the vegetation increased in size and valvular function worsened. He was readmitted with an inferior wall myocardial infarction, heart failure, and pulmonary embolism. He underwent an urgent tricuspid valve replacement with a bioprosthetic valve. A 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing performed on the resected valve tissue verified involvement of C. canimorsus. Post-operatively, he had several episodes of gastrointestinal hemorrhage requiring multiple endoscopic interventions and arterial embolization. The recurrent gastrointestinal hemorrhage combined with his severe functional decline ultimately led to his death. This patient had an uncommon presentation with leukocytoclastic vasculitis and infection-associated glomerulonephritis, which revealed an underlying diagnosis of infective endocarditis due to C. canimorsus, a rare gram-negative bacterial etiology of infective endocarditis.

A Tragic Case of Wearable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Failure.

The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines recommend a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) for certain conditions or scenarios. WCD is felt to provide adequate protection against ventricular arrhythmias. This case highlights failure of a WCD to detect and deliver life-saving therapy and the need for improved detection algorithms. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.).

Significance of an abnormal ankle-brachial index in patients with established coronary artery disease with and without associated diabetes mellitus.

An abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) is associated with higher risk for future cardiovascular (CV) events; however, it is unknown whether this association is true in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD) and associated diabetes mellitus (DM). We evaluated 679 patients with stable CAD enrolled in the Excellence in Peripheral Arterial Disease and Veterans Affairs North Texas Healthcare System peripheral arterial disease databases. ABI and 12-month major adverse CV events (MACEs, a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, need for repeat coronary revascularization, and ischemic stroke) were assessed. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association of ABI and DM with subsequent CV events. An abnormal ABI (<0.9 or >1.4) was present in 72% of patients with stable CAD and 68% had DM. Using patients without DM and normal ABI as reference, the adjusted hazard ratio for 12-month MACE was 1.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71 to 4.06) for patients with DM and normal ABI; 2.03 (95% CI 0.83 to 4.9) for patients without DM with abnormal ABI; and 4.85 (95% CI 2.22 to 10.61) for patients with DM and abnormal ABI. In conclusion, in patients with stable CAD, an abnormal ABI confers an incremental risk of MACE in addition to DM and traditional CV risk factors.