Correlation between Stroke Risk and Systolic Blood Pressure in Patients over 50 Years with Uncontrolled Hypertension: Results from the SYSTUP-India Study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) levels in patients ≥50 years with uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) and evaluate the correlation between BP and stroke risk. It also assessed therapeutic drug classes prescribed in these patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at 176 outpatient centers across India, including patients aged ≥50 years with elevated SBP (≥140 mmHg). The relationship between stroke risk, calculated using Stroke Riskometer™, and mean SBP, mean DBP, and other risk factors was evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficient and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The study included 3791 patients (men, 60.0%; mean age: 62.1 ± 8.3 years; mean BMI: 27 kg/m2) with mean SBP 157.3 ± 12.8 mmHg and mean DBP 89.8 ± 9.7 mmHg. Five-year stroke risk in 33.9% and 10-year stroke risk in 70% patients were moderate to severe. A ~4% increase in both 5- and 10-year stroke risk with each 1 mmHg increase in mean SBP (p < 0.0001) was seen. However, mean DBP did not exhibit any significant correlation with 5-year (p = 0.242) or 10-year (p = 0.8038) stroke risk. There was a positive correlation between mean SBP and patient age, comorbid diabetes, and smoking and alcohol habits (p < 0.0001). Comorbid diabetes and smoking increased 5- and 10-year stroke risk by 2- to 5-fold. Irrespective of the risk category, most patients received antihypertensive therapy with an angiotensin receptor blocker. CONCLUSION: Findings corroborate an association between stroke risk and mean SBP. These real-world clinical findings indicate that efforts are required to improve primary prevention of stroke and reduce the prevalence of recurrent stroke in India.

Anomalous origin of right coronary artery causing myocardial ischemia in a young patient.

Anomalous right coronary artery from left coronary sinus can have dynamic narrowing and kinking causing symptoms of myocardial ischemia and sudden cardiac death. Surgical repair of the anomaly is required in the symptomatic patient because of risk of ischemia or ventricular arrhythmia. Asymptomatic incidentally diagnosed low-risk patients can be closely followed up with exercise restriction as per present guideline.

Hybrid approach in a difficult case of pseudoaneurysm of right common carotid artery.

We present the case of a 65-year-old gentleman, who presented with a symptomatic pseudoaneurysm of the right common carotid artery. Because of high surgical risk, endovascular approach was decided upon. However, taking hardware across the lesion via the aortic arch provided us with insurmountable difficulties. Therefore, a hybrid approach was resorted to, in which an arteriotomy was done in the carotid artery followed by direct implantation of the stent. We were thus able to create a favorable trade-off between the high surgical risk of a full surgical procedure and the peri-operative benefit of an endovascular approach.

A novel use of EP catheter in extraction of trapped intracardiac devices: Two case reports.

The decision to retrieve chronically implanted abandoned leads and trapped intracardiac devices percutaneously has been difficult and highly controversial. We present two case reports in which electrophysiological ablation catheter was used to retrieve infected abandoned pacemaker lead and trapped permacatheter (permacath) in right ventricle. We could avert major cardiovascular surgeries in both the patients by simply modifying the traditionally used techniques for extraction of intracardiac devices.

Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma involving the left pulmonary vein presenting as a left atrial tumor.

A 35-year-old woman presented with 4 months history of progressively increasing intermittent dyspnea and hemoptysis. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a loculated mass in the left atrium (LA). A provisional diagnosis of LA myxoma was made. Intraoperatively the tumor was found extending into and closely adherent to the left pulmonary vein and could not be completely cleared off from the pulmonary venous wall. The histopathological examination of the tumor revealed it to be a myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

Silent myocardial ischemia and high-grade ventricular arrhythmias in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

The occurrence of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) and serious arrhythmias during hemodialysis (HD) has been well documented. However, it is unclear whether these changes are due to epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD). We conducted a prospective study to assess whether SMI and arrhythmias during HD correlated with angiographically demonstrable CAD. Twenty-three patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance HD underwent 48-hour Holter monitoring, beginning 24 hours prior to a HD session. All patients underwent biochemical evaluation, coronary angiography, and echocardiography. Holter monitoring showed SMI during HD in 22% cases. A significant increase in the frequency of ventricular ectopics (VEs) was noted during and after HD. Patients who showed SMI during HD and VEs prior to initiation of dialysis were more likely to develop significant ventricular arrhythmias during and after HD. Epicardial CAD was documented in four patients, and it did not correlate with SMI. To conclude, HD is an arrhythmogenic process. SMI during dialysis is probably not due to epicardial CAD but predisposes to clinically significant ventricular arrhythmias during and after HD. The cause of SMI during HD in patients without demonstrable CAD needs further investigation.