Cardiovascular Medicine

4 pages, 610 KB

Open AccessCase Report

Atrial Fibrillation Induced by Low-Voltage Electrical Injury

by Mattia Duchini, Monika Ruggeri-Jozefowski, Marcello Di Valentino and Andrea Menafoglio

Cardiovasc. Med. 2018, 21(2), 53; https://doi.org/10.4414/cvm.2018.00544 - 14 Feb 2018

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 101

The clinical manifestations of electrical injuries are very heterogeneous, from small skin burns to sudden death due to cardiac or respiratory arrest. In patients surviving an electrical shock, any organ can potentially be damaged. Cardiac consequences are among the most common and serious, with arrhythmias and myocardial damage being the most frequent manifestations. Cardiac complications are usually reversible but, in rare cases, longterm cardiac damage can arise, emphasising the importance of individual follow-up. We report a rare case of self-limited atrial fibrillation induced by a low-voltage electrical injury in a domestic context in a healthy 33-year-old man without cardiac predisposing factors. We also briefly review the literature about the cardiac complications related to electrical injuries. Full article

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5 pages, 486 KB

Open AccessReview

Scientific Evidence for Cardiac Rehabilitation

by Jean-Paul Schmid

Cardiovasc. Med. 2018, 21(2), 48; https://doi.org/10.4414/cvm.2018.00545 - 14 Feb 2018

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 80

Abstract

Centre-based, multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation programmes complying with well-defined minimal requirements are the gold standard for delivering optimal postinterventional care and achieving secondary preven- tion goals. Owing to barriers linked with programme availability and local or national regulations, further efforts are needed in order to ensure a valid choice of high-quality, evidence-based secondary prevention measures that best fit the patient’s psychosocial situation, cardiovascular risk profile and individual preferences. Full article

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9 pages, 1109 KB

Open AccessReview

Anomalous Coronary Arteries and the Risk of Adverse Cardiac Events

by Christoph Gräni

Cardiovasc. Med. 2018, 21(2), 39; https://doi.org/10.4414/cvm.2018.00540 - 14 Feb 2018

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 68

Abstract

An anomalous coronary artery from the opposite sinus of Valsalva (ACAOS) is a rare inherited cardiac condition with a prevalence of around 1% in the general population. ACAOS is associated with sudden cardiac death in young athletes and therefore its exclusion by means of cardiac imaging is crucial in young symptomatic individuals. With the increasing use of noninvasive imaging modalities to exclude coronary artery disease (CAD) in the middle-aged and older population, physicians are faced with an increased absolute number of patients with the incidental finding of ACAOS. However, it seems that in the middle-aged population the intrinsic risk of ACAOS moves into the background compared with the gradually increasing risk associated with CAD. The assessment of high-risk anatomical features, such as slit-like ostium, acute take-off angle, interarterial course, intramural course with elliptical vessel shape and proximal narrowing of the anomalous vessel is a cornerstone in the evaluation of patients with ACAOS. Further, downstream testing in order to evaluate haemodynamic relevance by means of perfusion imaging of anatomic high-risk features in ACAOS is critical. Perfusion can be tested with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron-emission tomography (PET), allowing fusion with coronary computed tomography angiography and enabling differentiation of perfusion defects from an anomalous coronary artery and from possible concomitant CAD. As to date no randomised prospective trials are available, the therapeutic approach to sports restriction and/or surgery is mainly based on experts’ opinions and recommendations with a low level of evidence, and is usually chosen on an individual case-by-case basis. A presumed prognostic benefit from surgical repair and sports restriction should be carefully balanced against the risk of surgery and possible impairment to quality of life, and patient management should be chosen only after considering symptoms, age, sports behaviour, and imaging information. Full article

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4 pages, 425 KB

Open AccessEditorial

Was Ist Ein Normaler Blutdruck?

by Thomas F. Lüscher

Cardiovasc. Med. 2018, 21(2), 35; https://doi.org/10.4414/cvm.2018.00543 - 14 Feb 2018

Viewed by 60

Abstract

Die Entdeckung des Blutdrucks. Lange war der Blutdruck den Ärzten völlig unbekannt [...] Full article

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Cardiovasc. Med., Volume 21, Issue 2 (02 2018) – 4 articles

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