P332 ACUTE HEART FAILURE IN AN ELDERLY, DIABETIC, HYPERTENSIVE PATIENT. A NEVER BANAL CASE UNDERLINES THE ROLE OF EMERGENCY ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY AND AND THE RELIABILITY OF THE ANAMNESIS COLLECTED IN URGENCY

Abstract

Abstract We describe the case of a 78–year old male who acceded to high intensity medicine ward for acute heart failure after some days management in the emergency room, with acuity stabilization. In his history all atherosclerosis‘ risk factors were present (diabetes mellitus type 2, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia and kidney chronic disease) together with no active IgGk multiple myeloma, diagnosed the month before. A previous echocardiogram demonstrated aortic valve calcifications, preserved ejection fraction and mild mitral valve failure. the emergency echocardiography service was activated and the patient received echocardiography on first day. Echocardiography revealed severe aortic insufficiency secondary to erosive endocarditis of 15 mm in diameter, increased left ventricular filling pressures, and increased estimated right ventricular pressures. empirical antibiotic therapy was immediately undertaken and were carried out blood cultures.from the emergency echocardiography service the cardiology service was activated for a trans–esophageal echocardio execution which confirmed the findings Streptococcus gallolyticus was isolated. only after performing the echocardiogram did the patient remember having had fever for a few days, more than a month before the first symptoms of heart failure. In the next days, colon adenocarcinoma‘s diagnosis was made. Notably Streptococcus gallolyticus‘s infections are frequent in immunocompromised patients and its most common clinical manifestation is infective endocarditis.This kind of infection is usually connected with colon rectum cancer, mostly in patients that have already started chemotherapy. When endocarditis regards people who don‘t make use of intravenous drugs or that haven‘t congenital or acquired valves defects, the most involved one is the aortic valve. This is especially true in elderly patients.That could be explained by aortic valve damage caused by shear stress and atherosclerotic process, that always involves aortic valve‘s endothelium. This damage manifests itselves as calcium endothelium overload and aortic valve stenosis. All of these factors transform the aortic valve into the perfect target for bacteremia.The patient underwent aortic replacement surgery, because of acute massive aortic valve failure, that impaired patient‘s hemodynamic, and proper antibiotics therapy was started, with benefit. Finally, the colon cancer was treated with surgery, no chemotherapy was needed.