Tertiary Cardiology Clinic Research Articles

Low Risk of Cardiac Complications in Collegiate Athletes After Asymptomatic or Mild COVID-19 Infection.

The objective of this study was to determine the utility of "standard" cardiac screening with EKG, echocardiography, and serum troponin T (hs-Tn T) testing after COVID infection in competitive college athletes. Prospective cohort study. Tertiary cardiology clinic, university training room. Sixty-five Division 1 athletes recovered from COVID-19 and 465 controls. All COVID-recovered athletes underwent cardiac screening on return to campus in fall 2020. Controls were screened if indicated by preparticipation examination. Students cleared for sports participation were followed for the development of cardiac complications. Incidence of cardiac complications after COVID infection. Infected athletes experienced mild (26/65), moderate (8/65), or no (31/65) COVID symptoms. No athletes had severe symptoms. Men were more likely to have been asymptomatic (20/31), and women were more likely to have had moderate (7/8) symptoms (P = 0.015). All athletes, except 2 with anosmia, were asymptomatic at the time of cardiac testing. One athlete had persistently elevated hs-Tn T but no evidence of myocarditis on cardiac MRI. All other cardiac testing was negative. No athletes were diagnosed with myocarditis (95% CI: 0%-5.5%). All athletes were cleared for athletic participation. None suffered complications over the next 9 months. After COVID-19 infection, no college athletes with mild, moderate, or no symptoms had signs of myocarditis, and all returned to play without cardiac complication. These findings support consensus opinion recommendations that college-age athletes who recovered from COVID-19 and who experienced mild or no symptoms may return to play without cardiac testing.

Karotis Lezyonları için Üçüncü Basamak Bir Kardiyoloji Ünitesi Bakışı: Hangi Lezyon ve Ne Zaman Müdahale

INTRODUCTION: Stroke is one of the most common cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world, while atherosclerosis is the most common cause of its etiology. For this patients carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid stenting (CAS) are two treatment modalities. In our study, carotid angiography in a tertiary center screened and treatment experiences, methods will present. METHODS: Carotid angiography performed in our hospital between June 2006 and 2018 in a single tertiary cardiology clinic was retrospectively screened and patients were included in the study including CAS, CAE and medical follow-up. The patient's clinical features and procedure-related data were obtained by scanning the patient files. RESULTS: A total of 905 carotid angiography were screened. Critical carotid artery lesions were detected in 476 patients. 49 patients were classified as CAS, 192 patients as CEA, and 235 as medical group. The mean age of the included patients was 66.08±10.53 and the patient population was 74.2% male. The most common comorbidity was coronary artery disease (81.6%) and arterial hypertension (63.3%). The most common symptom was stroke (73.3%). In the CAS group, the rate of stroke was 6.1% in the follow-up period, the rate of stroke in the medical follow-up group was 5.5%, and in the CEA group, the stroke rate was 3.6%. There was a 3.1% mortality in the CEA group. The procedure was completed without any complication in all CAS patients. The mean follow-up period was 1034 days. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although CEA is still a class 1 indication despite the improvements in stent and protection devices, CAS can successfully perform in our center as well as in experienced centers.

Obstructive sleep apnea, sleep symptoms, and their association with cardiovascular disease.

To determine the frequency of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia, restless legs, and other sleep symptoms in patients with cardiovascular disease and the association of these sleep disorders with quantitative cardiovascular measures. Study design was a cross-sectional survey and retrospective chart review. A questionnaire containing validated sleep symptoms was distributed to 202 patients with cardiovascular disease at a tertiary referral cardiology clinic. Following a focused review of these patients' medical charts, their questionnaire responses were examined for associations with clinical cardiovascular parameters. Twenty-one percent of patients reported a prior diagnosis of OSA. A total of 115 patients (60%) had at least one additional sleep symptom. Clinically significant insomnia was significantly associated with heart disease (relative risk [RR] = 1.5, confidence interval [CI] = 1.1 to 2.1), prior myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident (RR = 2.1, CI = 1.2 to 3.6), and heart failure (RR = 2.2, CI = 1.3 to 3.8). Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly associated with insomnia by Insomnia Severity Index (β = -0.52, CI = -0.89 to -0.13). The frequency of OSA in patients in this tertiary cardiology clinic was higher than the general population in the United States, with the majority of patients experiencing at least one sleep symptom. Insomnia symptoms were shown to be associated with multiple cardiovascular measures, including left ventricular ejection fraction. These findings imply an interwoven relationship between cardiovascular and sleep symptoms as captured by validated sleep questionnaires. IV Laryngoscope, 130:1595-1602, 2020.

A model of right-siting to facilitate seamless care transition from tertiary cardiology clinic to general practitioners

Background: In Singapore where patients choose and pay for their preferred primary care doctor, chronic disease care centres itself in tertiary specialist clinics. Transition of such stabilized patients back into the community is often fragmented. Methodology: We describe a model where right-siting officers (RSOs) sited at tertiary clinics facilitate personalized patient management through matching primary care providers, providing social care advisory, coordinating clinical information transfer and tracking clinical outcomes during the intermediate period of transition to general practitioners (GPs). Such support by RSOs ensures continuity, good clinical outcomes and improved patient satisfaction. Clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction of 382 stable ischaemic heart disease patients right-sited from a tertiary cardiology clinic was analysed for 1 year. Results: Regular follow-up by RSOs ensured that mean BP, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol of patients managed by GPs remained clinically stable. Majority (92.7%) of the patients reported satisfied with their management and remained with the GPs for continue care. Conclusions: Coordinated care services and outcome tracking ensures quality of patient care during transition from tertiary clinic to GPs. Future coordination of social provisions such as home visits and day care services can truly promote care integration in the community. Such emphasis on social support by RSOs will complement the clinical management by GPs. Our model suggests that personalised care coordination benefits all patients transiting back into the community from tertiary outpatient settings.

Repeat Dose Opioids May Be Effective for Breathlessness in Chronic Heart Failure if Given for Long Enough

The longer-term effects of opioids for breathlessness are not known in people with chronic heart failure (CHF). Our aim was to assess the longer-term effect of oral opioids on breathlessness due to CHF. We conducted a 3-month open-label extension to a crossover randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing 4 days of morphine, oxycodone, and placebo. Thirty-five participants from a tertiary cardiology clinic completed the RCT. Thirty-three were followed for 3 months, continuing open-label opioids if they wished. Thirteen participants continued an opioid; 20 did not. Four measures of breathlessness intensity (0-10 numerical rating scale [NRS] and modified Borg score, each recording worst and average breathlessness during 24 hours) were combined using principal component analysis to give a single measure for the primary analysis. Groups were compared using analysis of covariance. Secondary measures included quality of life (SF-12(®) Health Survey), cardiorespiratory, and global impression of change in breathlessness at 3 months. At 3 months, the composite breathlessness measure improved to a greater extent in the opioid group (p=0.017). The opioid group had an improvement in global impression of change (mean 2.62 [opioids] versus -0.65 [nonopioids]; p=0.0009). The SF-12 physical component improved more in the opioid group (p=0.014). Cardiorespiratory variables were unchanged. Opioids given for 3 months were well tolerated and safe. Opioid-related improvement in breathlessness in people with CHF might not be seen until longer-term administration. We cannot conclude from these data that they are effective and a longer-term RCT is needed.

The frequency of embolic risk factors and adequacy of anti-embolic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation: a single tertiary center experience

Though atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia permanently; there is not enough data about the prevalence, frequency of risk factors, and adequacy of anticoagulant therapy. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of AF, the frequency of risk factors, adequacy of anticoagulant therapy in patients who were admitted to our outpatient tertiary cardiology clinic according to current guidelines. Patients, admitted to our Cardiology outpatient clinic between January - June 2010 and had a history of AF were included to the study retrospectively. Patients' demographic findings, clinical AF classification, CHA2DS2VASC scores, treatments the measured INR values in last 12 months retrospectively and the success of anticoagulant therapy were evaluated. Overall, 432 (9.1%) of 4721 patients had AF. Among them 253 (58.5%) patients were female, mean age was 70.4 years. Permanent AF was the most common type. The most common risk factor was hypertension (71.9%). CHA2DS2VASC score was ≥ 2 in 377 patients (87.2%) and 254 (67.3%) of those patients had absolutely indicated for anticoagulation therapy, were taking warfarin. Sixteen of 37 patients with one risk factor, and 10 of 18 patients without risk factors were also receiving warfarin. Although warfarin was indicated in 123 patients, 36 patients had contraindications, 13 patients refused anticoagulation, and warfarin was stopped in 5 patients because of noncompliance with treatment. 15.9% of patients were not on warfarin although anticoagulation was indicated and no contraindication. 83.5% patients INR levels were between therapeutic ranges. Anticoagulation is applied successfully among an important part of AF patients in our tertiary center, but in a substantial group of patients the guidelines are still not implemented. New, cost-effective, safe, accessible treatments are needed for warfarin contraindicated patients.

Prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder in patients with acute myocardial infarction

We estimated the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and identified predictors of self-rated PTSD symptoms in patients post-myocardial infarction (MI). We recruited 400 patients (mean age 60 +/- 12 years, 79% were men) with a previous acute index MI who were referred to a tertiary cardiology clinic. PTSD was assessed by the Clinician-administered PTSD Scale, and self-rated severity of PTSD symptom levels were assessed by the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale. Of the 190 patients who completed the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale, 34 met the cutoff for clinically significant PTSD symptomatology and 32 agreed to be interviewed. Among these patients, the Clinician-administered PTSD Scale interview yielded a prevalence of full and subsyndromal PTSD of 9.5% (95% confidence interval 7.4-11.6). Retrospectively rated feelings of helplessness (beta = .47, P < .001) and pain intensity during MI (beta = .15, P = .019) independently predicted PTSD symptom level. Approximately 10% of patients post-MI had full or subsyndromal PTSD. Subjective perception of MI predicted self-rated PTSD symptom level.