Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an unexpected death caused by heart dysfunction. Autoantibodies against cardiac proteins may be potentially involved in the occurrence and progression of cardiac disease and SCD. The first report on the role of autoantibodies in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy appeared in the 1980s. In recent years new studies on the effects of the presence of specific autoantibodies and their relationship to ventricular arrhythmias and SCD were published. The purpose of the current mini-review is to analyze the results of the research studies focused on the relationship between anti-cardiomyocyte autoantibodies and SCD with respect to autoimmune disorders. According to our analysis, more research is needed to understand the role of these autoantibodies against cardiac proteins in the SCD pathogenesis, and potentially employ this knowledge for improving prognosis of SCD.
Neurological and vascular complications associated with creation of arteriovenous access need to be recognized promptly to deliver appropriate interventions for relief of symptoms and avoid loss of function of the involved extremity. We present here a 55-year-old female with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis secondary to diabetic nephropathy who had a surgical creation of first stage of the brachial artery-basilic vein fistula in the left arm. She subsequently developed pain and weakness of the left arm which was diagnosed as median and ulnar nerve entrapment. She was treated with surgical nerve release and neurolysis and her symptoms improved.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a short overview on the successful implementation of BioMEMS sensors in heart failure and vascular medicine. Expert commentary: BioMEMS devices have overcome current limitations in pharmacotherapies for resistant hypertension by electrical modulation of the baroreceeptors. This represents a step towards the development of biomedical micro-devices for those conditions in which pharmacotherapies result poorly effective or elicit unacceptable toxicity.
We present a case of a 55-year-old male who presented to emergency department with recurrent epistaxis. After placement of a 16-French Foley catheter in his right nare to tamponade the bleeding, the patient subsequently developed two episodes of syncope. Review of the telemetry rhythm strips showed that he had developed PR interval prolongation followed by complete atrioventricular block. Our case was likely secondary to stimulation of the trigemino-cardiac reflex, a neuro-cardiogenic reflex, that can occur after stimulation of the trigeminal nerve, whether centrally or peripherally. Patients can develop severe bradycardia, hypotension, asystole, and even death. The relatively common occurrence of epistaxis and its treatment with direct nasal tamponade require an increased awareness and possibly a requirement for telemetry monitoring to prevent complications from stimulation of this reflex.
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