ECG changes in TC are distinctive and differ from those typically seen in acute anterior MI. The ECG abnormalities described may be important clues for the clinician to suspect diagnosis of TC in the right clinical setting.
Smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable deaths in the USA, accounting for one in every five deaths every year, and cardiovascular (CV) disease remains the leading cause of those deaths. Hence, there is increasing awareness to quit smoking among the public and counseling plays an important role in smoking cessation. There are different pharmacological methods to help quit smoking that includes nicotine replacement products available over the counter, including patch, gum, and lozenges, to prescription medications, such as bupropion and varenicline. There have been reports of both nonserious and serious adverse CV events associated with the use of these different pharmacological methods, especially varenicline, which has been gaining media attention recently. Therefore, we systematically reviewed the various pharmacotherapies used in smoking cessation and analyzed the evidence behind these CV events reported with these therapeutic agents.
Commotio cordis is a rare type of blunt cardiac injury in which low impact chest trauma causes sudden cardiac arrest, usually occurs from being struck by a projectile during sports. The most common arrhythmia during commotio cordis is ventricular fibrillation, although complete heart block and an idioventricular rhythm have also been reported. We describe a case of a young patient who presented with a persistent third-degree atrioventricular block and a left bundle branch block, following blunt chest trauma, as a result of blow by soccer ball and subsequently needed a permanent pacemaker.
Left ventricular (LV) pseudo aneurysm is a contained rupture of ventricular wall by adherent pericardium or scar tissue. We present a case of a 70 year-old male presented with exertional dyspnea for 2 months and found to have giant LV pseudo aneurysm on transthoracic echocardiogram, cardiac MRI and angiogram. To our knowledge such a large pseudo aneurysm involving LV apex and presenting as congestive heart failure is the first case in literature.
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