Diabetic patient with three-vessel disease and left main involvement. Surgery yes, but not always

AbstractCoronary artery disease (CAD) is known to be the main cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. Although they do not often show typical recognized symptoms, diabetic patients suffer from more extensive CAD and hence higher incidence of multi-vessel CAD than in non-diabetic subjects. Literature has given the strength of evidence in favor of surgical revascularization in diabetic patients with multi-vessel disease. We report the case of a 61-year old active smoker and diabetic man with atypical symptoms and positive treadmill test. The coronary angiography revealed a severe three-vessel disease and distal left main involvement (SYNTAX score=49). As the patient refused to follow heart team indication to undergo coronary bypass grafting, a percutaneous coronary intervention was successfully performed with intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation support and intravascular ultrasound optimization. The mid-term outcome was good

Management of a patient with multiple device replacements and extractions: When the leadless pacemaker is a viable solution

Leadless pacemaker (LPs) is a safe device and the implantation rates of this device is increasing. The device extraction and replacement are today a challenging procedures especially in case of infections, fragile and older patients or in unfavorable venous anatomy; LPs can be a valid alternative strategy in these cases. We report a case of management of a patient with multiple previous device replacements and extractions, with malfunction of transvenous pacemaker and with a fibrous membrane between the walls of the ventricular lead and the superior vena cava (SVC), who underwent a successful LP implantation

Acute inferior myocardial infarction due to a large thrombus in the Left Coronary Sinus of Valsalva

Background Masses in the ascending aorta are an uncommon source of coronary embolism: thrombi located on atherosclerotic aortic plaques are the most frequent cause. A floating thrombus, without evidence of ascending aortic pathology has rarely been reported Method We report a case of an unusual aortic route thromboembolism leading ST segment elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). The patient was referred to the Hub Hospital to undergo urgent coronarography. The examination excluded atherosclerotic coronary arteries disease but an unusual persistence of contrast dye was found at the level of non-coronary sinus. The trans-esophageal echocardiography showed a mobile pedunculated echogenic mass allocated in the non-coronary sinus of Valsalva, prolapsing into the right coronary ostium and leading his dynamic occlusion at every cardiac cycle. Results The patient underwent emergency cardiac surgery. An enormous thrombotic mass was removed from the left coronary sinus of Valsalva. No tears in the aortic route or aortic valve anomalies were found. He was discharged in good clinical conditions 12 days after his admission. Conclusion This case show the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to a such challenging scenario was successful. It emphasizes the role of heart team in the decision-making algorith

Invasive assessment modalities of unprotected left main stenosis

AbstractAmong all coronary lesions, the decision-making process for the treatment of unprotected left main (ULM) stem lesions is still challenging. Indeed, the optimal therapeutic strategy for patients with ULM disease remains controversial: coronary artery bypass grafting was established as the gold standard, but it is without doubt that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed by experienced operators achieves good results at long term follow up, especially in cases where the ostium and/or shaft of ULM are treated. Thanks to the widespread use of invasive assessment of atherothrombotic ULM stenosis, improved selection of PCI cases and techniques of stenting, better outcomes are now possible. This review seeks to define the place of PCI in ULM disease by describing the different modalities of ULM stenosis assessment

Therapy of ATTR Cardiac Amyloidosis: Current Indications

Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis is a restrictive cardiomyopathy caused by extracellular deposition in the heart of amyloid fibrils derived from plasma transthyretin (ATTR), either in its hereditary (ATTRh) or acquired (ATTRwt) forms. Cardiac amyloidosis has a very poor prognosis if therapy is not started promptly. Therefore, it is very important to recognize cardiac amyloidosis early in order to immediately start a treatment capable of modifying the prognosis. Treatment of cardiac amyloidosis is not easy, often requiring a multidisciplinary team. New RNA-interfering drugs (such as patisiran) have been devised and are effective in the treatment of ATTRh amyloidosis. Tafamidis (a stabilizer of the native tetramer structure of TTR) is recommended to treat patients with genetic testing-proven hereditary hTTR-cardiomyopathy or wild-type TTR cardiomyopathy and NYHA Class I or II to reduce symptoms, CV hospitalization and mortality (Class I, level of evidence B). Patisiran should be considered in ATTRh cardiomyopathy with polyneuropathy. Thus, this review is intended to be a simple practical guide for the treatment of ATTR cardiac amyloidosis

Coronary Heart Disease in Postmenopausal Women with Type II Diabetes Mellitus and the Impact of Estrogen Replacement Therapy: A Narrative Review

Coronary heart disease is the main cause of death in postmenopausal women (PMW); moreover its mortality exceeds those for breast cancer in women at all ages. Type II diabetes mellitus is a major cardiovascular risk factor and there is some evidence that the risk conferred by diabetes is greater in women than in men. It was established that the deficiency of endogenous estrogens promotes the atherosclerosis process. However, the impact of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on cardiovascular prevention remains controversial. Some authors strongly recommend it, whereas others revealed a concerning trend toward harm. This review tries to underlines the different components of cardiovascular risk in diabetic PMW and to define the place of ERT

BIOMARKERS OF CORONARY MICROVASCULAR DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH MICROVASCULAR ANGINA: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

The current gold standard for diagnosis of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) in the absence of myocardial diseases, whose clinical manifestation is microvascular angina (MVA), is reactivity testing using adenosine or acetylcholine during coronary angiography. This invasive test can be difficult to perform, expensive and harmful. The identification of easily obtainable blood biomarkers which reflect the pathophysiology of CMD, characterized by high reliability, precision, accuracy and accessibility may reduce risks and costs related to invasive procedures and even facilitate the screening and diagnosis of CMD. In this review we summarized the results of several studies that have investigated the possible relationships between blood biomarkers involved with CMD and MVA. More specifically, we have divided the analyzed biomarkers into 3 different groups, according to the main mechanisms underlying CMD: biomarkers of “endothelial dysfunction”, “vascular inflammation” and “oxidative stress”. Finally, in the last section of the review, we consider mixed mechanisms and biomarkers which are not included in the 3 major categories mentioned above, but could be involved in the pathogenesis of CMD