Mucorales Endocarditis: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Mucorales endocarditis is an extremely rare and devastating disease, with few cases reported in the literature. The infection is predominantly found in immunocompromised patients, although a few cases involving immunocompetent individuals have been reported. We reviewed all cases of mucor endocarditis reported to date with a focus on demographics, clinical presentations, and the range of predisposing conditions, including immunosuppressive states, recent surgery, and cardiac device implantation.

Successful Management of HFpEF-Related Pulmonary Hypertension With Systemic-Level Pressures Using Sacubitril-Valsartan and Empagliflozin.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is present in over two-thirds of patients who experience heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and it worsens their prognosis, particularly when combined with right ventricular dysfunction. Effective treatments for HFpEF-related PH are limited.

Case Summary: A 70-year-old woman presented with severe exertional dyspnea and hypoxia.

Long-term outcomes of apixaban as main anticoagulant in patients with HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist devices.

Aims: HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) offer improved haemocompatibility-related outcomes for end-stage heart failure patients, facilitating the exploration of alternative anticoagulation therapies beyond warfarin. This study presents a long-term evaluation of thrombotic and bleeding outcomes in HM3 LVAD patients transitioned from warfarin to apixaban.

Methods: We retrospectively identified HM3 LVAD patients at our single centre who transitioned from warfarin to apixaban.

Rare Case of Reversible Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Secondary to Cyclophosphamide and Doxorubicin Chemotherapy.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), characterized as a resting mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 25 mmHg, is due to the narrowing of the pulmonary arteries, which can be idiopathic, inherited, or drug-related. Alkylating agents, including cyclophosphamide, are a risk factor for developing the pulmonary veno-occlusive disease. Drug-induced PAH is extremely rare.

An Unusual Case of Hemorrhagic Pleuropericarditis After COVID-19 Vaccination.

As coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are being increasingly administered worldwide, subsequent side effects, such as myocarditis, pericarditis, and myopericarditis, are becoming increasingly more common. Our case describes a 64-year-old male who developed chest pain and shortness of breath one week after receiving the Moderna (Cambridge, Massachusetts) COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. He was found to have a large, left-sided pleural effusion and a small pericardial effusion.

Electrocardiographic Associations Seen with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic respiratory disorder associated with repeated nocturnal partial or complete collapse that is often underdiagnosed and associated with multiple comorbidities. The association between specific features on an electrocardiogram and OSA has not been well studied. This retrospective study attempts to bridge this gap in knowledge.

Addison's disease masking a potentially life-threatening condition.

Addison's disease (AD) is a metabolic disorder that affects the metabolism of potassium. The hyperkalemia that results from this condition can be reflected in the electrocardiogram, which could confound the diagnosis of other cardiac conditions. Such a challenging situation was encountered when a 73-year-old male with history of AD presented to the emergency department with chest pain.

Medication-induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy presenting with cardiogenic shock-utility of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): case report and review of the literature.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a transient condition that affects the myocardium and is seen mostly in post-menopausal women secondary to an emotional or physical stressor; however, certain drugs have been described as cause of this syndrome. We report the case of a young female with medication--induced TTC, who presented with cardiogenic shock as initial manifestation, treated successfully with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). To our knowledge, this is the first case in the literature describing the use of ECMO in cardiogenic shock due to medication-induced TTC.

An avulsed radial artery with a high take-off.

A 63-year-old female was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis, who underwent a diagnostic coronary angiography via transradial approach prior an aortic-valve replacement. After imaging the left coronary system, entrapment of the diagnostic catheter was encountered as a result of spasm of the radial artery. An arteriogram of the arm revealed an anatomical variation in the radial artery (high take-off).