Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) associated with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a prevalent condition in the United States, significantly impacting global morbidity and mortality. Understanding temporal patterns in AF-related mortality among CKD patients is crucial for effective clinical and public health strategies. This study aimed to evaluate trends and regional disparities in AF-associated CKD mortality [...]

Background: This umbrella meta-analysis assesses the safety of left atrial appendage (LAA) closure by minimal invasive procedures compared to oral anticoagulants (OACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), concentrating on adverse events and overall clinical outcomes. The results seek to elucidate the most effective treatment. This umbrella meta-analysis intends to evaluate the safety and efficacy [...]

Background: Left atrial enlargement (LAE) is a common disorder that is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is frequently used to assess for LAE. However, prior studies reported only modest test characteristics with sensitivity, specificity, and 60-75% accuracy using outdated gold standard reference ranges. This study was designed to determine the [...]

Case Presentation: Patient is a 53-year-old female with a medical history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and tobacco use, presented with a right middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke and left-sided weakness. She initially delayed seeking care, attributing her symptoms to chronic back pain, but was eventually brought to the hospital by her family. MRI revealed a [...]

Case Presentation: A 58-year-old woman arrived to the emergency room complaining of fevers, chills, and confusion for two weeks. She has hypertension, complex psychiatric conditions including anxiety, depression, and alcohol use disorder. Her symptoms began 14 days ago with non-productive cough and headaches. During this time she also experienced fevers and chills. On physical examination, [...]

Case Presentation: A 17-year-old female presented with a one-month history of persistent dry cough, worsened by lying flat, requiring multiple pillows to sleep comfortably. Initially treated for presumed pharyngitis, her symptoms persisted, prompting further evaluation. Echocardiography revealed a large pericardial effusion with a normal ejection fraction, leading to hospital admission. Imaging studies identified a 3.5 [...]

Case Presentation: A twenty-six year old female was admitted for further evaluation after a Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE) showed three cardiac masses in the left and right atrium. Initial symptoms included near syncopal episodes, exertional dyspnea and fatigue. Further history revealed that the patient had right tonsillar swelling with some difficulty swallowing two months prior to [...]

Case Presentation: A 65-year-old male was admitted with COPD exacerbation. Imaging studies showed advanced emphysematous changes and cardiomegaly. He was found to be in newly detected atrial fibrillation for which a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) was obtained. TTE revealed a moderately dilated left atrium (LA) with a large, highly mobile mass (6.8 x 3.5 cm) prolapsing [...]

Case Presentation: A 75-year-old male with a past medical history significant for coronary artery disease, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation on Eliquis, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia presented to the emergency room with complaints of left-sided weakness, more pronounced in the left upper extremity. Physical examination revealed an alert, oriented, and well-appearing gentleman with decreased strength in his left [...]

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 70-year-old male with a medical history of atrial fibrillation, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), admitted for elective radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation. In the immediate postoperative period, the patient became hypotensive, with a blood pressure of 60/40 mmHg, and developed tachycardia, with a heart [...]