Background: Select studies in the past have described significantly increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Increased atherosclerosis as well as microvascular involvement with recurrent focal ischemia and subsequent fibrosis are the proposed mechanisms. Our study aims to shed further light on SSc as an independent risk factor for [...]

Background: Depression is considered an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. Post-myocardial infarction (PMI) depression, is an increasingly recognized clinical entity with a prevalence of 10%. Compared with other ethnic groups, African Americans (AA) are more likely to be depressed and have higher coronary artery disease (CAD) burden. Few studies have evaluated the implications of [...]

Background: COVID-19 pandemic was vital in modifying healthcare delivery systems. This infection has led to variable composite outcomes in patients who have cardiovascular diseases [1,2]. In this study, we aimed to look into the impact of COVID-19 on incidence and outcomes of patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction using a nationally representative sample from the USA. [...]

Background: Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately every 40 seconds, an American will have a myocardial infarction. The aim of this project is to assess the progress of the prevention and management of myocardial infarction by using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data. Methods: This is a retrospective [...]

Background: Postmyocardial Infarction Syndrome (PMIS), also called Dressler syndrome or Post-pericardiotomy Syndrome, refers to a heterogeneous group of autoimmune-mediated conditions of pericardial, epicardial and myocardial inflammation following myocardial infarction. Generally considered to be rare in the reperfusion era, the features and risk factors of PMIS are less well characterized in the contemporary era. This study [...]

Background: Hyperlipidemia is a recognized risk factor for incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), and no such documented association with pneumonia. However, the influence of hyperlipidemia on long-term mortality after AMI, HF, or pneumonia has not yet been fully understood. The objectives are to estimate the effect of hyperlipidemia and [...]

Background: Troponin is a big molecule, with its fragments not readily cleared by impaired renal function or during dialysis [1]. Oftentimes diagnosing myocardial injury/infarction (MI) is challenging in patients with ESRD due to atypical clinical features coupled with indeterminate ECG changes [2], and elevation of troponin levels with lower PPV [3]. In this study, we [...]

Case Presentation: A 43 year-old man with history of alcohol abuse presented with progressive shortness of breath. He was found with severe pneumonia and subsequently developed cardiac arrest. Initial EKG suggested anteroseptal infarct, age undetermined; troponin was elevated with a peak of 0.188 ng/mL (normal <0.031 ng/mL). A left heart catheterization (LHC) revealed non-obstructive coronary [...]

Background: In the outpatient setting, untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with myriad adverse clinical outcomes including myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmias, and cerebrovascular disease.  However, little is known about the impact of treated versus untreated OSA on short-term outcomes in patients hospitalized with acute illness. We propose that the recurrent hypopnea and apnea [...]

Case Presentation: Pharyngeal pain is typically associated with upper respiratory tract pathology; rarely is it considered the initial presentation of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Delayed diagnosis and treatment of ACS in such cases can lead to poor patient outcomes and increased mortality (1). A 76-year-old male with a medical history of benign prostate hyperplasia and [...]