Background: The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) population has been steadily growing in the United States over the past decade. Several reports suggested higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in the transgender population, including higher rates of human immunodeficiency virus infection, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol abuse, smoking and mood disorders. Our [...]

Background: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of CAC detected by chest CT scan (CT) in heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients (pts) in the absence of coronary artery disease history (CAD Hx). Methods: In this retrospective cohort, we queried [...]

Background: Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune condition characterized by widespread skin fibrosis and/or end-organ damage. Previous studies have reported variable outcomes of the disease process, with males and patients of certain ethnicities suffering from the severe form of the disease leading to end-organ damage and an increase in mortality (1,2). The aim of this [...]

Background: For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), antithrombotic therapy including oral anticoagulants (OAC) and antiplatelets are indicated. The optimal combination is not known. We investigated the efficacy and safety of different antithrombotic strategies in patients with AF undergoing PCI. Methods: PUBMED and EMBASE were searched through September 2019 for [...]

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: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a cardiac emergency that requires timely reperfusion preferably with cardiac catheterization. The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2), has adversely impacted the delivery of healthcare to patients with STEMI. Several process changes were observed across the world during this period, including alternative cardiac [...]

Background: Despite the consistently proven benefits of cardioprotective medications, medication adherence (MA) remains a challenge in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Studies suggest that up to 50% of patients with CAD are nonadherent to medications, with patient knowledge, beliefs, and expectations playing a vital role. We aimed to assess patient-related medication non-adherence (MNA) factors in [...]

Background: Hospitalized patients are often kept fasting for various reasons, including clinical conditions, procedures and imaging, or dysphagia (1). Studies have demonstrated the harm of excessive fasting, including increased post-operative delirium (2), thirst and hunger, and patient dissatisfaction. Accordingly, recent guidelines have promoted a more liberal preoperative fasting strategy, namely, allowing clear liquids up to [...]

Background: HEART and TIMI risk scores that include 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) changes and troponin I (cTnI) have been used to stratify patients presenting with chest pain that may indicate the presence of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). It has been shown that the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) can be derived (dECG) from 3 measured leads displayed [...]

Background: Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) is a common anatomic modality for detection of cardiac ischemia in the setting of chest pain hospitalizations. However, invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is the gold standard for diagnosing ischemic coronary artery disease. Research showed that CCTA has a high sensitivity but lacks the specificity and accuracy component of Fractional [...]