Arya Atherosclerosis
Volume:19 Issue: 5, Sep-Oct 2023

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a major public health problem with over 90% case fatality. Although it is known that good quality of cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) leads to improved patient outcomes, health care practitioners commonly perform sub-optimal CPR. The CPR feedback device is a small device designed to measure the number and depth of chest compressions (CC) and if the rate of compressions or the depth of the compressions is low or high, it will try to correct the CPR operation by announcing a warning to the resuscitator. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this device which was designed and made by the authors’ technician study group member in improving CPR operations, to determine the need for it in all hospitals on a routine basis. This cross-sectional study was performed on patients who have suffered from cardio-pulmonary arrest in Al-Zahra Hospital in 2020. Patients needed primary CPR for any reason, were randomly divided into two groups using random allocation software. The first group contains patients as the CPR Feedback device is on and alarm is on and warns, if resuscitation is ineffective, the second group also uses the device, but with the difference that the alarm is off. The data was analyzed by general linear model method (repeated measure ANOVA).  80 patients were studied, including 63 men (79%) and 17 women (21%). Patients were divided among two groups. There was no significant difference in demographic characteristics between two groups. The results showed that there was no significant interaction between group and time for the compression depth variable and there was no significant difference in the depth of compressions between the two groups(P>0.05). For the rate of compressions, there was a significant interaction between group and time. These results indicate that turning on the CPR feedback device’s warning increases the number of compressions during CPR and, as a result, makes it more effective. The between-group effect which showed the difference in the number of compressions in the two groups, was statistically significant (P<0.001). These results indicated that turning on the CPR feedback device’s warning increases the rate of compressions during CPR and, as a result, makes it more effective. Therefore, the use of real-time CPR feedback device during chest compression in real-time CPR improves the quality of CPR.

The collected information includes demographic profile, medical history, physical examination, patient risk factors, anthropometric evaluation, medications, echocardiographic results, and exercise testing of all patients who participated in the outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program in Cardiac Rehabilitation Department since 1996 until now. Each patient was assigned an electronic code by which the patient's information could be identified. Subsequently, standard questionnaires were used, such as International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) to assess physical activity, MAC NEW to assess the quality of life, Spielberg to measure anxiety, Beck to assess depression, and nutritional questionnaires.

The findings were recorded, and the data were analyzed by the web and SPSS software. For all patients, the forms were filled based on a number of variables including backgrounds, registration components, type of referral, diagnosis of underlying heart disease, methods of data collection and entry, details of the educational program, return to work, psychiatric condition, drug regimen, clinical condition, echocardiography findings, functional capacity and exercise test response, smoking status, nutritional habits, and finally their 5-year follow-up for events and re-hospitalization.

It is necessary for the authors to establish a cardiac rehabilitation registration that can properly display care quality indicators and collect and report standard data from different nations to improve the quality of cardiac rehabilitation services and identify weaknesses.

Valvular heart disease presents a significant and escalating global health challenge. Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) following surgical valve replacement is a primary cause of valve failure. The aim of this study was to ascertain the outcomes and complications of fibrinolytic therapy in patients diagnosed with PVT. This cross-sectional study enrolled 81 patients diagnosed with PVT who underwent fibrinolytic therapy between 2008 and 2018. Streptokinase was administered to 87.6% of patients, while 12.4% received reteplase. All demographic and clinical data were gathered from the patients’ medical records. The incidence of successful recovery and complications were assessed. The records of 81 patients (43.2% male, mean age: 51.6 ± 13.9 years) were examined. The findings revealed that 59% and 35% of the patients had mitral and aortic PVT, respectively. While 12% of the patients experienced drug complications, 90% achieved successful recovery. Stroke and severe hemorrhage were complications frequently reported by the patients treated with streptokinase (8% and 4% respectively). The patients treated with reteplase demonstrated a 100% recovery rate. Conversely, 89% of the patients treated with streptokinase achieved successful recovery, and 7% of the patients experienced a partial recovery. Fibrinolytic agents can serve as an effective treatment with an excellent success rate for managing PVT in patients post-surgical valve replacement.

Awareness of the perceptions of patients regarding the nursing services provided during hospitalization can enhance the quality and safety of nursing care. The objective of this study was to elucidate the psychological perceptions of patients with bedsores regarding the nursing care they received in the intensive care unit. This descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 2021. The study population comprised patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care units of Chamran Hospital in Isfahan, Iran. The sample included 10 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These patients were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Semi-structured interviews were employed for data collection. Sampling continued until data saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis.  In this study, the codes obtained were classified into 10 subcategories, which were subsequently merged into three main categories. The main categories included “neglected wound care”, “empathetic care”, and “patient hope and trust”. The findings of this study revealed that the psychological understanding of patients with bedsores was associated with numerous components and challenges that necessitate the attention and consideration of nurses during the provision of care to these patients.

Cerebral ischemia and coronary artery disease (CAD), the major leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide, are pathophysiologically interrelated. Cerebral ischemic events are categorized as large or small vessels disease. The current study compares the factors related to CAD events incidence following ischemic large versus small disease CVA. The current cohort study was conducted on 225 patients with ischemic stroke in two groups of large (n=75) and small (n=150) vessel disease during 2018-19. The patients’ demographic, medical, and clinical characteristics were recruited. They were followed for three years regarding the incidence of CAD events, including ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), unstable angina (UA), and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Data about the coronary angiography, computed tomography angiography (CTA), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), and the therapeutic approach were gathered. There were insignificant differences between the patients with small versus large vessels CVA in terms of ACS incidence (P-value=0.105), type of the events (P-value=0.836), angiographic (P-value=0.671), SPECT (P-value=0.99) and CTA findings (P-value>0.99) and approached CAD (P-value=0.728). Cox regression assessments revealed an increased risk of CAD events due to large versus small vessels disease after adjustments for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, re-stroke, and the previous history of IHD (HR=2.005, 95%CI: 1.093-2.988, P-value=0.021). According to the findings of this study, large-vessel involvement in an ischemic stroke was associated with more than a two-fold increase in the three-year probability of ischemic heart disease incidencet.

Hypertension is widely known as a significant factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, there is increasing interest in the potential link between low admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) and higher mortality rates. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between admission SBP and the probability of one-year mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study, which used data from registries, focused on patients diagnosed with STEMI between July 2018 and December 2019. The patients were divided into three groups based on their admission SBP: normal (< 112 mm Hg), elevated (112–140 mm Hg), and hypertension (≥140 mm Hg), and were followed for one year. The researchers used Cox proportional models to analyze the data, which allowed them to estimate crude and fully adjusted hazard ratios, along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (HR, 95% CI). This study, which included 1159 patients with a mean age of 60.71±12.19, 914 (78.86%) were male, and 108 (9.32%) died within one year. Among the patients, 276 had a normal admission SBP, 338 had elevated SBP, and 545 had hypertension. Those with hypertension had a higher-risk profile, including factors such as hyperlipidemia, BMI, LDL levels, anterior myocardial infarction, and a higher prevalence of females. The crude and fully adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for the relationship between elevated admission SBP and mortality were calculated as 0.36 (95% CI: 0.23-0.56) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.23-0.81), respectively. The study's findings indicate a connection between increased admission SBP and a decreased probability of one-year mortality among patients with STEMI. Unlike the general population, where there is a direct linear correlation between SBP and the risk of future cardiovascular events, this research demonstrates an inverse relationship between SBP and one-year mortality.

Sarcoidosis is a complex multisystem inflammatory granulomatous disease that can affect any organ, with a wide range of clinical presentations. A significant number of patients with systemic sarcoidosis may also have cardiac involvement. Clinical manifestations of cardiac sarcoidosis can include various rhythm and conduction disturbances, as well as heart failure.The structure of sarcoid granulomas is similar to that of tuberculous granulomas, but in contrast, they lack caseous necrosis. Tissue changes in sarcoidosis tissues depend on the stage of development of the disease, progressing from pathological process: macrophage-lymphocytic infiltration to epithelioid cell granuloma formation, and fibrosis. Granulomas can be found in any part of the myocardium, with the most common locations being the free wall of the left ventricle, the basal part of the interventricular septum, and the interatrial septum. Vasculopathy of the pulmonary circulation and coronary arteries is often observed.Advancements in diagnostic imaging techniques, such as computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, have facilitated the verification of cardiac sarcoidosis. This article presents an analysis of updated information on cardiac sarcoidosis by a multidisciplinary working group.

There have been very rare reports on the migration of foreign bodies that are left or implanted in the body, and so far, they have only been reported in the gastrointestinal tract and intestines (a process similar to phagocytosis), later manifesting as an obstruction in the lumen. Meanwhile, no such cases have yet been reported in the cardiovascular system.The case reported here is a 14-month-old girl who had undergone pulmonary artery banding (PA band made of PTFE) around the pulmonary artery at the age of 8 months due to severe pulmonary hypertension and failure to thrive. She underwent reoperation six months later for a final treatment. It was discovered that the PA band was no longer around the pulmonary artery and had migrated completely into the pulmonary artery while remaining intact and circular and was drawn into the pulmonary artery in a process similar to phagocytosis. The PA band was removed completely. The uneven surface inside the main pulmonary artery was resected and the artery was repaired end-to-end. A total heart repair surgery was again performed on the patient. No problem was observed in the 2.5-year follow-up after the second surgery.Overall, the authors’ case is the first instance of migration of a biologically-neutral foreign body into the cardiovascular system that had occurred six months after the PA-band implantation, and the first case of erosion of a foreign body into the lumen outside the gastrointestinal tract. Although the authors could not find the cause of the presented case, reports on future cases can help find the underlying reasonThere have been very rare reports on the migration of foreign bodies that are left or implanted in the body, and so far, they have only been reported in the gastrointestinal tract and intestines (a process similar to phagocytosis), later manifesting as an obstruction in the lumen. Meanwhile, no such cases have yet been reported in the cardiovascular system.The case reported here is a 14-month-old girl who had undergone pulmonary artery banding (PA band made of PTFE) around the pulmonary artery at the age of 8 months due to severe pulmonary hypertension and failure to thrive. She underwent reoperation six months later for a final treatment. It was discovered that the PA band was no longer around the pulmonary artery and had migrated completely into the pulmonary artery while remaining intact and circular and was drawn into the pulmonary artery in a process similar to phagocytosis. The PA band was removed completely. The uneven surface inside the main pulmonary artery was resected and the artery was repaired end-to-end. A total heart repair surgery was again performed on the patient. No problem was observed in the 2.5-year follow-up after the second surgery.Overall, the authors’ case is the first instance of migration of a biologically-neutral foreign body into the cardiovascular system that had occurred six months after the PA-band implantation, and the first case of erosion of a foreign body into the lumen outside the gastrointestinal tract. Although the authors could not find the cause of the presented case, reports on future cases can help find the underlying reason