Methodist DeBakey cardiovascular journal最新文献

A 76-year-old female with hypertension and hyperlipidemia was evaluated for incidental left ventricular calcification. Despite recent exertional chest pain, she was largely asymptomatic. Cardiac imaging revealed extensive endomyocardial calcifications without significant coronary artery stenosis. Laboratory tests excluded hypercalcemia, hyperparathyroidism, and sarcoidosis, leading to a diagnosis of idiopathic calcific cardiomyopathy. This case highlights the importance of comprehensive cardiac imaging in detecting subtle abnormalities, even in asymptomatic patients from non-tropical regions. It emphasizes considering both metastatic and dystrophic causes of endomyocardial calcification, regardless of geographical location. Given the patient's asymptomatic status and the condition's benign nature, a conservative management approach with regular monitoring was adopted. This case contributes to the limited literature on incidental endomyocardial calcification and may inform future strategies for similar presentations.

This 61-minute webcast features a conversation about "The Exposome and Cardiovascular Health"-the focus of Issue 20.5. Led by the issue's editors, the discussion engages the authors on emerging themes and lessons learned while researching and writing the articles. View the video at https://vimeo.com/1027348229.

This 61-minute webcast features a conversation about "Pulmonary Embolism"-the focus of Issue 20.3. Hosted by the issue's editors, the discussion engages the authors on emerging themes and lessons learned while researching and writing the articles. View the video at https://livestream.com/accounts/21157318/events/11146629.

A 25-year-old female presented with a congenital painless growing mass on the right side of her neck with symptoms of tinnitus and difficulty breathing. Imaging revealed an aneurysm of the internal jugular vein reaching a maximum diameter of 9.2 cm, shifting the trachea and right thyroid lobe to the left side. Simple excision was sufficient to treat compression symptoms and prevent potential thrombosis and embolism. This is the first reported case of aneurysmal internal jugular vein with fibrofatty degeneration and hamartomatous wall morphology associated with compression symptoms.

This 61-minute webcast features a conversation about "Cardiac Recovery"-the focus of Issue 20.4. Led by the issue's editors, the discussion engages the authors on emerging themes and lessons learned while researching and writing the articles. View the video at https://vimeo.com/event/4490511.

This 62-minute webcast features a conversation about "Women and the Heart: Gender-Related Differences in Cardiovascular Care"-the focus of Issue 20.2. Led by the issue's editor, the discussion engages the authors on emerging themes and lessons learned while researching and writing the articles. View the video at https://livestream.com/accounts/21157318/events/11132857.

Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) is a novel method to treat severe stenosis of the carotid artery with minimal embolization. During TCAR, flow reversal system redirects blood from the internal, external, and common carotid arteries into the femoral vein through a filter system to prevent debris and microparticles from entering the cerebral circulation. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring allows real-time detection of blood flow in the cerebral arteries during the operation and informs the surgeon of flow changes or possible emboli. With this information, the steps and maneuvers during the procedure and the function of the flow reversal system can be further improved to avoid stroke or other neurological complications. In this case study, we present a TCAR procedure with TCD monitoring in an asymptomatic male patient exhibiting severe left-sided internal carotid artery stenosis. Optimal cerebral protection was achieved due to the neuroprotective flow reversal system of TCAR.

This review explores the multifaceted exposures in the workplace that contribute to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including physical, ergonomics, chemical, biological, psychosocial, and emerging occupational hazards. These well-documented occupational hazards have long been linked to heart disease. Exposures arising from these hazards present significant concerns for worker health and safety. Moreover, heat stress is an emerging and increasingly pervasive threat, exacerbated by climate change, particularly in outdoor, high-exposure industries like agriculture and construction. While the epidemiological links between heat and CVD are well established, there is a critical gap in research on the physiological impacts of heat on workers' cardiovascular health. In particular, migrant workers are especially vulnerable to these occupational hazards, particularly in the absence of targeted, equitable interventions. As global temperatures rise, addressing these occupational exposures is important for protecting the cardiovascular health of the workforce and the expanding field of occupational cardiology.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a significant financial burden on patients and families, compounded by both direct and indirect healthcare costs. The increasing prevalence of CVD, coupled with the rising costs of treatment, exacerbates financial toxicity-defined as the economic strain and associated physical, emotional, and behavioral consequences on patients. This review explores the scope of financial toxicity in CVD care, detailing its prevalence, associated risk factors, and the complex interplay with social determinants of health such as income, insurance status, and comorbidities. Drawing from models in oncology, we highlight key interventions aimed at mitigating financial toxicity, including patient counseling, financial navigation, and enhanced patient-physician cost discussions. By adopting these approaches, healthcare providers can better support patients with CVD in managing both their health and financial well-being, potentially improving clinical outcomes. Future research is needed to develop standardized assessment tools for financial toxicity in CVD and implement system-wide mitigation strategies.

Air pollution, mostly from fossil fuel sources, is the leading environmental cause of global morbidity and mortality and is intricately linked to climate change. There is emerging evidence indicating that air pollution imposes most of its risk through proximate cardiovascular kidney and metabolic (CKM) etiologies. Indeed, there is compelling evidence linking air pollution to the genesis of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other risk factors. Air pollution frequently coexists with factors such as noise, with levels and risks influenced substantially by additional factors such as social determinants and natural and built environment features. Persistent disparities regarding the impact and new sources of air pollution, such as wildfires attributable to climate change, have renewed the urgency to better understand root sources, characterize their health effects, and disseminate this information for personal protection and policy impacts. In this review, we summarize evidence associating air pollution with cardiovascular health, the impact of air pollution on CKM health, and how interactions with other exposures and personal characteristics may modify these associations. Finally, we discuss new integrated approaches to capture risk from air pollution in the context of an exposomic framework.