scholarly journals Cardiac Involvement in COVID-19 Patients: A Contemporary Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 494-517
Author(s):  
Domenico Maria Carretta ◽  
Aline Maria Silva ◽  
Donato D’Agostino ◽  
Skender Topi ◽  
Roberto Lovero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ventricular Tachycardia ◽  
Chest Pain ◽  
Wave Amplitude ◽  
Acute Myocarditis ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Shortness Of Breath ◽  
Ecg Changes ◽  
Presenting Symptoms ◽  
T Wave ◽  
St Segment

Background: The widely variable clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV2 disease (COVID-19) range from asymptomatic infections to multiple organ failure and death. Among the organs affected is the heart. This does not only affect people who already have previous cardiovascular problems, but also healthy people. This is a reason not to overlook any symptoms or to perform targeted examinations, even if apparently unrelated to the heart, for quick recognition and timely therapy. Aim of the study: This review recapitulates the current state of knowledge on the potential mechanisms and manifestation of myocarditis in patients with COVID-19 infection. Methods: A web-based search of published data was performed for all relevant studies on patients diagnosed with a COVID-19-induced acute myocarditis, and a total of 50 reports were included. The analysis of the studies evaluated highlights a male predominance, with the average age of patients being 55 years. The most common presenting symptoms included fever, shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain. Among ECG changes, non-specific ST-segment and T-wave amplitude alterations and ventricular tachycardia episodes were reported. Finally, we wanted to use a general evaluation without distinguishing between various countries, taking into consideration only the peer or reviewer, regardless of the declared value of the journals that have been published. Results and critical findings: The most common presenting symptoms included fever, shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain. Among ECG changes, non-specific ST-segment and T-wave amplitude alterations and ventricular tachycardia episodes were reported. In most patients, elevated levels of cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers were measured. Left ventricular dysfunction and hypokinesis were commonly exhibited symptoms. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMRI) confirmed the diagnosis of myocarditis with features of cardiac edema and cardiac injury. Nine patients underwent histopathological examination. Treatment with corticosteroids and immunoglobulins was the most applied strategy following the administration of antivirals. Discussion: Despite the exponentially growing knowledge on the management of COVID-19 infection, current available data on SARS-CoV2-correlated myocarditis are still limited, and several difficulties may be encountered in the differential diagnosis of acute myocarditis in the context of COVID-19 disease. Conclusions: While diagnostic criteria and evaluation strategies for myocarditis are well described, no guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of myocarditis in COVID-19 patients have yet been established. Therefore, further research is needed to advance the understanding of this disease process and define the most appropriate strategic approach in these patients.

scholarly journals Electrocardiography in pre-participation screening and current guidelines for participation in competitive sports

2016 ◽  
Vol 144 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 104-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljubica Georgijevic ◽  
Lana Andric
Keyword(s):  
Ventricular Tachycardia ◽  
Qt Interval ◽  
Sinus Bradycardia ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia ◽  
Ecg Changes ◽  
Sinus Arrhythmia ◽  
Intraventricular Conduction ◽  
Wave Inversion ◽  
St Segment

Electrocardiography (ECG) is especially significant in pre-participation screening due to its ability to discover or to rise a suspicion for certain cardiovascular diseases and conditions that represent a serious health risk in athletes. Common, conditionally benign and training related ECG changes are sinus bradycardia and sinus arrhythmia, first degree atrioventricular block, incomplete right bundle branch block, benign early repolarization, and isolated QRS voltage criteria for left ventricular enlargement. Uncommon ECG changes, unrelated to training, and some specific syndromes are ST segment depression and/or ? 2mm T wave inversion in two or more adjacent leads, intraventricular conduction disorder, Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, long QT interval syndrome, short QT interval syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, monomorphic ventricular extrasystole and benign ventricular tachycardia.

scholarly journals To Be or Not to Be … Acute Coronary Syndrome

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-367
Author(s):  
Pintilie Irina ◽  
Scridon Alina ◽  
Șerban Răzvan Constantin
Keyword(s):  
Chest Pain ◽  
Troponin I ◽  
Enzyme Inhibitor ◽  
Acute Myocarditis ◽  
Ventricular Myocardium ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Left Ventricular Myocardium ◽  
St Segment Elevation ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
St Segment

AbstractIntroduction: The association between ST segment abnormalities, elevated cardiac enzymes, and chest pain is usually a marker of acute coronary injury. However, certain other pathologies can sometimes mimic acute coronary syndromes.Case report: A 40-year-old Caucasian male, former smoker, with no other cardiovascular risk factors, presented to the Emergency Department for typical ischemic, prolonged chest pain. The ECG demonstrated inverted T waves in leads I, II, aVL, and V3 to V6. The patient presented high cardiac necrosis markers (troponin I 2.65 ng/ml). Based on these findings, the case was interpreted as non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, but coronary angiography excluded the presence of significant coronary lesions. The ventriculography showed an efficient left ventricle, with mild hypokinesia of the two apical thirds of the anterior left ventricular wall. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated areas of hypersignal on the T2-weighted imaging sequence in the left ventricular myocardium, suggestive for acute myocarditis. The patient was started on antiplatelet, beta-blocker, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, with favorable evolution.Conclusion: This case underlines the polymorphic appearance of acute myocarditis, which can often mimic an acute coronary event.

scholarly journals Cerebral embolism due to left atrial myxoma in a patient presenting with chest pain and ST-segment elevation: a case report

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
António Fontes ◽  
Nuno Dias-Ferreira ◽  
Anabela Tavares ◽  
Fátima Neves
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Chest Pain ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Left Atrial ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Atrial Myxoma ◽  
Left Atrial Myxoma ◽  
St Segment ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
St Elevation

Abstract Background Myocarditis is an uncommon, potentially life-threatening disease that presents with a wide range of symptoms. In acute myocarditis, chest pain (CP) may mimic typical angina and also be associated with electrocardiographic changes, including an elevation of the ST-segment. A large percentage (20–56%) of myxomas are found incidentally. Case summary A 62-year-old female presenting with sudden onset CP and infero-lateral ST-elevation in the electrocardiogram. The diagnosis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction was presumed and administered tenecteplase. The patient was immediately transported to a percutaneous coronary intervention centre. She complained of intermittent diplopia during transport and referred constitutional symptoms for the past 2 weeks. Coronary angiography showed normal arteries. The echocardiogram revealed moderate to severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction due to large areas of akinesia sparing most of the basal segments, and a mobile mass inside the left atrium attached to the septum. The cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) suggested the diagnosis of myocarditis with concomitant left atrial myxoma. The patient underwent resection of the myxoma. Neurological evaluation was performed due to mild vertigo while walking and diplopia in extreme eye movements. The head magnetic resonance imaging identified multiple infracentimetric lesions throughout the cerebral parenchyma compatible with an embolization process caused by fragments of the tumour. Discussion Myocarditis can have various presentations may mimic acute myocardial infarction and CMR is critical to establish the diagnosis. Myxoma with embolic complications requires emergent surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the applicable literature of a myxoma diagnosed during a myocarditis episode.

scholarly journals The mortal cause of sudden ECG changes in patients with chronic aortic insufficiency: Aortic dissection

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-70
Author(s):  
Mahmut Yesin ◽  
Turgut Karabağ ◽  
Macit Kalçık ◽  
Süleyman Karakoyun ◽  
Metin Çağdaş ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Aortic Dissection ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Aortic Insufficiency ◽  
Ecg Changes ◽  
St Segment Elevation ◽  
T Wave ◽  
Wave Inversion ◽  
St Segment ◽  
High Index Of Suspicion

The symptoms of aortic dissection (AD) may be highly variable and may mimic other much common conditions. Thus, a high index of suspicion should be maintaned, especially when the risk factors for AD are present or signs and symptoms suggest this possibility. However, sometimes AD may be asymptomatic or progression may be subclinical. Various electrocardiographical (ECG) changes may be seen in AD patients such as ST segment elevation in aVR as well as ST segment depression and T-wave inversion. In this case report, we reported a patient with acute AD whose ECG revealed ST segment elevation in aVR lead in addition to diffuse ST segment depression in other leads.

Abstract 4840: Tako-Tsubo Cardiomyopathy without Apical Ballooning - Results of the German Tako-Tsubo Registry

Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasios Athanasiadis ◽  
Birke Schneider ◽  
Johannes Schwab ◽  
Uta Gottwald ◽  
Ellen Hoffmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Ejection Fraction ◽  
Wall Motion ◽  
Apical Ballooning ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
St Segment Elevation ◽  
T Wave ◽  
Wave Inversion ◽  
St Segment ◽  
Tako Tsubo Cardiomyopathy

Background : The German tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) registry has been initiated to further evaluate this syndrome in a western population. We aimed to assess different patterns of left ventricular involvement in TTC. Methods : Inclusion criteria were: 1) acute chest symptoms, 2) reversible ECG changes (ST-segment elevation±T-wave inversion), 3) reversible left ventricular dysfunction with a wall motion abnormality not corresponding to a single coronary artery territory, 4) no significant coronary artery stenoses. Results : A total of 258 patients (pts) from 33 centers were included with a mean age of 68±12 years. Left ventriculography revealed the typical pattern of apical ballooning in 170 pts (66%) and an atypical mid-ventricular ballooning with normal wall motion of the apical and basal segments in 88 pts (34%). Mean age (68±11 vs 67±13 years) and gender distribution (150 women/20 men vs 80 women/8 men) were similar in both groups. Triggering events were present in 78% of the pts with apical ballooning (35% emotional, 34 physical and 9% combination) and in 75% of the pts with mid-ventricular ballooning (39% emotional, 25% physical and 11% combination). As assessed by left ventriculography, ejection fraction was significantly lower in pts with mid-ventricular ballooning (50±15% vs 45±13%, p=0.006). There was no difference in right ventricular involvement. Creatine kinase and troponin I were comparable in both groups. The ECG on admission showed ST-segment elevation in 87% of pts with apical ballooning and in 78% of pts with mid-ventricular ballooning. T-wave inversion was seen in 70% of the pts irrespective of the TTC variant. A Q-wave was significantly less present in pts with mid-ventricular ballooning (30% vs 16%, p=0.04). The QTc interval during the first 3 days was not different among both groups. Conclusion : A variant form with mid-ventricular ballooning was observed in one third of the pts with TTC. Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly lower in these pts, although they revealed significantly less Q-waves on the admission ECG. All other parameters were similar and confirm the concept that apical and mid-ventricular ballooning represent two different manifestations of the same syndrome.

Left ventricular dysfunction causing ischemia in patients with patent coronary arteries

Perfusion ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-122
Author(s):  
Thach Nguyen ◽  
Hoang Do ◽  
Tri Pham ◽  
Loc T Vu ◽  
Marco Zuin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chest Pain ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Diastolic Pressure ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
T Wave ◽  
St Depression ◽  
Wave Inversion ◽  
Group A ◽  
Group B ◽  
New Onset

Background: New onset of heart failure (HF) is an indication for the assessment of coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanistic causes of new onset HF associated with ischemic electrocardiograph (EKG) changes and chest pain in patients with patent or minimally diseased coronary arteries. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients (Group A) were retrospectively reviewed if they had an history of new onset of HF, chest pain, electrocardiographic changes indicating ischemia (ST depression or T wave inversion in at least two consecutive leads and a negative coronary angiogram [CA]) and did not require percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting. A 1:1 matched cohort (Group B) was adopted to validate the results. Results: All patients had a negative CA. The majority of subjects in Group A had a higher left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) when compared to the control group (p<0.05). Similarly, the aortic diastolic (AOD) pressure was lower in Group A than in Group B (p<0.05). In patients with elevated LVEDP and low AOD, with a coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) <20 mmHg, deep T wave inversion in two consecutive leads were more frequently observed. When the CPP was between 20-30 mmHg, a mild ST depression were more frequently recorded (p<0.05). Conversely, when the CPP was >30 mmHg, only mild non-specific ST-T changes or normal EKG were observed. Conclusions: In patients with HF and EKG changes suggestive of ischemia in at least two consecutive leads, a lower AOD could aggravate ischemia in patients with elevated left ventricular end diastolic pressure.

scholarly journals A STEMI gone viral

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
William Wung ◽  
Alison G Chang ◽  
Thomas WR Smith
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Ventricular Tachycardia ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Cardiac Biomarkers ◽  
Left Ventricular Ejection ◽  
Electrical Storm ◽  
Ecg Changes ◽  
Artery Disease

A 65-year-old male with a history of coronary artery disease and ankylosing spondylitis presented with focal ECG changes and elevated cardiac biomarkers suggestive of an acute lateral ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Emergent coronary angiography surprisingly showed non-obstructive coronary artery disease. Further workup including a cardiac MRI, viral serologies, and an endomyocardial biopsy was consistent with focal Coxsackie viral myocarditis. The patient subsequently developed recurrent, pulseless ventricular tachycardia requiring multiple rounds of ACLS, and his left ventricular ejection fraction acutely dropped from 55% to 20%. An emergent intra-aortic balloon pump was placed, and an intravenous lidocaine infusion and high-dose corticosteroids were started for the patient’s electrical storm and myocarditis, respectively. The patient was eventually discharged in stable condition with an implantable cardiac defibrillator. No further episodes of ventricular tachycardia were noted at six-month follow-up. In patients with acute ECG changes, elevated cardiac biomarkers, and no evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease, myocarditis should be considered as a leading diagnosis given the potentially life-threatening sequelae as seen in our patient.

ECG features and arrhythmias in takotsubo syndrome

ESC CardioMed ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 1298-1301
Author(s):  
Federico Migliore ◽  
Sebastiano Gili ◽  
Domenico Corrado
Keyword(s):  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Stunned Myocardium ◽  
Takotsubo Syndrome ◽  
St Segment Elevation ◽  
T Wave ◽  
Wave Inversion ◽  
Qt Interval Prolongation ◽  
St Segment ◽  
Reversible Left Ventricular Dysfunction ◽  
Repolarization Abnormalities

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is typically characterized by dynamic electrocardiographic (ECG) repolarization changes, which consist of mild ST-segment elevation on presentation (acute phase) followed by T-wave inversion with QT interval prolongation within 24–48 h after presentation (subacute phase). It is noteworthy that subacute ECG repolarization abnormalities of TTS resemble those of the so-called Wellens’ ECG pattern, which is characterized by transient T-wave inversion in the anterior precordial leads as a result of either myocardial ischaemia or other non-ischaemic conditions, all characterized by a reversible left ventricular dysfunction (‘stunned myocardium’).

Voltage Disturbances During Pregnancy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather C. Nixon
Keyword(s):  
Ventricular Tachycardia ◽  
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy ◽  
Ventricular Hypertrophy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Ventricular Ectopy ◽  
Conversion Therapy ◽  
St Segment ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
The Impact

This chapter covers the incidence, etiology, and treatment of the most common electrocardiogram and rhythm disturbances encountered during pregnancy. Baseline electrocardiogram changes associated with pregnancy include left ventricular hypertrophy and ST segment depressions secondary to anatomic and metabolic changes of pregnancy. The most common arrhythmias include atrial and ventricular ectopy, which are usually benign in nature. Supraventricular and ventricular tachycardia are also discussed in detail, along with the impact of antiarrhythmic and electrical conversion therapy on fetal and maternal well-being. An understanding of the pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment of these rhythm disturbances is requisite knowledge for all anesthesiologists to provide optimal and timely care to parturients.

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