Cardiology

abstract: In the past, constrictive pericarditis was most often caused by tuberculosis. Today, however, it is more likely to be preceded by injury or trauma, infection, or previous cardiac surgery. Most patients with constrictive pericarditis present with dyspnea and have elevated jugular venous pressure. Other potential symptoms and signs include peripheral edema, abdominal fullness, hepatomegaly, ascites, and chest pain. Electrocardiography demonstrates nonspecific ST-segment and T-wave changes and generalized T-wave inversion or flattening. In many cases, chest radiography and CT reveal pericardial calcification, and echocardiography shows increased pericardial thickness and calcification. Treatment may include NSAIDs, corticosteroids, antibiotics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and diuretics. Surgery is the treatment of choice for chronic disease, and pericardiectomy is typically effective. (J Respir Dis. 2007;28(2):49-56)

ABSTRACT: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy is recommended for all patients with heart failure (HF) and a reduced ejection fraction. It is generally initiated in the hospital at low doses as inotropic therapy is tapered. Angiotensin II receptor blockers may be a suitable alternative for patients who cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors. For patients who cannot tolerate either class of drug, a combination of hydralazine and a nitrate is recommended. ß-Blockers are first-line therapy for patients with current or previous symptoms of HF and reduced left ventricular function, as well as all patients hospitalized for HF. An aldosterone antagonist may be added to the regimen of patients with moderately severe to severe symptoms and reduced ejection fraction whose renal function and potassium concentration can be monitored.

In his recent editorial Putting Guidelines for Chronic Kidney Disease IntoPractice (CONSULTANT, October 2006, page 1295), Dr Gregory Ruteckidiscussed the results of a study that shows many clinicians fail to follow evidence-based guidelines for the management of chronic kidney disease(CKD), such as when to consult a nephrologist.1 A sampling of the feedbackwe received appears below, along with Dr Rutecki's responses.

For a week, a 39-year-old woman with a history of intravenous heroin use had generalized pain, fever, chills, and a nonproductive cough. She rated the pain at 10 on a scale of 1 to 10; it was sharp, constant, and unrelieved by heroin. She also reported dyspnea at rest, pleuritic chest pain, and a 15-lb weight loss over the past month. She had no significant medical history or drug allergies, smoked a half pack of cigarettes per day, and denied alcohol use.

Encourage patients with cardiovascular risk factors who are not allergic to aspirin to carry several "baby" aspirin (81 mg) with them.

To facilitate the assessment of jugular venous pressure, shine a beam of light tangentially across the skin overlying the jugular vein while the patient's neck muscles are relaxed.

In cases of PEA, a rapid, narrow-QRS-complex rhythm is associated with an improved chance of survival.

An 80-year-old woman has a 3-month history of increasing dysphagia (withboth solids and liquids), fatigue, and dyspnea on exertion. She has also involuntarilylost 50 lb during the same period. She reports no abdominal pain orchange in bowel function.

An agitated and confused 51-year-old man is brought to the emergency departmentby his family and friends. Recently, he had been drinking heavilyand smoking cocaine. He stopped using alcohol and cocaine 2 days earlier,after he began to vomit.

Q:Is periodic laboratory monitoring recommended for patients withosteoarthritis who are receiving long-term cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)inhibitor therapy and who have no GI or renal symptoms? Similarly,is laboratory monitoring recommended for women who take a selectiveCOX-2 inhibitor to alleviate menstrual cramps (eg, rofecoxib, 50 mg/d,3 to 5 days per month)?--Sarita Salzberg, MDColumbus, Ohio

For 3 months, a 66-year-old retired man has had increasingweakness of the lower legs with stiffness,tingling, and numbness; worsening ataxia; anergia; andexertional dyspnea of insidious onset. He has lost 8 lb,and his appetite is poor. He denies fever, cough, chest orabdominal pain, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, orthopnea,ankle swelling, bleeding disorders, hematemesis,melena, headache, vision problems, sciatica, joint pain,bladder or bowel dysfunction, and GI symptoms. He hasnocturia attributable to benign prostatic hypertrophy.

A 78-year-old widower with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and hyperlipidemiais referred for a comprehensive geriatric assessment.His daughter is concerned about her father’s decline following her mother’s death a year ago.His memory seems to be deteriorating. His desk is cluttered with bills, but he refuses to lethis daughter help him or even look at his checkbook.

For the past week, a 16-year-old boy has had a progressively worsening dry, irritating cough; dyspnea on exertion; and intermittent fever and chills. During the past 24 hours, he has had no appetite and has vomited greenish material 3 or 4 times.

Q:How can I accurately determine when a patient’s hypertension isresistant to treatment-and what is the best approach to theevaluation?

When the QT interval is prolonged, amultifocal ventricular tachycardiasyndrome (torsades de pointes) mayoccur and produce sudden cardiacdeath. QT prolongation can resultfrom congenital abnormalities, suchas the long QT interval syndrome, orfrom certain drugs. Other factors thatincrease the risk of a prolonged QTinterval and torsades de pointes includehypokalemia, hypomagnesemia,older age, female sex, low ventricularejection fraction, ischemia,and low heart rate.

Q:Under what circumstances is 24-hour ambulatoryblood pressure monitoring (ABPM) appropriate?

Q:Do evidence-based data support combination therapy with anangiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and an angiotensin IIreceptor blocker (ARB)?

Your middle-aged patientwith type 2 diabetes wishesto start a weight-trainingprogram. What recommendationswill you offerhim? Another diabetic patient hasperipheral neuropathy; which exercisesare safest for her?

A 45-year-old man presents with a 1- to2-week history of low-grade fever and nonproductivecough. He has a long history of cigarette and alcoholabuse. The office nurse expresses her concern about thepatients cyanotic nail beds and requests your immediateevaluation.

An 83-year-old woman is hospitalized for treatment of deep venous thrombosisin her left leg. She underwent left hip replacement surgery 2 months earlier.At that time, mild anemia (hemoglobin level, 10 g/dL) was noted, and iron therapywas initiated. An iron panel obtained shortly after the hip surgery revealeda serum iron level of 80 μg/dL, a transferrin level of 360 mg/dL, and a ferritinlevel of 50 ng/mL.

Lately I have heard that "tissue ACE" properties are important in endothelial remodelingand in the prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke.

My patient-an 84-year-old woman with hypertension-presented with itchingand blistering of 3 days’ duration on her right foot (Figure).

Q:Should hypertensive patients be discouraged from participating inmoderate to vigorous exercise?A:On the contrary, most patients with sustained hypertension should bestrongly encouraged to exercise regularly at moderate to vigorous levels.Randomized controlled clinical trials have demonstrated that increasedphysical activity can lower blood pressure (BP) and delay or prevent the developmentof hypertension and thus the need for antihypertensive medication.1In addition, physical activity can help reduce cardiovascular risk factors by improvinglipid profiles and reducing weight and blood glucose levels. In elderlypersons, exercise is associated with improvements in osteoporosis, depression,and physical functioning, as well as an enhanced sense of well-being.

Cataracts areone of themost importantcauses ofreversibleblindness in elderly persons.1 A recent report thatpredicts a surge in cataractincidence has heightenedawareness of the importanceof proper timing andtechniques for cataract extraction.The study, authoredby the Eye DiseasesPrevalence ResearchGroup, estimated that thenumber of Americans withcataracts will increase byapproximately 50% in thenext 20 years as the populationages.2 Cataracts werethe leading cause of low vision(less than 20/40 bestcorrected visual acuity inthe better-seeing eye)among whites, blacks, andHispanics.

Pediatric ECGs vary by age;tracings change considerablyfrom birth through adulthood.In the ECG tracing above, theT waves are inverted. Nevertheless,as we outline here, the tracingis normal in a 9-year-old child; theT waves may not revert to normaluntil he reaches puberty.