Cardiology Commons^™

Implementation Of The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-Item Screening Tool For Adult Patients In An Underserved Outpatient Cardiology Clinic, Leila Joint

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Background: 11.7% of adults aged 18 and over have regular feelings of worry, nervousness, or anxiety. Anxiety can often present with somatic symptoms. The rates of misdiagnoses are high with symptoms often attributed to physical etiologies. Early recognition and treatment of anxiety can improve quality of life, prevent complications and reduce health care costs.

Purpose of Project: Implementation of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item (GAD-2) screening tool in a fast-paced underserved outpatient cardiology clinic for adult patients presenting with chest pain and/or palpitations without documented history of anxiety. The purpose of this project is to improve the utilization …

Infective Endocarditis-Related Pseudoaneurysms After Bentall Surgery: The Role Of 3d Printing In Pre-Surgical Planning And Management: Case Report, Abdalla Eltayeb, Shaid Khan, Irene Landi, Mohammed Aladmawi, Olga Vriz

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

We present a case report of a male patient who underwent modified Bentall surgery with a mechanical valved conduit due to severe aortic regurgitation and ascending aortic aneurysm. Four years later, the patient developed a cascade of events as acute stoke, infective endocarditis due to Brucella abortus complicated by pseudoaneurysms of aortic graft with left ventricular outflow tract communication. A multi-modality approach, included a three-dimensional printing, facilitated the diagnosis and surgical planning. During surgery, the team opted for a salvage approach, and the patient showed continued improvement during follow-up. This case highlights the importance of careful monitoring and detection of …

Cardiac Biomarkers Differentiate Kawasaki Disease From Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children Associated With Covid-19, Mollie Walton

Research Days

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 show considerable clinical overlap. The goal of this study was to determine if cardiac biomarkers can differentiate KD from MIS-C.

Objectives/Goal: The goal of this study was to determine if cardiac biomarkers differentiate KD from MIS-C.

Methods/Design: The International Kawasaki Disease Registry enrolled (n=2903) contemporaneous KD and MIS-C patients1st, 2020, through June 30th, 2022. The study population was confined to KD patients meeting American Heart Association KD criteria with no prior COVID-19 infection and MIS-C patients meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria with confirmed …

Association Between Remote Monitoring And Interstage Morbidity And Mortality In Single Ventricle Patients Across Socioeconomic Groups, Bianca Cherestal

Research Days

Background: Despite improvements in outcomes over time, morbidity and mortality for infants with single ventricle (SV) heart disease remains high. Among other risk factors for mortality, infants of low socioeconomic status (SES) are known to be particularly vulnerable following stage 1 palliation.

Objectives/Goal: We sought to determine whether use of a novel remote monitoring program, CHAMP (Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program), mitigates differences in outcomes by SES for infants with SV during the interstage period.

Methods/Design: Using the CHAMP database, we identified 610 infants across 11 institutions enrolled in the program between 2014–2021. All enrolled patients’ families were provided with …

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange To Alleviate Ventricular Tachycardia After Diphenhydramine Ingestion, Kaushal Dosani, Lejla Music Aplenc, Stephen Pfeiffer

Research Days

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected the mental health of children causing an increased incidence of suicide attempts. Diphenhydramine is a common household medication and is frequently ingested by children. Toxic doses of diphenhydramine can affect the cardiovascular and central nervous system. In the heart, diphenhydramine blocks fast sodium channels and potassium channels which can result in conduction abnormalities including sinus tachycardia, widening of QRS duration, ventricular tachycardia and torsades de pointes. Massive ingestion can cause severe cardiovascular collapse which may require ECMO support

Objectives/Goal: To describe a novel method of clearing highly protein-bound diphenhydramine molecules from circulation after …

Improving Imaging Practices Following Arterial Switch Operation, Mollie Walton, Nir Atlas, Sanket Shah

Research Days

Problem Statement/Question: Long-term risk in post-operative cardiac patients exists, and morbidity may be avoided with advanced imaging surveillance.

Background/Project Intent (Aim Statement): The Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Multimodality Imaging During Follow-Up Care of Patients with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) was published in 2020 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation. This includes a subsection for D-Looped Transposition of the Great Arteries (D-Loop TGA). The arterial switch operation (ASO) is the preferred method for surgical repair of D-Loop TGA. Appropriate and timely use of advanced imaging is essential in optimizing long-term postsurgical outcomes. The objective of this quality improvement (QI) …

Center Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Outcomes Associated With Covid-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Comparative Cohort Study, Haley Williams, Kayla Woodworth

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background: Traditional cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a multidisciplinary, multifaceted program for cardiac patients. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, health care, including center-based CR (CBCR) programs, were closed to in-person sessions. Even with the return to CBCR participation, patient outcomes may have been affected by this disruption in care. The goal of this study was to determine if CR participation outcomes differed before and after CBCR program closure due to Covid-19.

Methods: A retrospective comparative cohort design was used to examine CR participant outcome data before and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Convenience sampling of CR participants at a large, urban …

Evaluating Nurse Use And Satisfaction With Video-Based Discharge Education For Adults With Heart Failure, Krystyna Simon Rn, Bsn, Molly Hendrickson Rn, Bsn, Windy Alonso Phd, Rn, Fhfsa

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background

Heart failure (HF) readmission rates are high and influenced by self-care practices and self-efficacy for managing chronic disease. Using digital education via tablet can help improve the discharge education process and may increase self-care knowledge.

Objective

The purpose of the study is to assess the current discharge processes implemented for HF patients in cardiovascular units at a Midwestern academic medical center.

Methods

Participants for this two-phase study were recruited from two inpatient cardiovascular units within a 700-bed, Midwestern academic medical center. Phase one used a pre-post quasiexperimental design to evaluate a discharge educational intervention using the teach-back method in …

Diagnosing Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy In Athletes, Chalisa Srisukajorn, Tamonwan Megan Jirakulaporn, Helen C Huang, Erik Fung, Polakit Teekakirikul

Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a young asymptomatic individual is a devastating, unpredictable event, with a widespread impact on the public health system. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common form of genetic heart disease, and considered one of the leading causes of SCD affecting young and frequently asymptomatic patients. A diagnosis of HCM is challenging particularly in young athletes due to overlapping clinical phenotypesbetween pathological left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and exercise-induced physiological LVH. Severalinvestigational tools have been used to differentiate these two distinct entities. This review article focuses upon the diagnosis of HCM in young athletes, SCD risk assessment, …

Procedural And Clinical Outcomes Of Dedicated Venous Stents In Acute And Chronic Venous Obstruction: A Retrospective Single Center Study, Guangming Tan, Madeleine G Yan, Bryan Py Yan

Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology

Background Endovenous angioplasty with stenting is an accepted treatment for patient with venous obstruction. Dedicated venous stents have been developed to improve the efficacy and safety of the venoplasty procedure. We report the procedural as well as clinical outcomes of these new generation stents in the treatment of acute and chronic venous obstruction. Method This is a single centre retrospective cohort study of patients who received venous stenting for either acute or chronic venous obstruction. Baseline demographics, procedural details, clinical outcomes including 30 day all-cause mortality, 90 day primary patency rate, and change in Villalta score were reported. Result 41 …

Dislodged Endovascular Heat-Induced Thrombus Resulting In Pulmonary Embolus Following Post-Operative Ultrasound Compression, Danielle Park, Aghilas Belkadi, Luke Perry, Michael Kachmar, Holly Graves

Stratford Campus Research Day

Introduction: Venous insufficiency and consequent varicose veins are common problems faced by many patients. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available including a minimally invasive method known as radiofrequency ablation (RFA). RFA is not without complications; amongst those are endovascular heat induced thrombosis (EHIT). This rare complication is typically managed conservatively; however, in rare occasions, the thrombus can detach and embolize causing further issues for patients.

Case Description: A 48-year-old male underwent an uneventful RFA procedure for a CEAP 4a venous insufficiency. On the post-operative ultrasound venous duplex evaluation, the patient was found to have EHIT type 2 in the …

Effects Of Nstemi On Patients With Eating Disorders: Insights From The National Inpatient Sample, Rafail Beshai, Keri Anacker, Keith Anacker, Tony Elias, David Halim-Banoub, Maziyar Daneshvar, Howard Weinberg

Stratford Campus Research Day

Introduction: Eating disorders (ED) such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa have detrimental implications on the health and wellbeing of children and young adults across the country. Cardiovascular implications are known to accompany these conditions, however there is a paucity of data looking specifically on the effects of NSTEMI on patients with these disorders. We sought to analyze this relationship further by examining these disorders within the national inpatient sample database to describe in-hospital trends and outcomes among those patients.

Methods: Data were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) Database for the years 2019 and 2020. The NIS was searched …

Mixed Beri’S: High Output Heart Failure From Severe Anemia And Thiamine Deficiency, Rohan Umrani, Hiral Amin, Ashley Pinckney, Charles Yang, Daniel Tran

Stratford Campus Research Day

Background: Severe anemia and thiamine deficiency can independently result in high output heart failure (HOHF) through different mechanisms. Data on the threshold and timeframe at which these etiologies may precipitate HOHF is unclear.

Case: A 63-year-old male with alcohol use disorder consuming 18 drinks/week presented with progressive shortness of breath and lower extremity edema for a few months. Physical exam revealed tachycardia, anasarca, jugular venous distension, Lancisi’s sign, and a midsystolic murmur. Echocardiogram demonstrated EF of 30-35%, dilated left ventricle, and cardiac index of 4.2L/min/m2.

Decision-Making: Heart failure can independently precipitate anemia while severe alcoholism can induce myelosuppression and promote …

Brash Syndrome Case Report And Brief Review, Kelly Schuitema

Stratford Campus Research Day

BRASH syndrome is an acronym that stands for bradycardia, renal failure, AV node blocker, shock and hyperkalemia. The syndrome is precipitated by synergism from AV nodal blocking agents and hyperkalemia. The combination of the AV nodal blockade and renal failure leads to a cycle of severe bradycardia and hyperkalemia. We will discuss a case of BRASH syndrome with a 68 year old female who presented with generalized weakness and was found to be hypotensive, bradycardia, in acute renal failure with hyperkalemia likely related to metoprolol and amlodipine use.

New Onset Lichen Planus And Back Pain Leading To Discovery Of A Peri Aortic Abscess, Monica Diep, Wayne Tamaska, Philip Carhart, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Stratford Campus Research Day

Back pain is a common chief complaint in the emergency department. With the differential ranging from musculoskeletal pain to cauda equina, there are a plethora of diagnoses. Differentiating between benign back pain and back pain that warrants further evaluation and even possible emergent surgical intervention is often a challenge in the acute setting. In this case report, a strange combination of all new symptoms including lichen planus, fevers, chills and atraumatic back pain lead to the eerie and very unexpected diagnosis of a peri-aortic abscess.

Infective Endocarditis Secondary To Needle Embolization To The Heart, Tony Elias, David Barsoum, Robert Malak, Veyola Rezkalla, Maziyar Daneshvar, Howard Weinberg, Rafail Beshai

Stratford Campus Research Day

Needle embolisms in the heart are very rare, even though the number of intravenous drug users (IVDUs) has increased over the past 10 years.Due to varied symptomology-chest pain, dyspnoea, fever, or asymptomatic, this remains a complex and likely underdiagnosed condition. We describe a 31-year-old female with past medical history of IV drug use who presented to the emergency room with heart palpitations and described it as her “heart feels funny” and shortness of breath. She acknowledged intravenous (IV) heroin use and stated that the last time to use IV drugs was 2 days before coming to the hospital.

To our …

Effects Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder On Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Procedure: Insights From The National Inpatient Sample, Rafail Beshai, Keri Anacker, Keith Anacker, Tony Elias, Veyola Rezkalla, Maziyar Daneshvar, Howard Weinberg

Stratford Campus Research Day

Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can affect children and adults and is characterized by deficits in attention, self-regulation, and executive functioning. Symptoms can seriously affect daily functioning and may present as hyperactivity, inattentive behaviors, or a combination of both. There are data to suggest patients with ADHD suffer from increased rates of cardiovascular disease, however not much is known specifically regarding the relationship between ADHD and undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. We sought to examine this relationship in greater detail by perusing the national inpatient sample database to describe in-hospital trends and outcomes among these …

Inflammatory Marker Levels Among Patients Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Congenital Heart Defects, Patrick Pearce, Venkateswar Venkataraman, Andrea Iannuzzelli, Jennifer Lecomte

Stratford Campus Research Day

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and congenital heart defects (CHD) are conditions that both confer an immense increase in standard of care, and utilization of medical resources addressing comorbidities. One shared symptom that has been consistently cited is inflammation. This review sought to explore the levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-𝞪 (TNF-𝞪) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) between patients diagnosed as having either ASD or CHD. By compiling published data containing the mean values of these two inflammatory markers within these populations, it was shown that while both have significantly elevated levels compared to a phenotypically normal demographic, there is no significant difference between …

Is There An Association Between Preeclampsia/Eclampsia And Congenital Heart Disease Among The Neurodivergent Population?, Jasmine Emanuel, Venkateswar Venkataraman, Jennifer Lecomte, Andrea Iannuzzelli

Stratford Campus Research Day

Preeclampsia and eclampsia are very common gestational conditions among pregnant individuals worldwide. These individuals are diagnosed with high blood pressure (after 20 weeks of gestation), proteinuria/end-stage organ disease, and may include seizures. These conditions can put the mother and fetus at risk. A review of literature has shown that there is an association between cardiovascular defects among the neurodivergent population, where these individuals have a higher risk of developing atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects. The Rowan-Virtua Integrated Special Needs (RISN) Center patient population will be used to investigate whether preeclampsia/eclampsia in mothers is indicative of higher congenital heart …

Comorbidities, Behaviors, And Socioeconomic Factors And Mortality From Diseases Of The Heart In New Jersey, Matthew Guariglia, Stephen Poos, Ahmed Gawash, David Lo, Aayush Visaria

Stratford Campus Research Day

Mortality from diseases of the heart claimed the lives of 186,074 New Jerseyans from 2010 to 2019. This study aims to establish correlations between each of health-related risk factors and death from heart disease in each of six New Jersey counties. Each of the counties ranked by age-adjusted mortality per 100,000 from diseases of the heart. The six counties were divided by the least (Hunterdon, Somerset, Bergen) and greatest (Cape May, Salem, and Cumberland) mortality rates from heart disease. Additionally, this data was broken down into three main categories that include comorbidities, socioeconomic status, and behavior patterns. Each main category …