Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘cardiology’

What is Interventional cardiology ? I don’t know , . . I am in pursuit of a curious new definition !

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on February 2, 2019|

Let me see how many find sense in this Nonsense !


Read Full Post »

What happens to the vegetation after successful treatment of infective edocarditis ?

Posted in Cardiology - Clinical, infective endocarditis, Infrequently asked questions in cardiology (iFAQs), tagged , , , , , , on August 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

When do you call a infected heart as healed ?

Should the vegetation disappear to call it a cure ?

Vegetation’s rarely disappear following treatment . Very small vegetation may dissolve – 20% . Many times it regress in size .

Often  our aim should be  restricted  to sterilise the vegetation. This invariably happens in most of the patients who receive complete course of antibiotic. But healing and sterilizing is not enough in many vulnerable patients.If the vegetation is large the embolic risk is still there even with a healed vegetation.

So if there is a relatively large  (>1.5cm) vegetation it is always better to remove by surgery.

Interventional  techniques may   soon  allow  capturing these vegetation by basket catheters .When technology is there to retrieve small bits of a thrombus inside a coronary artery it should be possible to remove a large vegetation with temporary aortic filters in place.

Also read

https://drsvenkatesan.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/what-is-the-natural-history-of-infective-endocarditis-vegetation/

Read Full Post »

What happens to HDL level following Intensive statin therapy ?

Posted in cardiology -Therapeutics, Cardiology lipids /dyslipidemia, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 4, 2012| 2 Comments »

Statins have revolutionised the treatment of coronary artery disease .Intensive lipid lowering is the fundamental prerequisite in the management of both acute and chronic coronary syndromes. One question  is  always difficult to answer , ( rather reluctant to find the answer )  “The effect of statins on the HDL cholesterol”. Logic and the mechanisms of action would suggest HDL is not much affected , but in reality  I believe , in a given patient statins  do  reduce the HDL by at-least 10-20 % .This might have some significance. However ,  the marked  reduction in LDL  may nullify the adverse effects of lowering HDL.   Does this happen in all

What does the scientific evidence say ?

It says the opposite .  It seems  HDL is raised by statins that too significantly . The following paper also  suggests mechanism of  HDL  elevation by statins .It is Independent  to that of LDL reduction , I believe .

This JAMA article  adds more evidence

http://jama.jamanetwork.com/data/Journals/JAMA/5100/jpc70001_499_508.pdf

This paper  from  the  premier  Journal  of   Lipid research  agrees  to the   mechanism of  HDL reduction by statin  is a complex process  but still  it vouches for it .

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3035518/?report=printable

In spite of  all these  evidence . . .   it  remains a  huge suspect . . . from my personal point of  view ( My patients are  my evidence !  )

Coming soon

The above articles also raise an important  concept of dysfunctional HDL.  Simple raise  in HDL is not suffice . . .it should be functional as well !

Read Full Post »

Learning cardiac surgery : Free entry to some of best cardiac surgery theatres !

Posted in cardiac surgery, tagged , , , , on November 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Internet has revolutionsed the way we learn . Now,  you can watch experts  perfoming  complex cardiac surgries sitting at any where in the globe !

The credit not only goes to the broad-band internet , but also the greatness of   European association of cardiothoracic  surgery  which has made it available free of cost .

A must visit website for all those  physicians and surgeons ,  concerned with  cardiac care of our population .

Read Full Post »

Let us welcome this . . . A forum for cardiac safety !

Posted in bio ethics, cardiology -Therapeutics, cardiology-ethics, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on June 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »

There are thousands of forums for medical science.

Most are aimed at research.  Few are available  to scrutinize  research.

“Cardiac safety research consortium “

This one from Duke university ,  is a great beginning in collaboration with FDA .

Let us welcome , this whole heartedly and wish all success in it’s motto !

Namely , exposing all safety issues in the modern cardiac therapeutics .

Read Full Post »

Six “spheres of knowledge” in cardiology . . .

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on June 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Many believe  modern science is pure and uncontaminated.

I wish it to be true ,  But reality mirror tells a different story !

The following  “spheres of knowledge”  collectively  form the  cardiology literature .

How much ?  each sphere , contribute is any body’s guess !

The same  rule might  apply  in all  medical  specialties.

Readers are argued to add more spheres of  knowledge.

The seventh sphere may be Eg :  “Commerce based cardiology “

Read Full Post »

The most important journal in cardiology !

Posted in bio ethics, cardiology -Therapeutics, cardiology journal club, cardiology journals, tagged , , , , , , , on April 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Which you think is the most important journal in cardiology ?

  • JACC ?
  • Circulation ?
  • American journal of cardiology ?
  • American heart journal ?
  • Heart rhythm ?
  • European heart journal ?
  • The Heart  ?
  • Journal of invasive cardiology ?
  • NEJM ?
  • Lancet ?

None of the above  . . . is the right answer !

Probably,  the best journal  that is going to have the  greatest impact in cardiology practice in the future  could be  this  . . .

 Unfortunately  most  cardiologists are unaware of   this journal . The need for this journal , that  too from most respected Circulation family , will vouch for its importance in the current era  of  cardiology  that is driven more by the market forces than by the academics.

Click here  to reach  journal

Journal  Highlights

  • This  journal is 3 year old , and most of the medical colleges   do not subscribe to this.
  • None of the 100  cardiologists  who were questioned , were unaware of such a journal.
  • Even those who read this journal often term as boring  , academic and not practical !

 

The Circulation team which  started this journal  with  only one purpose  . . .that is ,  auditing the uncontrolled  proliferation of  pseudoscientific literature without proper quality assessment and dubious outcomes. Three cheers to the circualtion team for publishing this journal and let us propogate the importance of this publication.

Read Full Post »

The fine art of converting healthy persons into patients .

Posted in bio ethics, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 24, 2010| 1 Comment »

Common sense would  indicate  medical care is  meant for the sick and ill  . Relieving  the mankind  from all those  suffering  with a healing hand has made the  medical profession noble and sacred .Medical science   grew with this sole aim  many centuries ago  .Some  times  we succeeded   and many times we failed  and the journey is  continuing .

In those days ,scientists were dedicated , inventions were genuine and were driven by a need to conquer a diseases .Some where along the line, (May be in the last 2-3 decades?)   our quest for money power exceeded commonsense  . Commerce entered   every  walk of life and  medical science became the biggest causality.

The purpose of noble   profession was forgotten . Simultaneously   public awareness and quality if life vastly improved in many of the developed countries . So the traditional illnesses  either disappeared  or reduced   to a great extent . Then came the life style diseases.The cost of treating  an illness spiraled too much especially   in the scientifically advanced countries . What was perceived  as great health care system  became  the  most ridiculed  health system in the planet  ?

Why ?  The simplest answer to this q  is

In the name of science  and  modernity , medical treatment  was glorified beyond the level it deserves ,  and hence  the  cost of treatment is  kept at artificially  & foolishly high  (This often involves  diagnostic   exploration of human body with modern gadgets without any meaningful   purpose )  .

ie , In  a  nutshell  of modern medicine is   often a medical mirage than a miracle . We know ,  the chances of success  as we  try  to chase it. If we think the  world is   waking  on this issue .

We are in for a surprise ! Even as  every one  is asking for outcome analysis in modern health care

more and more countries just imitate the failed ( Scientific and moral failure ) western models of health care .

When major illness are reducing in a society what will the health care providers do ?

Feel happy ?  Yes that’s what   a  sane   mind  would   do .  In a capital  rich ,   health conscious ,   knowledge  driven  society the opposite happens .

When  the patient  input  into a top hospital  reduces , the MBAs   in  them plan strategies  to bring  increase the bed occupancy rate and  maintain  patient  parity.

If sufficient  patients  are not there in a community what shall we do ?

Create  more  patients

Creating  new patients is a too dangerous game ,  what shall we do ?

In the  name  of preventive screening   let  us  label   normal  persons as patients .

How to do it ?

The following examples  are personal observation made in  huge city of educated elite  in a developing country . Excuse me if it offends a few  . . .

Define, redefine all criteria that define the disease (There are

  • Make, 130/85mmhg of blood pressure as pre hypertension and make them visit our HT clinic every month.
  • In the  name of risk stratification do CRP, Micro HDL , Apo a   etc and  catch them  for primary risk reduction for a non existing illness
  • Let us  label  all the   age related  bone loss as  deadly osteoporosis and do bone graft.
  • Let us  call  the occasional post dinner stiff stomach as non ulcer dyspepsia   and  insert a  endoscope  into the patient tummy .
  • Do a 64slice CT  in a master health check and convert many  of the healthy  normals into carriers   soft  coronary plaques.
  • Do a ultra sound scan  in every one who takes alcohol and  give our brains a temptation to label  the normal  fatty streaks  as infiltrative  fat disorder .
  • Do routine pelvic scan and detect  sub clinical fibroid uterus as potentially  malignant and  post them for hysterectomy on the next operation day.
  • Convert all healthy women as a  potential cervical cancer  and administer  herpes vaccine and help  the vaccine company share  move up in wall street !
  • Finally , screen  all  our  playful   kids for   learning disability and   label them as slow attention deficit disorder  and  make their  life permanently   miserable .

The list is endless  . . .

Final message

We  are in a  era ,  where  even   a  simple  illness  ( common cold ? )  can be converted into a billion dollar industry . ( Are you aware of H1N1 fiasco ,  The role of   WHO  and  mystery labeling of pandemic !)

While the above  misadventure  with scientific excesses   goes  on merrily  , lest we forget , millions of children  and adults  suffer in misery for want of  live saving  investigations and drugs  in any country .

When a person with a head injury dies due a  missed   subdural  hematoma for want of CT scan in one hospital  ,  ” in the adjacent hospital”  a wealthy and healthy man  ( who got admitted for master health check up ) undergoes  a series of scans  all over the body   even as he is  watching   the  satellite TV in  the comfort of a  five star suite   !

God will never  forgive  the  noble professionals   if they are part of this  negative health care  forces

Finally  ending with a very positive note !

The new   initiative by  Obama   , ” Health care  for  the uninsured ” is to be welcomed as great move  and will do a world of good .

But , our  only  request  to WHO ( or related   bodies )  is to create a forum or authority  to  impeach all fancy diseases from the medical   literature  !

Read Full Post »

Lesser known cardiology journals . . . but with excellent content !

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on February 21, 2010| Leave a Comment »

There are many  cardiology journals we read , trust , and celebrate  . . .

Many of us are not aware of   few other excellent journals

This is one is different

It is  from  Scandinavia &  deserves a special status.

Read Full Post »

In dilated cardiomyopathy which chamber dilates first ?

Posted in cardiology -Therapeutics, Cardiology -unresolved questions, Cardiology-Coronary artery disese, echocardiography, Infrequently asked questions in cardiology (iFAQs), Uncategorized, tagged , , , on February 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »

As the name suggests   dilated cardiomyopathy  would imply  cardiac chambers will dilate , at least some time in the course of the disease .It can be minimal, mild or massive. A new entity called  non dilated cardiomyopathy is also gaining wider acceptance . (That will be dealt seperately )

Logic would suggest , the first chamber to dilate in DCM  should be the left ventricle because it is  facing the direct load of systemic blood. But we also know , whenever  LV is stressed , left atrium comes to it’s assistance .

Left atrium does this    by total self sacrifice ( by all  means!)  increases  it’s  force of contraction, elevating it’s  mean pressure or even increasing it’s rate (AF) .

Like most  other critical questions in cardiology  ,  the factors that determine LV dilatation in DCM ,  is  also poorly understood !

  1. Is it the after load ?
  2. Is it the  muscle mass ? or it’s turgid  or flabbiness ?
  3. Is it the interstitial integrity?
  4. Is it the blood volume ?(LVEDV ,  LV residual volume )

When the issue is complex , it is  usual  to  make the   the unknown  genetic defects  ,  the scapegoat !

As of now the most important determinant of LV dilatation  could be  the behavior of the desmins, the gap junctions and myosins the titins etc

If  the LV of a DCM patient  refuses  or  resists  dilatation what  might happen ? Is it good or bad for the patient ?

Here is a catch .  A  LV  that does not dilate  obviously should be  be good for the patient  is in’t ? Medicine is not that simple.

When   LV  fails to  dilate  it means it has become  too  stiff and rigid    and pass on the  burden to  to LA which  faces the music. And in the process it dilates.This is the reason , we  observe  diastolic dysfunction in vast number of DCM patients.( Currently it is estimated > 75% DCM will have significant diastolic dysfunction )

So , now we can imagine how complex the sequence of hemodynamic stress in DCM that determine the chamber enlargement.( RA, RV  dimension in DCM is a separate issue !)

So now answer this question :  Which chamber dilates first in DCM ?

  1. Left ventricle
  2. Left Atrium
  3. Any of the above
  4. Both of the above dilate simultaneously

The answer must be 3 .

Why  recognising this sequence of  chamber enlargement  in DCM   is important ?

  • It gives us an opportunity to assess the dominant mechanism of LV dysfunction.There are reports , where some  DCMs  have more diastolic dysfunction than systolic dysfunction  .This will have important therapeutic implication.Further , many of the infiltrative   disorders of LV can have features of both DCM & RCM .
  • When a RCM begins to dilate it is usually  a harbinger of terminal heart failure. But,  it need not be always true .  A small restrictive LV  , when  dilates ,   may acquire a  slightly improved diastolic properties , as the  LV becomes more placid . And ,  if it happens the LA size may regress.
  • The role of LV restriction devices like, Acron mesh, Dor procedure, plication  in refractory  DCM is not well defined. All these   modalities actually  adds  a small dose of diastolic dysfunction in these patients who have grossly dilated ventricles. This fact is  very important  , as presence of any preexisting  significant diastolic dysfunction in DCM makes  the role of LV restrictive devices and surgery a big question mark !

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »