It’s another session of CardioNerds Rounds! In these rounds, Dr. Loie Farina (Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Fellow at Northwestern University) joins Dr. Jane Wilcox (Chief of the Section of Heart Failure Treatment and Recovery at Northwestern University) to discuss the nuances of HFpEF diagnosis and management. Dr. Wilcox is also the Associate Director of the T1 Center for Cardiovascular Therapeutics in the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and Director of the Myocardial Recovery Clinic at Northwestern University. Dr. Wilcox is a prolific researcher, clinician, and thought leader in Heart Failure and we are honored to have her on CardioNerds Rounds! Notes were drafted by Dr. Karan Desai. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Akiva Rosenzveig. This episode is supported with unrestricted funding from Zoll LifeVest. A special thank you to Mitzy Applegate and Ivan Chevere for their production skills that help make CardioNerds Rounds such an amazing success. All CardioNerds content is planned, produced, and reviewed solely by CardioNerds. Case details are altered to protect patient health information. CardioNerds Rounds is co-chaired by Dr. Karan Desai and Dr. Natalie Stokes.  Speaker disclosures: None Challenging Cases - Atrial Fibrillation with Dr. Hugh Calkins CardioNerds Rounds PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Show notes - HFpEF Diagnosis and Management Case #1 Synopsis: A woman in her 80s with a history of HFpEF presented with worsening dyspnea on exertion over the course of a year but significantly worsening over the past two months. Her other history includes prior breast cancer with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, permanent atrial fibrillation with AV node ablation and CRT-P, and CKD Stage III. She presented for an outpatient RHC with exercise to further characterize her HFpEF. Her echo showed normal LV size, no LVH, LVEF of 50%, decreased RV systolic function, severe left atrial enlargement, significantly elevated E/e’ and mild MR. Right heart catheterization showed moderately elevated bi-ventricular filling pressures at rest but with passive leg raise and Stage 1 exercise the wedge pressure rose significantly. We were asked to comment on management. Case #1 Takeaways Amongst the things that were discussed were the role of specific therapies in symptomatic patients with HFpEF. In patients with HFpEF and documented congestion, they will require diuretic therapy for symptomatic relief. But in addition to diuretic therapy, we discussed starting HFpEF-specific therapies. Amongst, those specific therapies mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. In multiple trials that have included patients with HFPEF, SGLT2i have reduced the risk of hospitalization. This includes the EMPEROR-PRESERVED Trial (see the CardioNerds Journal Club discussion on the trial) in which nearly 6000 patients with NYHA Class II-IV symptoms, EF > 40% and elevated NT-proBNP with a prior HF hospitalization within the past 12 months were randomized to Empagliflozin or placebo. The primary outcome – death from CV causes or hospitalization for Heart Failure – was significantly lower in the SGLT2i arm (13.8% vs 17.1%, 95% CI 0.69-0.90, P <0.001). In regards to MRA, an important trial was the TOPCAT trial which randomized patients with symptomatic HF and LVEF > 45% to receive either spironolactone or placebo. The primary endpoint (death from CV cause, aborted cardiac arrest, or hospitalization for HF) was not statistically different between treatment arms. Of note, however, there were concerns for regional differences which is outlined well in this NEJM Evidence piece. Case #2 Synopsis: A woman in her 70s with history of hypertension, obesity,

As the burden of cardiovascular disease increases in the United States, the importance of enhanced screening tools, early risk prediction, and prevention strategies grows. Novel risk scoring methods, including polygenic risk scores (PRS), may help identify patients that benefit from early intervention and risk modification. In this episode, we discuss how a PRS is calculated, how to incorporate a PRS into clinical practice, and current barriers to the equitable implementation of risk scores. In terms of frontiers in clinical genetics we also discuss the burgeoning field of pharmacogenetics and how pharmacogenetics may be used to identify responders and non-responders to certain therapies. Join CardioNerds Dr. Jessie Holtzman (CardioNerds Academy Chief and Chief Resident and soon FIT at UCSF), Dr. Alaa Diab (CardioNerds Academy Fellow and Medicine Resident at GBMC), and student doctor Hirsh Elhence (CardioNerds Academy Intern and medical student at USC Keck School of Medicine) as they discuss frontiers in clinical genetics with Dr. Pradeep Natarajan (Director of Preventive Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital). Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Akiva Rosenzveig. This episode was developed in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology and is supported with unrestricted educational funds from Illumina, Inc. All CardioNerds content is planned, produced, and reviewed solely by CardioNerds. This CardioNerds Cardiovascular Genomics series is a multi-institutional collaboration made possible by contributions of stellar fellow leads and expert faculty from several programs. Pearls • Notes • References CardioNerds Cardiovascular Genomics PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Frontiers in Clinical Genetics in Cardiovascular Prevention For common diseases like coronary artery disease, rare mutations may confer a several-fold increased risk of disease – for instance, in familial hypercholesterolemia, a single rare mutation may confer as much as a three-fold increase in risk of coronary artery disease. However, for most common diseases, the overall cumulative impact of several common genetic variants may be greater than that of a monogenetic trait. Family history is a particularly coarse predictor of CV risk, highlighting the need for polygenic risk scores. In particular, younger patients with borderline cardiovascular risk may benefit from the use of a polygenic risk score in the determination of their overall cardiovascular risk profile. A polygenic risk score (PRS) is a weighted sum of several risk-conferring alleles. The weight assigned to an allele is determined by the strength of the association between the allele and CV disease, as determined by genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The data used for genome-wide associated studies in cardiovascular disease have historically included populations primarily of European ancestry. However, more data is being collected from diverse patient cohorts to increase the external validity and broader applicability of such studies. Pharmacogenetic polygenic risk scores may be used to predict drug efficacy and toxicity, as well as to identify biologically plausible drug targets for clinical trial design. Show notes - Frontiers in Clinical Genetics in Cardiovascular Prevention What is a polygenic risk score (PRS)? Monogenic conditions are those in which a variant in a single gene causes a pathological phenotype. For example, familial hypercholesterolemia is often the result of a mutated allele in the LDL receptor gene. In contrast, polygenic risk suggests that there are variants in multiple genes that all confer risk independently, each with a small individual effect size. By aggregating many variants,

In this episode, we discuss the utility of veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) for the temporary management of biventricular failure and cardiogenic shock requiring full cardiopulmonary support. Here, we define the types of ECMO and describe the unique physiology of this mechanical circulatory support platform, as well as review the potential complications and management strategies. Most notably, we highlight indications for and contraindications to the use of VA-ECMO and review the importance of patient selection.  Lastly, we discuss de-escalation and de-cannulation strategies for patients on VA-ECMO as a bridge to recovery. Join Dr. Amit Goyal (CardioNerds Cofounder and FIT at Cleveland Clinic), Dr. Yoav Karpenshif (Series Co-chair and FIT at University of Pennsylvania), and Dr. Megan Burke (Episode FIT Lead and FIT at University of Pennsylvania) as they learn about how to care for some of our sickest patients from Dr. Ann Gage, interventional and critical care cardiologist at Centennial Heart. At the beginning of the episode, enjoy a message from the very first CardioNerds Scholar, Dr. Katie Vaughan (Chief Resident and soon Cardiology Fellow at BIDMC). Episode notes were developed by Dr. Megan Burke. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, Hirsh Elhence. The CardioNerds Cardiac Critical Care Series is a multi-institutional collaboration made possible by contributions of stellar fellow leads and expert faculty from several programs, led by series co-chairs, Dr. Mark Belkin, Dr. Eunice Dugan, Dr. Karan Desai, and Dr. Yoav Karpenshif. Pearls • Notes • References • Production Team CardioNerds Cardiac Critical Care PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls and Quotes - Biventricular Failure and the Use of VA-ECMO Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a form of temporary mechanical circulatory support that can do the work of both the heart and lungs. The ECMO circuit is a narcissist, i.e. cannulas are named in reference to the circuit and not the patient (“inflow” vs “outflow”). The decision to utilize ECMO should be made by a multidisciplinary shock team and patient selection is KEY! ECMO physiology rule #1: VA-ECMO increases LV afterload Patients on VA-ECMO should be monitored with a PA catheter and an arterial line in the right arm Show notes - Biventricular Failure and the Use of VA-ECMO Notes drafted by Dr. Megan Burke. 1. What is ECMO and what are the different types? Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a temporary form of mechanical life support that comes in two flavors: veno-arterial, or “VA” and veno-venous, or “VV.”  VV-ECMO supports extracorporeal gas exchange in the setting of acute respiratory failure VA-ECMO provides full circulatory support in addition to gas exchange, doing the work of both the heart and lungs.  2. What are the components and “anatomy” of the VA-ECMO circuit? The circuit is made up of the following major components: Venous (inflow) cannula Centrifugal Pump Oxygenator (also responsible for CO2 removal) Arterial (outflow) cannula The cannulas are named in reference to the ECMO circuit, not the patient. Dr. Gage suggests that we think of the ECMO circuit (and mechanical circulatory support in general) as narcissistic, i.e. flow is always in reference to the device. Gas exchange happens in the oxygenator. In the oxygenator blood flows through thin filaments that allow for diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Gas flows in the opposite direction of blood flow to maximize diffusion through the countercurrent effect. Oxygenation is determined by rate of blood flow through the oxygenator and FiO2 delivered. Carbon dioxide removal is determined by rate of countercurrent gas flow,

The CardioNerds Cardiovascular Genomics Series continues! In this episode Dr. Dan Ambinder (CardioNerds Cofounder and Interventional Cardiologist), Dr. Anjali Wagle (FIT Ambassador at Johns Hopkins) and Dr. James Sampognaro (medicine resident at Johns Hopkins Osler Medicine Residency) learn from Dr. Allison Hays (Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins CMR researcher and Medical Director of Echocardiography) and Dr. Cindy James (Associate Professor of Medicine and certified genetic counselor at Johns Hopkins with research focusing on cardiovascular genetic counseling and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies). They discuss arrhythmogenic RV cardiomyopathy as the context to learn about genetic counseling and family screening.  Episode script and notes were developed by Dr. Anjali Wagle. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Chelsea Amo Tweneboah. This episode was developed in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology and is supported with unrestricted educational funds from Illumina, Inc. All CardioNerds content is planned, produced, and reviewed solely by CardioNerds. This CardioNerds Cardiovascular Genomics series is a multi-institutional collaboration made possible by contributions of stellar fellow leads and expert faculty from several programs. Check out this REVIEW describing the “Multimodality Imaging in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy” by Nitin Malik, Allison Hays, and colleagues.   For related episodes, please enjoy these case-based discussions:  Ep 56. Case Report: Arrhythmogenic Desmoplakin Cardiomyopathy – Northwestern University  Ep 74. Case Report: Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) – Summa Health  Pearls • Notes • References CardioNerds Cardiovascular Genomics PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Show notes - Genetic Counseling & Family Screening in Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathies Notes (developed by Dr. Anjali Wagle)   What is the underlying pathophysiology of arrhythmogenic RV cardiomyopathy (ARVC)?  Fibrofatty replacement cardiac myocytes  Associated with genetically mediated disruption of desmosomal proteins   This leads to thinning and weakness of the heart that can lead to aneurysms and progressive dilatation and failure of the right ventricle (RV)  How is ARVC diagnosed?  2010 taskforce criteria (Marcus et al, 2010):    RV structural abnormalities including findings seen on echocardiogram, MRI, and RV angiography  Pathological criteria  Repolarization abnormalities   Depolarization/conduction abnormalities   Ventricular arrhythmias   Genetics and/or family history   How does ARVC present?   Young, healthy individual will have symptoms of arrhythmias (syncope, pre-syncope, SCD) or heart failure  Family screening   What are the inheritance and genetic factors of ARVC?  Autosomal dominant pattern  Low penetrance and variable expressivity   Half of patients who are index cases will be found to have a mutation in the desmosomal gene.   What are the most common mutations associated with ARVC?  Most commonly the genes involved are plakophilin-2 (PKP-2) and desmoplakin.   For PKP-2 the most common mutations are truncating mutations.   In patients who have inherited two truncating mutations, this will result in neonatal lethality.   Is there a difference in the genetic factors of left and right arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy?   ACM is disproportionally a right dominated cardiomyopathy. Left dominated cardiomyopathy has a different genetic profile.   Pathogenic variants in desmoplakin disproportionally cause biventricular forms of ACM or left dominated forms.

Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect, affecting 1 in 100 babies. Amongst these ventricular septal defects are very common with the majority of patients living into adulthood. In this episode we will be reviewing key features of VSDs including embryologic origin, anatomy, physiology, hemodynamic consequences, clinical presentation and management of VSDs. Dr. Tommy Das (CardioNerds Academy Program Director and FIT at Cleveland Clinic), Dr. Agnes Koczo (CardioNerds ACHD Series Co-Chair and FIT at UPMC), and Dr. Anu Dodeja (Associate Director for ACHD at Connecticut Children’s) discuss VSDs with expert faculty Dr. Keri Shafer. Dr. Shafer is an adult congenital heart disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, and an assistant professor of pediatrics within Harvard Medical School. She is a medical educator and was an invited speaker for the inaugural CardioNerds Sanjay V Desai Lecture, on the topic of growth mindset. Script and notes were developed by Dr. Anu Dodeja. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, Shivani Reddy. The CardioNerds Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) series provides a comprehensive curriculum to dive deep into the labyrinthine world of congenital heart disease with the aim of empowering every CardioNerd to help improve the lives of people living with congenital heart disease. This series is multi-institutional collaborative project made possible by contributions of stellar fellow leads and expert faculty from several programs, led by series co-chairs, Dr. Josh Saef, Dr. Agnes Koczo, and Dr. Dan Clark. The CardioNerds Adult Congenital Heart Disease Series is developed in collaboration with the Adult Congenital Heart Association, The CHiP Network, and Heart University. See more Disclosures: None Pearls • Notes • References • Guest Profiles • Production Team CardioNerds Adult Congenital Heart Disease PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Ventricular Septal Defects Most common VSDs: Perimembranous VSD The shunt volume in a VSD is determined largely by the size of the defect and the pulmonary vascular resistance. VSDs cause left to right shunt. The long-term effects are left sided chamber dilation, as is the case with PDAs (post-tricuspid shunts) VSDs can be associated with acquired RVOTO, double chamber right ventricle, LVOTO/sub aortic membrane formation, and aortic regurgitation from aortic valve prolapse. Eisenmenger syndrome results from long-term left-to-right shunt, usually at higher shunt volumes. The resulting elevated pulmonary artery pressure is irreversible and leads to a reversal in the ventricular level shunt, desaturation, cyanosis, and secondary erythrocytosis. Endocarditis prophylaxis is not indicated for simple VSD. It is required for 6 months post VSD closure, in patients post VSD closure with a residual shunt and in Eisenmenger patients with R—>L shunt and cyanosis. Show notes - Ventricular Septal Defects Notes (developed by Dr. Anu Dodeja): What are types OF VSD? (Please note that there are several nomenclatures) Perimembranous VSDMost common type of VSD - 80% of VSDsOccurs in the membranous septum and can be associated with inlet or outlet extensionLocated near the tricuspid and aortic valves, often time can be closed off by tissue from the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve and associated with abnormalities in the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve secondary to damage from the left to right shuntCan be associated with acquired RVOTO, double chamber right ventricle, LVOTO/sub aortic membrane formation On TTE, the parasternal short axis view at the base demonstrates this type of VSD at the 10-12 o’clock position. Muscular VSDSecond most common VSD - 15-20% of VSDsCompletely surrounded by muscle,

The field of Cardiovascular Genomics has advanced tremendously over the past two decades, having a significant clinical impact and changing the perception of the role and scope of genetic testing in several cardiovascular domains.  To kickstart the Cardiovascular Genomics series, CardioNerds Dr. Sara Coles (FIT at Duke University), Dr. Colin Blumenthal (CardioNerds Academy faculty and FIT at UPenn), and Dr. Karla Asturias (CardioNerds Academy fellow and medicine resident at Pennsylvania Hospital) have a great discussion with Dr. James Daubert, a clinical electrophysiologist at Duke University, with a particular interest in inherited arrhythmia syndromes and sports cardiology. In this episode, we review basic concepts of cardiovascular genomics and genetics in electrophysiology while discussing when to (and when not to!) test our patients and their families and how to approach those results. Audio editing by CardioNerds academy intern, Pace Wetstein. This episode was developed in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology and is supported with unrestricted educational funds from Illumina, Inc. All CardioNerds content is planned, produced, and reviewed solely by CardioNerds. This CardioNerds Cardiovascular Genomics series is a multi-institutional collaboration made possible by contributions of stellar fellow leads and expert faculty from several programs. Pearls • Notes • References CardioNerds Cardiovascular Genomics PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls and Quotes - Genetics in Electrophysiology The first step is identifying the right phenotype! Getting the right phenotype is crucial, as genetic testing done in a patient without a clear phenotype (or an incorrect one) would lead to significant anxiety, unnecessary tests and interventions, and potentially misleading and dangerous conclusions for patients and their families. Genetic testing typically should be reserved for patients with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of an inherited disease or for individuals with a previously diagnosed pathogenic variant in a first-degree relative.1 Discuss with your patient! Genetic counseling is essential and recommended for all patients before and after genetic testing. It should include a thorough discussion of risks, benefits, and possible outcomes, including variants of uncertain significance.2 Cardiovascular genetics is a dynamic and rapidly evolving field. New information can cause a variant of uncertain significance to be reclassified as a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant or to be downgraded to benign or likely benign as variant databases expand. Another possibility is that new research might identify novel genes for a particular disease, which could warrant retesting, particularly for phenotype-positive and genotype-negative patients.1 Brugada syndrome is an inherited arrhythmogenic disorder characterized by ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads and malignant ventricular arrhythmias, with occasional conduction disease and atrial arrhythmias. It is diagnosed in patients with ST-segment elevation ≥ 2 mm in ≥ 1 lead among the right precordial leads, with a type I morphology (J-point elevation with slowly descending or concave ST segment elevation merging into a negative T wave), shown in the image below. This pattern can be observed spontaneously or after provocative drug testing (e.g., procainamide). Pathogenic genetic variants in SCN5A that result in loss of function of the cardiac sodium channel are identified in approximately 20% of cases.3,4 Image adapted from Batchvarov VN. The Brugada Syndrome – Diagnosis, Clinical Implications and Risk Stratification. Eur Cardiol Rev. 2014;9(2):82. doi:10.15420/ECR.2014.9.2.82 Measure the QT interval yourself!

CardioNerds Cofounder Dr. Amit Goyal is joined by Dr. Douglas Salguero (Internal medicine resident), Dr. Francisco Ujueta (Cardiology fellow), and Dr. Priscilla Wessly (Chief cardiology fellow) from the Columbia University Division of Cardiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami to discuss a rare case of isolated non-compaction cardiomyopathy. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Christos Mihos (Director, Echocardiography Laboratory, Columbia University Division of Cardiology, Mount Sinai Medical Center). Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, Shivani Reddy.   CardioNerds Case Reports PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Case Media - Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy Episode Schematics & Teaching The etiology has been a constant debate since 1980. It has been debated among researchers and clinicians whether LVNC is a physiologic or a pathologic manifestation. Waning et al., classified 327 unrelated patients into 3 categories: 1) genetic, 2) probably genetic, or 3) sporadic, identifying the most common mutations: MYH7, MYBPC3 and TTN in the genetic LVNC patients, which mostly encode for sarcomere, Z-disc and nuclear-envelope proteins. This supports the hypothesis that the inherited phenotype can arise from a gene mutation possibly during embryogenesis, disrupting the physiologic compaction of normally developing myocardium, which progresses from the base to the apex of the cardiac tissue. It is estimated that genetic LVNC accounts approximately 18-44% of cases, with autosomal dominant transmission being the most common form of inheritance. Physiologic remodeling with prominent trabeculations may be noted in athletes and pregnant women, in comparison to pathologic remodeling which may be encountered in patients with cardiomyopathy (e.g. pressure or volume load).  (1) There is no pathognomonic signs or symptoms in LVNC. LVNC patients may encounter various potential clinical characteristics. Presentations are myriad and include heart failure symptoms (HFrEF or HFpEF), ventricular tachycardia (VT/VF), atrial fibrillation, thromboembolism including cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and syncope. In a cohort of 95 probands with LVNC investigated in Europe, as many as 32.3% had an ICD/CRT-D implantation, with 11.8% experiencing a cardiovascular death and 18.2% having an appropriate ICD shock. (2) Imaging plays a key role in diagnosis for LVNC. The identification and diagnosis of LVNC is evaluated using 2D echocardiography. The initial proposed method by Chin et al., evaluated the size of the trabeculation in the center. (3) The most commonly used criteria, Jenni et al. (4), entail the following four finding: Two-layer structure, with a thin compacted layer and a thick non-compacted layer measure at end-systole at the parasternal short-axis view. LVNC is defined by a ratio of N/C > 2 Absence of co-existing cardiac structural abnormalities Prominent, excessive trabeculations and deep intra-trabecular recesses Recesses supplied by intraventricular blood on color doppler Cardiac MRI has increased the diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of LVNC. It has been suggested that a NC/C ratio of > 2.3 in diastole distinguished pathological non-compaction, with sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 99%, respectively. Although studies have shown an increase specificity with cardiac MRI, caution is needed as it may overestimate the presence of LVNC. Late gadolinium enhancement which suggests myocardial fibrosis or scar has been shown to have some prognostic value in LVNC patients. (5) Management for LVNC is multifaceted. As above,LVNC has a variety of presentations and prevailing manifestations will differ among patients. Therefore, the diagnostic and management approach much be personalized for a given patient...

CardioNerds (Dan Ambinder), episode lead Dr. Sarah Fahnhorst (ACHD Cardiologist at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan), and series co-chair Dr. Agnes Koczo (fellow at UPMC) learn about ASD from Dr. Richard Krasuski (ACHD Cardiologist and Director of ACHD at Duke University). Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Adriana Mares An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a common congenital heart disease most often diagnosed in childhood, but initial presentation can be in adulthood. ASDs are abnormal communications between the left and the right atrium.  There are four types of ASDs with different embryologic origins. If the defects are large, they will require percutaneous or surgical closure. Unrepaired defects can lead to symptoms of shortness of breath, exercise intolerance, recurrent chest infections, or pulmonary hypertension. This episode of CardioNerds will review the natural history, embryologic origin, diagnostic modalities/findings, indication for closure and long term complications of repaired and unrepaired atrial septal defects.  The CardioNerds Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) series provides a comprehensive curriculum to dive deep into the labyrinthine world of congenital heart disease with the aim of empowering every CardioNerd to help improve the lives of people living with congenital heart disease. This series is multi-institutional collaborative project made possible by contributions of stellar fellow leads and expert faculty from several programs, led by series co-chairs, Dr. Josh Saef, Dr. Agnes Koczo, and Dr. Dan Clark. The CardioNerds Adult Congenital Heart Disease Series is developed in collaboration with the Adult Congenital Heart Association, The CHiP Network, and Heart University. See more Disclosures: None Pearls • Notes • References • Guest Profiles • Production Team CardioNerds Adult Congenital Heart Disease PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Atrial Septal Defects It’s a CLASSIC! – On physical exam a wide fixed split S2 along with a systolic ejection murmur due to increased blood flow across the pulmonary valve and potentially a diastolic rumble across the tricuspid valve are CLASSIC findings with atrial septal defects. Atrial septal defects are not all the same. There are four types of atrial septal defects: secundum ASD, primum ASD, sinus venosus and coronary sinus defects (NOTE – the latter are atrial level defects which actually do not involve the interatrial septum). The different types warrant a different approach to closure. Use your tools and if your suspicion is high for an atrial septal defect, keep looking. Sinus venosus defects can easily be missed since the superior vena cava is difficult to image in adults. Diagnostic tools include: history and physical exam (USE the stethoscope), ECG, echocardiogram, cardiac MRI, cardiac CT, and cardiac catheterization.Not all defects NEED to be closed immediately. Moderate-large defects with a shunt greater than 1.5:1 should be closed due to increased risk of pulmonary hypertension and arrhythmias, barring contraindications. Surgery was previously the gold standard for closure of ASDs, but many defects especially secundum atrial septal defects are closed in the cath lab.    Show notes - Atrial Septal Defects Notes (developed by Dr. Sarah Fahnhorst What are the four different types of atrial level defects?Secundum atrial septal defectMost common type of atrial septal defect (75%)Located in the center of the atrial septum (fossa ovalis)Hole in the primum septum due to deficiency of the septum secundumPrimum atrial septal defectAccounts for 15-20% of ASDLocated at the inferior portion of the atrial septumIn the spectrum of atrioventricular septal defects/endocardial cushion defectsDefect in the developme...

CardioNerds Cofounder Dr. Amit Goyal is joined by an esteemed group of UCLA cardiology fellows – Dr. Patrick Zakka (CardioNerds Academy Chief), Dr. Negeen Shehandeh (Chief Fellow), and Dr. Adrian Castillo – to discuss a case of primary cardiac angiosarcoma. An expert commentary is provided by Dr. Eric Yang, beloved educator, associate clinical professor of medicine, assistant fellowship program director, and founder of the Cardio-Oncology program at UCLA.   Case synopsis: A female in her 40s presents to the ED for fatigue that had been ongoing for approximately 1 month. She also developed night sweats and diffuse joint pains, for which she has been taking NSAIDs. She was seen by her PCP and after bloodwork was done, was told she had iron deficiency so was on iron replacement therapy. Vital signs were within normal limits. She was in no acute distress. Her pulmonary and cardiac exams were unremarkable. Her lab studies showed a Hb of 6.6 (MCV 59) and platelet count of 686k. CXR was without significant abnormality, and EKG showed normal sinus rhythm. She was admitted to medicine and received IV iron (had not consented to receiving RBC transfusion). GI was consulted for anemia work-up. Meanwhile, she developed a new-onset atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response seen on telemetry, for which Cardiology was consulted. A TTE was ordered in part of her evaluation, and surprisingly noted a moderate pericardial effusion circumferential to the heart. Within the pericardial space, posterior to the heart and abutting the RA/RV was a large mass measuring approximately 5.5x5.9 cm. After further imaging work-up with CMR and PET-CT, the mass was surgically resected, and patient established care with outpatient oncology for chemotherapy.  CardioNerds Case Reports PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Case Media - primary cardiac angiosarcoma Episode Schematics & Teaching Pearls – primary cardiac angiosarcoma The pericardium is composed of an outer fibrous sac, and an inner serous sac with visceral and parietal layers.   Pericardial masses can be primary (benign or malignant) or metastatic. There are other miscellaneous pericardial masses.  Imaging modalities for the pericardium include echocardiography, cardiac CT and cardiac MRI. There is also role for PET-CT in pericardial imaging for further characterization of pericardial masses.   Cardiac angiosarcomas are extremely rare but are the most common cardiac primary malignant tumors.  Evidence-based management if lacking because of paucity of clinical data given the rarity of cardiac angiosarcomas. Surgery is the mainstay of therapy. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are often used as well.  Notes – primary cardiac angiosarcoma Pericardial Anatomy  The pericardium is a fibroelastic sac composed of two layers.   Outer layer: fibrous pericardium (<2 mm thick)  Inner layer: serous pericardium, two-layered sac.  Visceral pericardium: adherent to underlying myocardium Parietal pericardium: lines fibrous sac.  Between the serous layers, there is the pericardial cavity which normally contains up to 50 cc pericardial fluid.  Pericardial Masses  Benign  Lipoma: slow-growing, collection of adipose cells, thought to arise in AV groove Teratoma: benign germ cell tumors, often right sided. Can cause compressive symptoms of RA, SVC, PA, aortic root.  Fibroma: solid mass of connective tissue Hemangioma: vascular mass, often arising from visceral pericardium  Malignant  Sarcoma: various types including angiosarcoma and liposarcoma.  Lymphoma: usually non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma, often in immunocompromised patients Mesothelioma: no apparent association with asbestos. Pericardial effusions with nodules/plaques are seen.

It’s another session of CardioNerds Rounds! In these rounds, Dr. Priya Kothapalli (Interventional FIT at University of Texas at Auston, Dell Medical School) joins Dr. Deepak Bhatt (Dr. Valentin Fuster Professor of Medicine and Director of Mount Sinai Heart) to discuss the nuances of antithrombotic therapy. As one of the most prolific cardiovascular researchers, clinicians, and educators, CardioNerds is honored to have Dr. Bhatt on Rounds, especially given that Dr. Bhatt has led numerous breakthroughs in antithrombotic therapy. Come round with us today by listening to the episodes of #CardsRounds! Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, Dr. Christian Faaborg-Andersen. This episode is supported with unrestricted funding from Zoll LifeVest. A special thank you to Mitzy Applegate and Ivan Chevere for their production skills that help make CardioNerds Rounds such an amazing success. All CardioNerds content is planned, produced, and reviewed solely by CardioNerds. Case details are altered to protect patient health information. CardioNerds Rounds is co-chaired by Dr. Karan Desai and Dr. Natalie Stokes.  Speaker disclosures: None Challenging Cases - Atrial Fibrillation with Dr. Hugh Calkins CardioNerds Rounds PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Show notes - Antithrombotic Management with Dr. Deepak Bhatt Case #1 Synopsis: A woman in her early 70s with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation presented with sudden-onset chest pressure and diaphoresis while at rest and was found to have an acute thrombotic 99% mid-LAD occlusion. The patient received OCT-guided PCI with a single drug-eluting stent. We discussed what the appropriate antithrombotic strategy would be for a patient with recent acute coronary syndrome and atrial fibrillation. Case #1Takeaways According to the recent 2021 revascularization guidelines, in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing PCI and taking oral anticoagulant therapy, it is recommended to discontinue aspirin after 1 to 4 weeks while maintaining P2Y12 inhibitors in addition to a non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant or warfarin.There are two recent trials – AUGUSTUS and the ENTRUST-AF PCI trial – that evaluated regimens of apixaban and edoxaban, respectively, that support earlier findings reporting lower bleeding rates in patients maintained on oral anticoagulant plus a P2Y12 inhibitor compared to triple therapy.Of note, none of these trials were specifically powered for ischemic endpoints, but when pooling data from these trials, rates of death, MI and stent thrombosis with dual therapy were similar to those seen in patients on triple therapy.Additionally, all of these patients enrolled in these trials were briefly treated with triple therapy after PCI before the aspirin was discontinued. In the 2021 guidelines, it is noted that analyses of stent thrombosis suggest that 80% of events occur within 30 days of PCI. Thus, it is reasonable to consider extending triply therapy to 1 month after PCI in high risk patients to reduce risk of stent thromboses.In AUGUSTUS, 90% of patients received clopidogrel as their P2Y12 inhibitor Case #2 Synopsis: A man in his mid-50s with a history of peripheral vascular disease with prior SFA stent for chronic limb ischemia, hyperlipidemia, tobacco use, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease presented with a two day history of “reflux” that was worse with exertion and that improved with rest and associated with diaphoresis. He was diagnosed with an NSTEMI. His LHC revealed 99% mid-RCA thrombotic occlusion with moderate disease in the LAD. He underwent thrombectomy and PCI with a single drug-eluting stent to the RCA. We discussed his short-term and long-term antithrombotic therapy Case #2 Takeaways