Cardionerds

CardioNerds ACHD Council members Dr. Rawan Amir and Dr. Claire Cambron lead a profound conversation with ACHD faculty Dr. Allison Tsao, Dr. Jill Steiner, and Dr. Katherine Salciccioli. Together, they explore the emotional and professional challenges that ACHD providers face across the lifespan of congenital heart disease. Topics discussed include navigating challenging case scenarios, empowering patients through tough decisions, leveraging multi-subspecialty expertise, celebrating the successes, preparing for and grieving loss, and more. This episode was planned by the CardioNerds ACHD Council. 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!

CardioNerds (Drs. Daniel Ambinder and Eunice Dugan) join Dr. Namrita Ashokprabhu, Dr. Yulith Roca Alvarez, and Dr. Mehmet Yildiz from The Christ Hospital. Expert commentary by Dr. Odayme Quesada. Audio editing by CardioNerds intern, Christiana Dangas. This episode highlights the pivotal role of cardiac MRI and functional testing in uncovering coronary vasospasm as an underlying cause of MINOCA. Cardiac MRI is crucial in evaluating myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) and diagnosing myocarditis, but findings must be interpreted within clinical context. A 58-year-old man with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, a family history of cardiovascular disease, and smoking history presented with sudden chest pain, non-ST-elevation on EKG, and elevated troponin I (0.64 µg/L). Cardiac angiography revealed nonobstructive coronary disease, including a 40% stenosis in the LAD, consistent with MINOCA. Eight weeks later, another event (troponin I 1.18 µg/L) led to cardiac MRI findings suggesting myocarditis. Further history revealed episodic chest pain and coronary vasospasm, confirmed by coronary functional angiography showing severe vasoconstriction, resolved with nitroglycerin. Management included calcium channel blockers and long-acting nitrates, reducing symptoms. Coronary vasospasm is a frequent MINOCA cause and can mimic myocarditis on CMRI. Invasive coronary functional testing, including acetylcholine provocation testing, is indicated in suspicious cases.  US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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! Notes - Coronary Vasospasm What are the potential underlying causes of MINOCA (Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries)?  Plaque Rupture: Plaque disruption, which includes plaque rupture, erosion, and calcified nodules, occurs as lipids accumulate in coronary arteries, leading to inflammation, necrosis, fibrosis, and calcification. Plaque rupture exposes the plaque to the lumen, causing thrombosis and thromboembolism, while plaque erosion results from thrombus formation without rupture and is more common in women and smokers. Intravascular imaging, such as IVUS and OCT, can detect plaque rupture and erosion, with studies showing plaque disruption as a frequent cause of MINOCA, particularly in women, though the true prevalence may be underestimated due to limited imaging coverage.  Coronary Vasospasm: Coronary vasospasm is characterized by nitrate-responsive chest pain, transient ischemic EKG changes, and >90% vasoconstriction during provocative testing with acetylcholine or ergonovine, due to hyper-reactivity in vascular smooth muscle. It is a common cause of MINOCA, with approximately half of MINOCA patients testing positive in provocative tests, and Asians are at a significantly higher risk than Whites. Smoking is a known risk factor for vasospasm. In contrast, traditional risk factors like sex, hypertension, and diabetes do not increase the risk, and vasospasm is associated with a 2.5–13% long-term risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).  Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) involves the formation of a false lumen in epicardial coronary arteries without atherosclerosis, caused by either an inside-out tear or outside-in intramural hemorrhage. SCAD is classified into four types based on angiographic features, with coronary angiography being the primary diagnostic tool. However, in uncertain cases, advanced imaging like IVUS or OCT may be used cautiously. While the true prevalence is unclear due to missed diagnoses, SCAD is more common in women and is considered a cause of MINOCA when i...

CardioNerds co-founders Dr. Daniel Ambinder and Dr. Amit Goyal are joined by Dr. Spencer Weintraub, Chief Resident of Internal Medicine at Northwell Health, Dr. Michael Albosta, third-year Internal Medicine resident at the University of Miami, and Anna Biggins, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at the Georgia Heart Institute. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Zahid Ahmad, Associate Professor in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of Texas Southwestern. Together, they discuss a fascinating case involving a patient with a new diagnosis of hypertriglyceridemia. Episode audio was edited by CardioNerds Intern Student Dr. Pacey Wetstein. A woman in her 30s with type 2 diabetes, HIV, and polycystic ovarian syndrome presented with one day of sharp epigastric pain, non-bloody vomiting, and a new lower extremity rash. She was diagnosed with hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis, necessitating insulin infusion and plasmapheresis.   The CardioNerds discuss the pathophysiology of hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis, potential organic and iatrogenic causes, and the cardiovascular implications of triglyceride disorders. We explore differential diagnoses for cardiac and non-cardiac causes of epigastric pain, review acute and long-term management of hypertriglyceridemia, and discuss strategies for the management of the chylomicronemia syndrome, focusing on lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy.  This episode is part of a case reports series developed in collaboration with the National Lipid Association and their Lipid Scholarship Program, with mentorship from Dr. Daniel Soffer and Dr. Eugenia Gianos. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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! Pearls - Hypertriglyceridemia Cardiac sarcoidosis can present with a variety of symptoms, including arrhythmias, heart block, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death. The acute management of hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis involves prompt recognition and initiation of therapy to lower triglyceride levels using either plasmapheresis or intravenous insulin infusion +/- heparin infusion. Insulin infusion is used more commonly, while plasmapheresis is preferred in pregnancy.   Medications such as fibrates and omega-3 fatty acids can be used to maintain long-term triglyceride reduction to prevent the recurrence of pancreatitis, especially in patients with persistent triglyceride elevation despite lifestyle modifications. Statins can be used in patients for ASCVD reduction in patients with a 10-year ASCVD risk > 5%, age > 40 years old, and diabetes or diabetes with end-organ damage or known atherosclerosis. Consider preferential use of icosapent ethyl as an omega-3 fatty acid for triglyceride lowering if the patients fit the populations that appeared to benefit in the REDUCE IT trial.   Apply targeted dietary interventions within the context of an overall healthy dietary pattern, such as a Mediterranean or DASH diet. Limit full-fat dairy, fatty meats, refined starches, added sugars, and alcohol. Encourage high-fiber vegetables, whole fruits, low-fat or fat-free dairy, plant proteins, lean poultry, and fish. Pay special attention to the cooking oils to ensure the patient is not using palm oil, coconut oil, or butter when cooking. Instead, use liquid non-tropical plant oils. Initiate a very low-fat diet (< 5% of total daily calories from fat) for 1-4 weeks when TG levels are > 750 mg/dL.  Recommend and encourage patients to exercise regularly, with a minimum goal of 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. If weight loss is required, aim for more than >225 - 250 minutes/week.   Develop patient-centered and multidisciplinary stra...

CardioNerds (Dr. Rick Ferraro and Dr. Dan Ambinder) join Dr. Sri Mandava, Dr. David Meister, and Dr. Marissa Donatelle from the Columbia University Division of Cardiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Pranav Venkataraman.   They discuss the following case involving a patient with cardiac sarcoidosis presenting as STEMI:  A 57-year-old man with a history of hyperlipidemia presented with sudden onset chest pain. On admission, he was vitally stable with a normal cardiorespiratory exam but appeared in acute distress and was diffusely diaphoretic. His ECG revealed sinus rhythm, a right bundle branch block (RBBB), and ST elevation in the inferior-posterior leads. He was promptly taken for emergent cardiac catheterization, which identified a complete thrombotic occlusion of the mid-left circumflex artery (LCX) and large obtuse marginal (OM) branch, with no underlying coronary atherosclerotic disease. Aspiration thrombectomy and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were performed, with one drug-eluting stent placed. An echocardiogram showed a left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) of 31%, hypokinesis of the inferior, lateral, and apical regions, and an apical left ventricular thrombus. The patient was started on triple therapy. A hypercoagulable workup was negative. A cardiac MRI was obtained to further evaluate non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. In conjunction with a subsequent CT chest, the results raised suspicion for cardiac sarcoidosis with systemic involvement. In view of a reduced EF and significant late-gadolinium enhancement, electrophysiology was consulted to evaluate for ICD candidacy. A decision was made to delay ICD implantation until a definitive diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis could be established by tissue biopsy. The patient was started on HF-GDMT and discharged with a LifeVest. Close outpatient follow-up with cardiology and electrophysiology was arranged.  US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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! Pearls - Cardiac Sarcoidosis Presenting as STEMI Cardiac sarcoidosis can present with a variety of symptoms, including arrhythmias, heart block, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death. Symptoms can be subtle or mimic other cardiac conditions.  Conduction abnormalities, particularly AV block or ventricular arrhythmias, are common and may be the initial indication of cardiac involvement with sarcoidosis.  The additive value of Echocardiography, FDG-PET, and cardiac MR is indispensable in the diagnostic workup of suspected cardiac sarcoidosis.  Specific role of MRI/PET: Both cardiac MRI and FDG-PET provide a complementary role in the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis. Cardiac MRI is an effective diagnostic screening tool with fairly high sensitivity but is limited by its inability to decipher inflammatory (“active” disease) versus fibrotic myocardium. FDG-PT helps to make this discrimination, refine the diagnosis, and guide clinical management. Ultimately, these studies are most useful when interpreted in the context of other clinical information.  Primary prevention of sudden cardiac death in cardiac sarcoidosis focuses on risk stratification, with ICD placement for high-risk patients. For patients awaiting definitive diagnosis, a LifeVest may be used as a temporary measure to protect from sudden arrhythmic events until an ICD is placed.  Notes - Cardiac Sarcoidosis Presenting as STEMI 1. Is STEMI always a result of coronary artery disease?  By definition, a STEMI is an acute S-T segment elevation myocardial infarction. This occurs when there is occlusion of a major coronary artery, which results in transmural ischemia and damage,

CardioNerds Cardiac Amyloidosis Series Chair Dr. Rick Ferraro and Episode Lead Dr. Anna Radakrishnan discuss the biology of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM ) with Dr. Daniel Judge.  Notes were drafted by Dr. Anna Radakrishnan. The audio was engineered by student Dr. Julia Marques.  This episode provides a comprehensive overview of transthyretin (ATTR) cardiac amyloidosis, a complex and rapidly evolving disease process. The discussion covers the key red flags for cardiac amyloidosis, the diagnostic pathway, and the implications of hereditary versus wild-type ATTR. Importantly, the episode delves into the current and emerging therapies for ATTR, including stabilizers, gene silencers, and promising treatments like CRISPR-Cas9 and antibody-based approaches. Dr. Judge shares his insights and excitement about the rapidly advancing field, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and the potential to improve long-term outcomes for patients with this condition.  Enjoy this Circulation Paths to Discovery article to learn more about the CardioNerds mission and journey.  US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscripts here.  CardioNerds Cardiac Amyloid PageCardioNerds Episode Page Pearls: - Biology of Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy Maintain a high index of suspicion! Look for subtle (yet telling) signs like ventricular hypertrophy, discordant EKG findings, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and spontaneous biceps tendon rupture.  Utilize the right diagnostic tests. Endomyocardial biopsy remains the gold standard, but non-invasive tools like PYP scan with SPECT imaging and genetic testing are essential for accurate diagnosis.  Differentiating hereditary from wild-type ATTR is critical, as genetic forms may have a more aggressive course and familial implications.  Early diagnosis and intervention significantly improve prognosis, making vigilance in screening and prompt treatment initiation essential.  The future is now! Cutting-edge therapies are transforming the treatment landscape, including TTR stabilizers, gene silencers, and emerging technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 and antibody-based treatments.  Notes - Biology of Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy What is transthyretin amyloid (aTTR) and how is it derived?  Transthyretin (TTR) is a transport protein primarily synthesized by the liver, responsible for carrying thyroid hormones (thyroxine) and retinol (vitamin A) in the blood. It circulates as a tetramer, composed of four identical monomers, which is essential for its stability and function.  In transthyretin amyloid (ATTR) amyloidosis, the TTR protein becomes unstable, leading to its dissociation into monomers. These monomers misfold and aggregate into insoluble amyloid fibrils, which deposit extracellularly in tissues such as the heart, nerves, and gastrointestinal tract. This progressive amyloid deposition leads to organ dysfunction, including restrictive cardiomyopathy and neuropathy.  There are two main forms of ATTR amyloidosis: hereditary (variant) and wild-type (senile) ATTR.  Hereditary ATTR (ATTRv) is caused by mutations in the TTR gene. These mutations destabilize the TTR tetramer, making it more prone to dissociation. This increases misfolding and amyloid fibril formation, resulting in systemic amyloid deposition.   Wild-type ATTR (ATTRwt) occurs without genetic mutations and is primarily age-related. Over time, even normal TTR tetramers can become unstable, leading to gradual misfolding and amyloid deposition, particularly in the heart. ATTRwt is a common but often underdiagnosed cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in elderly individuals.  How does aTTR lead to deleterious effects in the heart and other organ systems?    Transthyretin amyloidosis leads to organ dysfunction through the deposition of misfolded TTR protein as amyloid fib...

Join CardioNerds EP Council Chair Dr. Naima Maqsood and Episode Lead Dr. Jeanne De Lavallaz as they discuss the results of the VANISH2 Trial with expert faculty Dr. Jeff Healey and Dr. Roderick Tung. Audio editing by CardioNerds academy intern, Grace Qiu. The VANISH2 trial enrolled 416 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, an ICD in place, and recurrent episodes of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) to receive either first-line VT catheter ablation or antiarrhythmic drug therapy with the primary composite outcome of death from any cause, appropriate ICD shock, ventricular tachycardia storm (meaning at least 3 ventricular tachycardia events within 24hrs) or treated ventricular tachycardia below the detection limit of the ICD. The study population had a mean age of 68 years, with 94% being men and predominantly of white ethnicity. On average, 14 years had elapsed since their last myocardial infarction, with approximately 60% having undergone percutaneous coronary intervention at the time. The mean ejection fraction was 34%. This episode was planned in collaboration with Heart Rhythm TV with mentorship from Dr. Daniel Alyesh and Dr. Mehak Dhande. CardioNerds Journal Club PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! References - VANISH2 Trial Sapp, J. L., Tang, A. S. L., Parkash, R., Stevenson, W. G., Healey, J. S., Gula, L. J., Nair, G. M., & the VANISH2 Study Team. (2025). Catheter ablation or antiarrhythmic drugs for ventricular tachycardia. The New England Journal of Medicine, 392, 737–747.

CardioNerds (Dr. Colin Blumenthal and Dr. Saahil Jumkhawala) join Dr. Rohan Ganti, Dr. Nikita Mishra, and Dr. Jorge Naranjo from the Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson program for a college basketball game, as the buzz around campus is high. They discuss the following case involving a patient with ventricular tachycardia:  The case involves a 61-year-old man with a medical history of hypothyroidism, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, seizure disorder on anti-epileptic medications, and major depressive disorder, who presented to the ER following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. During hospitalization, he experienced refractory polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT), requiring 18 defibrillation shocks. Further evaluation revealed non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We review the initial management of electrical storm, special ECG considerations, diagnostic approaches once ischemia has been excluded, medications implicated in polymorphic VT, the role of multi-modality imaging in diagnosing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and risk stratification for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement in patients with HCM.  Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Sabahat Bokhari.   Episode audio was edited by CardioNerds Intern and student Dr. Pacey Wetstein.   US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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! Pearls - A Curious Case of Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia - Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Diagnostic Uncertainty in VT Storm: In VT storm, ischemia is a primary consideration; when coronary angiography excludes significant epicardial disease, alternative causes such as cardiomyopathies, channelopathies, myocarditis, electrolyte disturbances, or drug-induced arrhythmias must be explored.  ST elevations in ECG lead aVR:  ST elevations in lead aVR and diffuse ST depressions can sometimes represent post-arrest oxygen demand and myocardial mismatch rather than an acute coronary syndrome. This pattern may occur in the context of polymorphic VT (PMVT), where myocardial oxygen demands outstrip supply, especially after an arrest. While these ECG changes could suggest myocardial ischemia, caution is needed, as they might not always indicate coronary pathology. However, PMVT generally should raise suspicion for underlying coronary disease and may warrant a coronary angiogram for further evaluation.  Medication Implications in PMVT and HCM: Certain medications, including psychotropic drugs (e.g., antidepressants, antipsychotics) and anti-epileptic drugs, can prolong the QT interval or interact with other drugs, thereby increasing the risk of polymorphic VT in patients with underlying conditions like HCM. Careful management of these medications is critical to avoid arrhythmic events in predisposed individuals.  Multi-Modality Imaging in HCM: Cardiac MRI with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is invaluable in assessing myocardial fibrosis, a key predictor of arrhythmic risk, and can guide decisions regarding ICD implantation. Echocardiography and contrast-enhanced CT can provide additional insights into structural abnormalities and risk assessment.  Polymorphic VT in Nonobstructive HCM: Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PMVT) can occur in nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to myocardial fibrosis and disarray, even in the absence of significant late gadolinium enhancement and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.  ICD Risk Stratification in HCM: Risk stratification for ICD placement in HCM includes assessment of clinical features such as family history of sudden cardiac death, history of unexplained syncope, presence of nonsustained VT on ambulatory monitoring,

Join CardioNerds EP Council Chair Dr. Naima Maqsood and Episode Lead Dr. Jeanne De Lavallaz as they discuss the results of the ARREST-AF Trial with expert faculty Dr. Prashanthan Sanders and Dr. Mehak Dhande. The ARREST-AF trial enrolled 122 patients with a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater and at least one cardiovascular risk factor with either paroxysmal or persistent AF and were scheduled to undergo de novo AF ablation. They were randomized to an intensive risk factor management (RFM) program versus usual care. The RFM program addressed obesity, sleep apnea, HTN, HLD, tobacco, and alcohol abuse, whereas the usual care arm had a discussion of risk factors but without an extensive risk factor modification or follow-up program. The study population had a mean age of 60 years, a mean BMI of 33 kg/m2, and 56-60% of patients with persistent AF. A third of the study population was female. The trial showed a significant improvement in the primary endpoint of the percentage of patients free from atrial fibrillation after ablation in those receiving the intensive lifestyle RFM program. At the end of the 12.3-month follow-up period, 66% percent of patients in the RFM group were free from AF compared to 42% in the usual care group (HR 0.53, p = 0.03). The RFM group also showed significant improvement in AF symptom severity, decline in body weight, systolic blood pressure, glycemic control, and exercise capacity. On average, patients in the RFM arm lost 9 kg of weight compared to 1 kg in the control group. Similarly, systolic blood pressure decreased by 13.1 mmHg in the RFM group but increased by four mmHg in the control group. This episode was planned in collaboration with Heart Rhythm TV with mentorship from Dr. Daniel Alyesh and Dr. Mehak Dhande. CardioNerds Journal Club PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! References - The SUMMIT Trial Pathak, Rajeev K., et al. "Aggressive Risk Factor Reduction Study for Atrial Fibrillation and Implications for the Outcome of Ablation: The ARREST-AF Cohort Study." Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 64, no. 21, 2014, pp. 2222–2231.

Join CardioNerds Heart Failure Section Chair Dr. Jenna Skowronski, episode lead Dr. Merna Hussein, and expert faculty Dr. Milton Packer as they discuss the SUMMIT trial. The SUMMIT trial randomized 731 patients with HFpEF with LVEF ≥ 50% and obesity with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 to receive tirzepatide or placebo for at least 52 weeks. The two co-primary endpoints were a composite of time to cardiovascular death or a worsening heart failure event and quality of life measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire clinical summary score (KCCQ-CSS). Treatment with tirzepatide led to a lower risk of the composite of cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure as well as improved quality of life. This episode was planned in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology Section of the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with mentorship from Section Chair Dr. Eugenia Gianos. CardioNerds Journal Club PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! References - The SUMMIT Trial Packer, M., Zile, M. R., Kramer, C. M., Baum, S. J., Litwin, S. E., Menon, V., Ge, J., Weerakkody, G. J., Ou, Y., Bunck, M. C., Hurt, K. C., Murakami, M., Borlaug, B. A., & SUMMIT Trial Study Group. (2024). Tirzepatide for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2410027

Join CardioNerds Heart Failure Section Chair Dr. Jenna Skowronski, episode lead Dr. Apoorva Gangavelli, and expert faculty Dr. Ronald Witteles as they discuss the Nex-Z trial. This was a phase 1, open-label trial investigating nex-z, a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment, in 36 patients with transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). The primary objectives were aimed at studying the safety and pharmacodynamics of this novel gene-based treatment modality. This episode dives into the nuances of the data, future directions for investigation, and future clinical implications. CardioNerds Journal Club PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! References - The Nex-Z Trial Fontana, M., Solomon, S. D., Kachadourian, J., Walsh, L., Rocha, R., Lebwohl, D., Smith, D., Täubel, J., Gane, E. J., Pilebro, B., Adams, D., Razvi, Y., Olbertz, J., Haagensen, A., Zhu, P., Xu, Y., Leung, A., Sonderfan, A., Gutstein, D. E., & Gillmore, J. D. (2024). CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing with Nexiguran Ziclumeran for ATTR Cardiomyopathy. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2412309

Join CardioNerds co-founder Dr. Daniel Ambinder, episode lead Dr. Nidhi Patel, and expert faculty Dr. Keith Ferdinand as they discuss the BP ROAD trial. The BP ROAD trial randomized 12,821 patients 50 years of age or older with type 2 diabetes, elevated systolic blood pressure, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease to receive intensive treatment that targeted a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg or standard treatment that targeted a systolic blood pressure of less than 140 mm Hg for up to 5 years. Investigators found a significant reduction of major cardiovascular events with intensive blood pressure lowering. This episode dives into the nuances of the data and clinical implications. This episode was planned in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology Section of the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with mentorship from Section Chair Dr. Eugenia Gianos. CardioNerds Journal Club PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! References - BPROAD Trial Bi, Y., Li, M., Liu, Y., Li, T., Lu, J., Duan, P., Xu, F., Dong, Q., Wang, A., Wang, T., Zheng, R., Chen, Y., Xu, M., Wang, X., Zhang, X., Niu, Y., Kang, Z., Lu, C., Wang, J., … Wang, W. (2024). Intensive Blood-Pressure Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2412006

CardioNerds (Dr. Dan Ambinder and guest host, Dr. Pooja Prasad) join Dr. Donny Mattia from Phoenix Children's pediatric cardiology fellowship, Dr. Sri Nayak from the Mayo Clinic – Arizona adult cardiology fellowship, and Dr. Harrison VanDolah from the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix Med/Peds program for a sunrise hike of Piestewa Peak, followed by some coffee at Berdena's in Old Town Scottsdale (before the bachelorette parties arrive), then finally a stroll through the Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens to discuss a thought-provoking case series full of clinical cardiology pearls. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Tabitha Moe. Episode audio was edited by Dan Ambinder. They discuss the following case: Cardiology is consulted by the OB team for a 27-year-old female G1, now P1, who has just delivered a healthy baby boy at 34 weeks gestation after going into premature labor. She is experiencing shortness of breath and is found to have a significant past cardiac history, including atrial fibrillation and preexcitation, now with a pacemaker and intracardiac defibrillator. We review the differential diagnosis for peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) and then combine findings from her infant son, who is seen by our pediatric cardiology colleagues and is found to have severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Genetic testing for both ultimately reveals a LAMP2 mutation consistent with Danon Disease. The case discussion focuses on the differential diagnosis for PPCM, HCM, pearls on Danon Disease and other HCM “phenocopies,” and the importance of good history. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 Pearls Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a diagnosis of exclusion – we must exclude other possible etiologies of heart failure! Be on the lookout for features of non-sarcomeric HCM – as Dr. Michelle Kittleson said in Episode 166, “LVH plus” states. HCM with preexcitation, heart block, strong family history, or extracardiac symptoms such as peripheral neuropathy, myopathy, or cognitive impairment should be evaluated for infiltrative/inherited cardiomyopathies! As an X-linked dominant disorder, Danon disease will present differently in males vs females, with males having much more severe and earlier onset disease with extracardiac features. Making the diagnosis for genetic disorders such as Danon disease is important for getting the rest of family members tested as well as the opportunity for specialized treatments such as gene therapy Up to 5% of Danon disease cases may be due to copy number variants, which may be missed in genetic testing that does not do targeted deletion/duplication analysis!). Notes What is the differential diagnosis for peripartum cardiomyopathy? Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a diagnosis of exclusion – we must exclude other possible etiologies of heart failure! First, ensure that you are not missing an acute life-threatening etiology of acute decompensated heart failure – pulmonary embolism, amniotic fluid embolism, ACS, and SCAD should all be ruled out. Second, a careful history can identify underlying heart disease or risk factors for the development of heart failure, such as substance use, high-risk behaviors that put one at risk for HIV infection, and family history that suggests an inheritable cardiomyopathy. Lastly, a careful review of echocardiographic imaging may also identify underlying etiologies that warrant a change in management. Diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy is important to consider as within 7 days of onset, patients may be eligible for treatment with bromocriptine – consider referring ...

CardioNerds (Dr. Yoav Karpenshif – Chair of the CardioNerds Critical Care Cardiology Council) join Dr. Munim Khan, Dr. Shravani Gangidi, and Dr. Rachel Goodman from Tufts Medical Center's general cardiology fellowship program for hot pot in China Town in Boston. They discuss a case involving a patient who presented with stress cardiomyopathy leading to cardiogenic shock. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Michael Faulx from the Cleveland Clinic. Notes were drafted by Dr. Rachel Goodman. A young woman presents with de novo heart-failure cardiogenic shock requiring temporary mechanical circulatory support who is found to have basal variant takotsubo cardiomyopathy.  We review the definition and natural history of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, discuss initial evaluation and echocardiographic findings, and review theories regarding pathophysiology of the clinical syndrome. We also highlight complications of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, with a focus on left ventricular outflow obstruction, cardiogenic shock, and arrythmias. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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! Pearls Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is defined as a reversible systolic dysfunction with wall motion abnormalities that do not follow a coronary vascular distribution. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a diagnosis of exclusion; patients often undergo coronary angiography to rule out epicardial coronary artery disease given an overlap in presentation and symptoms with acute myocardial infarction. There are multiple echocardiographic variants of takotsubo. Apical ballooning is the classic finding, but mid-ventricular, basal, and biventricular variants exist as well. Patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy generally recover, but there are important complications to be aware of.  These include arrhythmia, left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction related to a hyperdynamic base in the context of apical ballooning, and cardiogenic shock. Patients with Impella devices are at risk of clot formation and stroke. Assessing the motor current can be a clue to what is happening at the level of the motor or screw. Notes What is Takotsubo Syndrome (TTS)? TTS is a syndrome characterized by acute heart failure without epicardial CAD with regional wall motion abnormalities seen on echocardiography that do not correspond to a coronary artery territory (see below).1 TTS classically develops following an acute stressor—this can be an emotional or physical stressor.1 An important feature of TTS is that the systolic dysfunction is reversible.  The time frame of reversibility is variable, though generally hours to weeks.2 Epidemiologically, TTS has a predilection for post-menopausal women, however anyone can develop this syndrome.1 TTS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Coronary artery disease (acute coronary syndrome, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, coronary embolus, etc) should be excluded when considering TTS. Myocarditis is on the differential diagnosis. What are the echocardiographic findings of takotsubo cardiomyopathy? The classic echocardiographic findings of TTS is “apical ballooning,” which is a way of descripting basal hyperkinesis with mid- and apical hypokinesis, akinesis, or dyskinesis.3 There are multiple variants of TTS. The four most common are listed below:3(1) Apical ballooning (classic TTS)(2) Mid-ventricular variant(3) Basal variant (4) Focal variant Less common variants include the biventricular variant and the isolated right ventricular  variant.3 Do patients with TTS generally have EKG changes or biomarker elevation? Patients often have elevated troponin, though the severity wall motion abnormalities seen on TTE i...

In this episode, CardioNerds Dr. Gurleen Kaur and Dr. Akiva Rosenzveig are joined by Cardio-Rheumatology experts, Dr. Brittany Weber and Dr. Michael Garshick to discuss treating inflammation, delving into the pathophysiology behind the inflammatory hypothesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and the evolving data on anti-inflammatory therapies for reducing ASCVD risk, with insights on real-world implementation. Show notes were drafted by. Dr. Akiva Rosenzveig. This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Treating Inflammation Our understanding of the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis has undergone a few iterations from the incrustation hypothesis to the lipid hypothesis to the response-to-injury hypothesis and culminating with our current understanding of the inflammation hypothesis. Both the adaptive and innate immune systems play instrumental roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. After adequately controlling classic modifiable risk factors such as blood pressure, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, and obesity, systemic inflammation as assessed by CRP can be ascertained as CRP is associated with ~1.8-fold increased risk of cardiovascular events Although the most common side effect of colchicine is gastrointestinal intolerance, colchicine can induce lactose intolerance, so a lactose free diet may help ameliorate colchicine-induced GI symptoms. Anti-inflammatory therapeutics have shown promise in reducing cardiovascular risk but much more is to be learned with ongoing and future basic, translational, and clinical research. Show notes - Treating Inflammation What are the origins of the inflammatory hypothesis? The first hypothesis as to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis was the incrustation hypothesis by Carl Von Rokitansky in 1852. He suggested that atherosclerosis begins in the intima with thrombus deposition.In 1856, Rudolf Virchow suggested the lipid hypothesis whereby high levels of cholesterol in the blood lead to atherosclerosis. He observed inflammatory changes in the arterial walls associated with atherosclerotic plaque growth, called endo-arteritis chronica deformans.In 1977, Russell Ross suggested the response-to-injury hypothesis, that atherosclerosis develops from injury to the arterial wall.In the 1990's the role of inflammation in ASCVD became more recognized. Both the adaptive and innate immune system are critical in atherosclerosis. Lipids and inflammation are synergistic in that lipid exposure is required but they translocate through damaged endothelium which occurs by way of inflammatory cytokines, namely within the NLRP3 inflammasome (IL-1, IL-6 etc.).Smooth muscle cells are also involved. They migrate to the endothelial region and secrete collagen to create the fibrous cap. They can also transform into macrophage-like cells to take up lipids and become foam cells. T, B, and K cells are also part of this milieu. In fact, neutrophils, macrophages and monocytes make up only a small portion of the cells involved in the atherosclerotic process. What are ways to individually optimize one's ASCVD risk?Ensure the patient is on appropriate antiplatelet therapy, lipid lowering therapy, blood pressure is well controlled, and the Hemoglobin A1c is well controlled. Smoking cessation is pivotal.If the patient has an elevated Lipoprotein (a), pursue more aggressive lipid lowering therapy. Targeted therapies may become available in the future. Assess the patient's systemic inflammatory risk as measured by C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

The following question refers to Sections 7.3.3 and 7.3.6 of the 2022 ACC/AHA/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.The question is asked by Palisades Medical Center medicine resident & CardioNerds Academy Fellow Dr. Maryam Barkhordarian, answered first by UTSW AHFT Cardiologist & CardioNerds FIT Ambassador Dr. Natalie Tapaskar, and then by expert faculty Dr. Robert Mentz.Dr. Mentz is associate professor of medicine and section chief for Heart Failure at Duke University, a clinical researcher at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cardiac Failure. Dr. Mentz has been a mentor for the CardioNerds Clinical Trials Network as lead principal investigator for PARAGLIDE-HF and is a series mentor for this very Decipher the Guidelines Series. For these reasons and many more, he was awarded the Master CardioNerd Award during ACC22.The Decipher the Guidelines: 2022 AHA / ACC / HFSA Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure series was developed by the CardioNerds and created in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America. It was created by 30 trainees spanning college through advanced fellowship under the leadership of CardioNerds Cofounders Dr. Amit Goyal and Dr. Dan Ambinder, with mentorship from Dr. Anu Lala, Dr. Robert Mentz, and Dr. Nancy Sweitzer. We thank Dr. Judy Bezanson and Dr. Elliott Antman for tremendous guidance.Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024As heard in this episode, the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024 is coming up November 16-18 in Chicago, Illinois at McCormick Place Convention Center. Come a day early for Pre-Sessions Symposia, Early Career content, QCOR programming and the International Symposium on November 15. It's a special year you won't want to miss for the premier event for advancements in cardiovascular science and medicine as AHA celebrates its 100th birthday. Registration is now open, secure your spot here!When registering, use code NERDS and if you're among the first 20 to sign up, you'll receive a free 1-year AHA Professional Membership! Question #39 Ms. Kay Lotsa is a 48-year-old woman with a history of CKD stage 2 (baseline creatinine ~1.2 mg/dL) & type 2 diabetes mellitus. She has recently noticed progressively reduced exercise tolerance, leg swelling, and trouble lying flat. This prompted a hospital admission with a new diagnosis of decompensated heart failure. A transthoracic echocardiogram reveals LVEF of 35%. Ms. Lotsa is diuresed to euvolemia, and she is started on carvedilol 25mg BID, sacubitril/valsartan 49-51mg BID, and empagliflozin 10mg daily, which she tolerates well. Her eGFR is at her baseline of 55 mL/min/1.73 m2 and serum potassium concentration is 3.9 mEq/L. Your team is anticipating she will be discharged home in the next one to two days and wants to start spironolactone. Which of the following is most important regarding her treatment with mineralocorticoid antagonists?ASpironolactone is contraindicated based on her level of renal impairment and should not be startedBSerum potassium levels and kidney function should be assessed within 1-2 weeks of starting spironolactoneCEplerenone confers a higher risk of gynecomastia than does spironolactoneDThe patient will likely not benefit from initiation of spironolactone if her cardiomyopathy is ischemic in origin Answer #39 ExplanationThe correct answer is B – after starting a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA), it is important to closely monitor renal function and serum potassium levels.MRA (also known as aldosterone antagonists or anti-mineralocorticoids) show consistent improvements in all-cause mortality, HF hospitalizations, and SCD across a wide range of patients with HFrEF.

The following question refers to Sections 7.4 and 7.5 of the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.The question is asked by the Director of the CardioNerds Internship Dr. Akiva Rosenzveig, answered first by Vanderbilt AHFT cardiology fellow Dr. Jenna Skowronski, and then by expert faculty Dr. Randall Starling.Dr. Starling is Professor of Medicine and an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic where he was formerly the Section Head of Heart Failure, Vice Chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine, and member of the Cleveland Clinic Board of Governors. Dr. Starling is also Past President of the Heart Failure Society of America in 2018-2019. Dr. Staring was among the earliest CardioNerds faculty guests and has since been a valuable source of mentorship and inspiration. Dr. Starling's sponsorship and support was instrumental in the origins of the CardioNerds Clinical Trials Program.The Decipher the Guidelines: 2022 AHA / ACC / HFSA Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure series was developed by the CardioNerds and created in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America. It was created by 30 trainees spanning college through advanced fellowship under the leadership of CardioNerds Cofounders Dr. Amit Goyal and Dr. Dan Ambinder, with mentorship from Dr. Anu Lala, Dr. Robert Mentz, and Dr. Nancy Sweitzer. We thank Dr. Judy Bezanson and Dr. Elliott Antman for tremendous guidance.Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024As heard in this episode, the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024 is coming up November 16-18 in Chicago, Illinois at McCormick Place Convention Center. Come a day early for Pre-Sessions Symposia, Early Career content, QCOR programming and the International Symposium on November 15. It's a special year you won't want to miss for the premier event for advancements in cardiovascular science and medicine as AHA celebrates its 100th birthday. Registration is now open, secure your spot here!When registering, use code NERDS and if you're among the first 20 to sign up, you'll receive a free 1-year AHA Professional Membership! Question #38 Mrs. M is a 65-year-old woman with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (LVEF 40%) and moderate to severe mitral regurgitation (MR) presenting for outpatient follow-up. Despite improvement overall, she continues to experience dyspnea on exertion with two flights of stairs and occasional PND. She reports adherence with her medication regimen of sacubitril-valsartan 97-103mg twice daily, metoprolol succinate 200mg daily, spironolactone 25mg daily, empagliflozin 10mg daily, and furosemide 80mg daily. A transthoracic echocardiogram today shows an LVEF of 35%, an LVESD of 60 mm, severe MR with a regurgitant fraction of 60%, and an estimated right ventricular systolic pressure of 40 mmHg. Her EKG shows normal sinus rhythm at 65 bpm and a QRS complex width of 100 ms. What is the most appropriate recommendation for management of her heart failure?AContinue maximally tolerated GDMT; no other changesBRefer for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)CRefer for transcatheter mitral valve intervention Answer #38 ExplanationChoice C is correct. The 2020 ACC/AHA Guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease outline specific recommendations.In patients with chronic severe secondary MR related to LV systolic dysfunction (LVEF

In this episode, Dr. Paul Ridker, a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular inflammation, joins the CardioNerds (Dr. Gurleen Kaur, Dr. Richard Ferraro, and Dr. Nidhi Patel) to discuss the evolving landscape of inflammation as a key factor in cardiovascular risk reduction. The discussion dives into the importance of biomarkers like high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in guiding treatment strategies, the insights gleaned from landmark trials like the JUPITER and CANTOS studies, and the future of targeted anti-inflammatory therapies in cardiology. Show notes were drafted by Dr. Nidhi Patel. Audio editing by CardioNerds academy intern, Grace Qiu.  This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Targeting Inflammation for Cardiovascular Risk "If you don't measure it, you can't treat it”: Incorporate hs-CRP into routine practice for patients at risk of cardiovascular events, as it provides crucial information for risk stratification and management. Recognize the dual benefits of statins in lowering both LDL and inflammation, particularly in patients with elevated hs-CRP. Encourage patients to adopt heart-healthy habits, as lifestyle changes remain foundational in reducing both cholesterol and inflammatory risk. Reminder that most autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, from psoriasis to Addison's disease to lupus to scleroderma to inflammatory bowel disease, have been shown to have elevated cardiovascular risk Ongoing randomized trials including ZEUS, HERMES, and ARTEMIS will inform whether novel targeting of IL-6 can safely lower cardiovascular event rates or slow renal progression Show notes - Targeting Inflammation for Cardiovascular Risk Why is it important to measure both LDL and hs-CRP, and what factors increase hs-CRP? Inflammation and hyperlipidemia are synergistic in promoting atherosclerosis. They interact to exacerbate plaque formation and instability, increasing the risk of cardiovascular events. Just like we measure blood pressure and LDL to know what to treat, we should measure hs-CRP to guide targeted therapy. Clinical Example: in Ms. Flame's case, despite achieving target LDL levels with statins, her elevated hs-CRP indicates ongoing inflammation and residual cardiovascular risk that should be assessed. Residual inflammatory risk should be assessed in both primary and secondary prevention. Increased BMI1, smoking2, a sedentary lifestyle3, and genetics4 (such as a higher risk of metabolic disease in South Asians) all raise hs-CRP levels. SGLTi5 and GLP-1 agonists6 have also been shown to decrease hs-CRP levels. What data do we have to support measuring hs-CRP?  Women's Health Study7: an early study showing that hs-CRP predicted risk at least as well as LDL cholesterol and that models incorporating hs-CRP in addition to lipids were significantly better at predicting risk than models based on lipids alone. JUPITER Trial8 (Primary Prevention): Among patients with normal LDL but elevated hs-CRP there was a 44% reduction in major cardiovascular events (>50% in MI and stroke) and a 20% reduction in all-cause mortality in patients treated with statins. These results led to changes in guidelines in recognizing the need to measure and treat inflammation. CANTOS Trial9 (Secondary Prevention): Randomized >10K patients with previous MI and hs-CRP ≥ 2mg/L and found that canakinumab reduced hs-CRP level from baseline in a dose-dependent manner, without reduction in the LDL, ApoB, TG, or blood pressure. What are the guidelines and supportive data on using Colchicine? 

The following question refers to Section 7.4 of the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.The question is asked by the Director of the CardioNerds Internship Dr. Akiva Rosenzveig, answered first by Vanderbilt AHFT cardiology fellow Dr. Jenna Skowronski, and then by expert faculty Dr. Clyde Yancy.Dr. Yancy is Professor of Medicine and Medical Social Sciences, Chief of Cardiology, and Vice Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at Northwestern University, and a member of the ACC/AHA Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.The Decipher the Guidelines: 2022 AHA / ACC / HFSA Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure series was developed by the CardioNerds and created in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America. It was created by 30 trainees spanning college through advanced fellowship under the leadership of CardioNerds Cofounders Dr. Amit Goyal and Dr. Dan Ambinder, with mentorship from Dr. Anu Lala, Dr. Robert Mentz, and Dr. Nancy Sweitzer. We thank Dr. Judy Bezanson and Dr. Elliott Antman for tremendous guidance.Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024As heard in this episode, the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024 is coming up November 16-18 in Chicago, Illinois at McCormick Place Convention Center. Come a day early for Pre-Sessions Symposia, Early Career content, QCOR programming and the International Symposium on November 15. It's a special year you won't want to miss for the premier event for advancements in cardiovascular science and medicine as AHA celebrates its 100th birthday. Registration is now open, secure your spot here!When registering, use code NERDS and if you're among the first 20 to sign up, you'll receive a free 1-year AHA Professional Membership! Question #37 Mr. S is an 80-year-old man with a history of hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism who had an anterior myocardial infarction (MI) treated with a drug-eluting stent to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) 45 days ago. His course was complicated by a new LVEF reduction to 30%, and left bundle branch block (LBBB) with QRS duration of 152 ms in normal sinus rhythm. He reports he is feeling well and is able to enjoy gardening without symptoms, though he experiences dyspnea while walking to his bedroom on the second floor of his house. Repeat TTE shows persistent LVEF of 30% despite initiation of goal-directed medical therapy (GDMT). What is the best next step in his management?AMonitor for LVEF improvement for a total of 60 days prior to further interventionBImplantation of a dual-chamber ICDCImplantation of a CRT-DDContinue current management as device implantation is contraindicated given his advanced age Answer #37 Explanation Choice C is correct. Implantation of a CRT-D is the best next step. In patients with nonischemic DCM or ischemic heart disease at least 40 days post-MI with LVEF ≤35% and NYHA class II or III symptoms on chronic GDMT, who have reasonable expectation of meaningful survival for >1 year,ICD therapy is recommended for primary prevention of SCD to reduce total mortality (Class 1, LOE A). A transvenous ICD provides high economic value in this setting, particularly when a patient's risk of death from ventricular arrhythmia is deemed high and the risk of nonarrhythmic death is deemed low. In addition, for patients who have LVEF ≤35%, sinus rhythm, left bundle branch block (LBBB) with a QRS duration ≥150 ms, and NYHA class II, III, orambulatory IV symptoms on GDMT, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is indicated to reduce total mortality, reduce hospitalizations, and improve symptoms and QOL. Cardiac resynchronization provides high economic value in this setting. Mr.

In this episode, Dr. Gurleen Kaur (Cardiology FIT at Brigham and Women's Hospital and APD of the CardioNerds Academy) and Dr. Diane Masket (Medicine Resident at the University of Chicago Northshore and CardioNerds Academy Intern) discuss with Dr. Minnow Walsh (Medical Director of the Heart Failure and Cardiovascular programs at Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center in Indianapolis) about her personal and professional journey in Cardiology. They discuss Dr. Walsh's authorship of the recent ACC statement on career flexibility in Cardiology, her involvement with the ACC at both the local and national levels, and her passion for making cardiology a more inclusive and welcoming field for all. Notes were drafted by Dr. Diane Masket and episode audio was engineered by student Dr. Grace Qiu. The PA-ACC & CardioNerds Narratives in Cardiology is a multimedia educational series jointly developed by the Pennsylvania Chapter ACC, the ACC Fellows in Training Section, and the CardioNerds Platform with the goal to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in cardiology. In this series, we host inspiring faculty and fellows from various ACC chapters to discuss their areas of expertise and their individual narratives. Join us for these captivating conversations as we celebrate our differences and share our joy for practicing cardiovascular medicine. We thank our project mentors Dr. Katie Berlacher and Dr. Nosheen Reza. The PA-ACC & CardioNerds Narratives in Cardiology PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Video version - Career Flexibility in Cardiology https://youtu.be/ygNH6fcQ5ek Quoatables - Career Flexibility in Cardiology “You have to learn to live with ambivalence. You can't do everything. You can't do everything all at one time” “One of the most important things the College is behind and pushing, is that competency-based evaluation is what should be used in fellowship rather than this sort of cookie cutter approach where you have to do these many months of echo and this much of cath lab. So, I think flexibility moving from volume to competency is one push.” “Fellowship is daunting, and internal medicine residency is too, but I think culture is how we feel every day. And I think the more we increase flexibility the more that culture is going to shift. Notes - Career Flexibility in Cardiology Process of developing ACC Health Policy Statements These documents address issues that require ACC influence and usually involve a variety of institutions, governing bodies, and other stakeholders. ACC comes to an agreement on how they will approach this topic and shares it broadly. Most of the existing ACC health policy statements are disease-based instead of profession-based. The ACC Career Flexibility statement grew out of the diversity, equity, and inclusion task force, which is a standing committee. A variety of authors are included in health policy statements to reflect the perspectives of many different interest groups. All policy statements, including the one about career flexibility, are available online on JACC.org 1 Major Components of the ACC Career Flexibility Health Policy Statement There are 18 principles that highlight the most important aspects regarding career flexibility in cardiology.2 Flexibility allows for deceleration (decrease in work hours, responsibilities, etc.) and acceleration based on the needs of the physician. For example, during childbearing and rearing time periods, there could be a deceleration, which could accelerate when parenthood responsibilities have decreased. It does not only need to be based around parenting; physicians who are not parents also desire flexibility and enjoy spending time on activities other than their careers. These needs will be unique for each person.

The following question refers to Sections 2.1 and 4.2 of the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.The question is asked by CardioNerds Academy Intern Dr. Adriana Mares, answered first by CardioNerds FIT Trialist Dr. Christabel Nyange, and then by expert faculty Dr. Shelley Zieroth. Dr. Zieroth is an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist, Head of the Medical Heart Failure Program, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Cardiac Sciences Program, and an Associate Professor in the Section of Cardiology at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Zieroth is a past president of the Canadian Heart Failure Society. She has been a PI Mentor for the CardioNerds Clinical Trials Program. The Decipher the Guidelines: 2022 AHA / ACC / HFSA Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure series was developed by the CardioNerds and created in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America. It was created by 30 trainees spanning college through advanced fellowship under the leadership of CardioNerds Cofounders Dr. Amit Goyal and Dr. Dan Ambinder, with mentorship from Dr. Anu Lala, Dr. Robert Mentz, and Dr. Nancy Sweitzer. We thank Dr. Judy Bezanson and Dr. Elliott Antman for tremendous guidance. Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024As heard in this episode, the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024 is coming up November 16-18 in Chicago, Illinois at McCormick Place Convention Center. Come a day early for Pre-Sessions Symposia, Early Career content, QCOR programming and the International Symposium on November 15. It's a special year you won't want to miss for the premier event for advancements in cardiovascular science and medicine as AHA celebrates its 100th birthday. Registration is now open, secure your spot here!When registering, use code NERDS and if you're among the first 20 to sign up, you'll receive a free 1-year AHA Professional Membership! Question #36 A 50-year-old woman presents to establish care. Her medical history includes COPD, prediabetes, and hypertension. She is being treated with chlorthalidone, amlodipine, lisinopril, and a tiotropium inhaler. She denies chest pain, dyspnea on exertion, or lower extremity edema. On physical exam, blood pressure is 154/88 mmHg, heart rate is 90 beats/min, and respiration rate is 22 breaths/min with an oxygen saturation of 94% breathing ambient room air. BMI is 36 kg/m2. Jugular venous pulsations are difficult to assess due to her body habitus. Breath sounds are distant, with occasional end-expiratory wheezing. Heart sounds are distant, and extra sounds or murmurs are not detected. Extremities are warm and without peripheral edema. B-type natriuretic peptide level is 28 pg/mL (28 ng/L). A chest radiograph shows increased radiolucency of the lungs, flattened diaphragms, and a narrow heart shadow consistent with COPD. An electrocardiogram shows evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy. The echocardiogram showed normal LV and RV function with no significant valvular abnormalities. In which stage of HF would this patient be classified?AStage A: At Risk for HFBStage B: Pre-HFCStage C: Symptomatic HFDStage D: Advanced HF  Answer #36 Explanation The correct answer is A – Stage A or at risk for HF. This asymptomatic patient with no evidence of structural heart disease or positive cardiac biomarkers for stretch or injury would be classified as Stage A or “at risk” for HF. The ACC/AHA stages of HF emphasize the development and progression of disease with specific therapeutic interventions at each stage. Advanced stages and disease progression are associated with reduced survival. The stages were revised in this edition of guidelines to emphasize new terminologies of “at risk” for Stage A and “pre...

CardioNerds (Dr. Dan Ambinder and Dr. Rick Ferraro) join Dr. Mansi Oberoi and Dr. Mohan Gudiwada from the University of Nebraska Medical Center discuss a case of constrictive pericarditis. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Adam Burdorf, who serves as the Program Director for the Cardiovascular Medicine Fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The case discussed involves a 76-year-old woman with a history of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and squamous cell carcinoma was admitted to the hospital for worsening shortness of breath, swelling in lower extremities, hyponatremia, and urinary tract infection. CT chest to evaluate for pulmonary embolism showed incidental pericardial calcifications; the heart failure team was consulted for the management of her decompensated heart failure. Echo images were nondiagnostic. Subsequent invasive hemodynamic monitoring showed elevated right and left-sided filling pressures, diastolic equalization of LV and RV pressures, and positive RV square root sign with ventricular interdependence. Cardiac MRI showed septal flattening on deep inspiration and septal bounce, suggestive of interventricular dependence. After a heart team discussion and with shared-decision making the patient opted for medical management owing to her comorbidities and frailty. Enjoy this 2024 JACC State-of-the-Art Review to learn more about pericardial diseases and best practices for pericardiectomy (Al-Kazac et al., JACC 2024) US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 - Constrictive Pericarditis Echo: Left Ventricular ejection fraction = 55-60%. Unclear septal motion in the setting of atrial fibrillation MRI: Diastolic septal flattening with deep inspiration as well as a septal bounce suggestive of interventricular dependence and constrictive physiology  References Garcia, M. Constrictive Pericarditis Versus Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 67, no. 17, 2016, pp. 2061–2076. Pathophysiology and Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis. American College of Cardiology, 2017. Geske, J., Anavekar, N., Nishimura, R., et al. Differentiation of Constriction and Restriction: Complex Cardiovascular Hemodynamics. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 68, no. 21, 2016, pp. 2329–2347. Constrictive Pericarditis. ScienceDirect. Constrictive Pericarditis. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 83, no. 12, 2024, pp. 1500-1512.

Dr. Amit Goyal, along with episode chair Dr. Dinu Balanescu (Mayo Clinic, Rochester), and FIT leads Dr. Sonu Abraham (University of Kentucky) and Dr. Natasha Vedage (MGH), dive into the fascinating topic of channelopathies with Dr. Michael Ackerman, a genetic cardiologist and professor of medicine, pediatrics, and pharmacology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Using a case-based approach, they review the nuances of diagnosis and treatment of channelopathies, including Brugada syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), and long QT syndrome. Dr. Sonu Abraham drafted show notes. Audio engineering for this episode was expertly handled by CardioNerds intern, Christiana Dangas. The CardioNerds Beyond the Boards Series was inspired by the Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular Board Review Course and designed in collaboration with the course directors Dr. Amy Pollak, Dr. Jeffrey Geske, and Dr. Michael Cullen. CardioNerds Beyond the Boards SeriesCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls and Quotes - Channelopathies One cannot equate the presence of type 1 Brugada ECG pattern to the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome. Clinical history, family history, and/or genetic testing results are required to make a definitive diagnosis. The loss-of-function variants in the SCN5A gene, which encodes for the α-subunit of the NaV1.5 sodium channel, is the only Brugada susceptibility gene with sufficient evidence supporting pathogenicity. Exertional syncope is an “alarm” symptom that demands a comprehensive evaluation with 4 diagnostic tests: ECG, echocardiography, exercise treadmill test, and Holter monitor. Think of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) in a patient with exertional syncope and normal EKG! ICD therapy is never prescribed as monotherapy in patients with CPVT. Medical therapy with a combination of nadolol plus flecainide is the current standard of care. Long QT syndrome is one of the few clinical scenarios where genetic testing clearly guides management, particularly with respect to variability in beta-blocker responsiveness. Notes - Channelopathies 1. What are the diagnostic criteria for Brugada syndrome (BrS)? Three repolarization patterns are associated with Brugada syndrome in the right precordial leads (V1-V2): Type 1: Prominent coved ST-segment elevation displaying J-point amplitude or ST-segment elevation ≥2 mm, followed by a negative T wave. Type 2/3: Saddleback ST-segment configuration with variable levels of ST-segment elevation. It is important to note that only a type 1 pattern is diagnostic for Brugada syndrome, whereas patients with type 2/3 patterns may benefit from further testing. The Shanghai score acknowledges that relying solely on induced type 1 ECG changes has limitations. Therefore, one cannot equate the presence of a type 1 Brugada ECG pattern alone to the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome. The score suggests incorporating additional information—such as clinical history, family history, and/or genetic testing results—to achieve a definitive diagnosis. 2. What is the significance of genetic testing in Brugada syndrome? There are 23 alleged Brugada syndrome susceptibility genes published with varying levels of evidence. However, only one gene mutation, the loss-of-function variants in the SCN5A gene encoding for the α-subunit of the NaV1.5 sodium channel, is considered to have sufficient evidence. The overall yield of BrS genetic testing is 20%. The presence of PR prolongation (>200 ms) along with type I EKG pattern increases the yield to 40%. On the contrary, in the presence of a normal PR interval, the likelihood of SCN5A positivity drops to

The CardioNerds Academy is excited to present the 3rd Annual Sanjay V. Desai Lecture in Medical Education, featuring a deep dive into the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education. Join us as Dr. Kathryn Berlacher, Dr. Melissa McNeil, and Dr. Alfred Shoukry explore the transformative potential of AI in training future healthcare professionals and enhancing educational methodologies. Their insightful discussion sheds light on the integration of cutting-edge technologies to improve medical learning and patient care. The conversation is faciliated by Dr. Tommy Das, Program Director of the CardioNerds Academy, and CardioNerds Academy Chiefs: Dr. Callie Clark, Dr. Rachel Goodman, Dr. Ronaldo Correa Fabiano, and Dr. Claire Cambron, who bring their expertise and enthusiasm to this engaging discussion on the future of medical education. Special thanks to Pace Wetstein, CardioNerds academy intern, for his exceptional audio editing in this episode. Dr. Kathryn Berlacher is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Medicine and completed her internal medicine residency, chief residency, and cardiology fellowship at UPMC, where she has been on faculty since 2012. She earned a master's degree in medical education from the University of Pittsburgh and has served as the Program Director of the Cardiovascular Fellowship Program since 2015. In 2021, she was appointed Associate Chief of Education for the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. Additionally, Dr. Berlacher is the director of the McGee Women's Heart Program and chief of medicine at McGee Women's Hospital. Nationally, she serves as the chair for the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Sessions for 2025 and 2026, regularly speaking on women's cardiology, medical education, diversity, inclusion, and health equity.Dr. Alfred Shoukry graduated from Northwestern University with dual degrees in Neurobiology and Biomedical Engineering. He completed medical school and internal medicine residency at UPMC, where he also earned a certificate in medical education. Dr. Shoukry serves as core faculty at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and cares for patients at the VA in Pittsburgh. As the course director for Population Health, he teaches on topics such as patient safety, quality improvement, and bioinformatics. He is an expert on the impact of large language models in medical education, presenting locally and nationally on the subject.Dr. Melissa McNeil received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University, her MD from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Public Health from the same institution. She is a professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and recently joined the faculty at Brown University as a professor of medicine. Dr. McNeil serves as an academic hospitalist and senior consultant to the Women's Health Division at Brown. Her expertise lies in developing training programs to foster leaders in women's health education and research. She has been recognized nationally for her contributions, including being named the Society of General Internal Medicine Distinguished Professor of Women's Health in 2014 and receiving their Career Achievement in Medical Education award in 2016. Dr. Sanjay V Desai serves as the Chief Academic Officer, The American Medical Association and is the former Program Director of the Osler Medical Residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. CardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron!

CardioNerds Drs. Jason Feinman, Gurleen Kaur, and Rick Ferraro discuss the implementation of SGLT inhibitors in clinical practice with Dr. Alison Bailey. Notes were drafted by Dr. Jason Feinman. In this episode, we discuss the implementation of SGLTi in clinical practice scenarios, including for individuals with heart failure regardless of ejection fraction, those with chronic kidney disease, and those with diabetes mellitus. The group also discusses important side effects to monitor for, as well as how to counsel patients when prescribing these medications. This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Clinical Implementation of SGLT Inhibitors For patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, SGLT inhibitors reduce the composite outcome of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization by 25%. SGLT inhibitors can be safely started in patients with an eGFR as low as 20. There are ongoing trials investigating the safety of these medications in individuals with eGFR lower than 20 or those who are receiving dialysis. An eGFR decrease of 3-5 ml/min on average is expected after starting an SGLTi, but this will stabilize over time and provides protective effects of renal dysfunction in the long run. Early data that suggested an association between SGLTi and bacterial UTI development hasn't panned out in the long run, but there is an association between SGLTi and the development of either genital mycotic infections or yeast infections. Perineal hygiene is important to prevent the development of either. A patient-centered, shared decision-making approach should guide the choice of agents for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In certain patients, it may be reasonable to choose an SGLTi as the first-line agent. Show notes - Clinical Implementation of SGLT Inhibitors What is the data supporting the use of SGLTi in HFpEF? The EMPEROR-Preserved and DELIVER trials investigated the impact of empagliflozin and dapagliflozin, respectively, on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction. The SOLOIST-WHF trial investigated a combined SGLT1/2 inhibitor, sotagliflozin, in patients with recently worsening heart failure, irrespective of ejection.SGLTi have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure, including heart failure hospitalization, in these individuals. A meta-analysis of the EMPEROR-Preserved and DELIVER trials demonstrated a hazard ratio of 0.80 for cardiovascular death or first hospitalization for heart failure for empagliflozin or dapagliflozin over placebo in the setting of HFpEF. What is the data supporting the use of SGLTi in HFrEF? In addition to the SOLOIST-WHF trial that was previously discussed, the EMPEROR-HF and DAPA-HF investigated the impact of SGLTi medications in patients with HFrEF. In patients with HFrEF, SGLTi medications have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of either cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization. Dapagliflozin and empagliflozin had a pooled risk reduction of all-cause death of 13%, a pooled risk reduction of cardiovascular death of 14%, and a 26% reduction in the combination of CV death or first hospitalization for heart failure. What is the expected impact of SGLTi on renal function? Dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, sotagliflozin, ertugliflozin, and canagliflozin have all been studied for their impact on renal dysfunction in individuals both with and without diabetes. In the CANVAS trial,

CardioNerds (Amit Goyal) join Dr. Merna Hussien, Dr. Akhil Kallur, Dr. Abhinav Saxena, and Dr. Brody Deb from the MedStar Georgetown - Washington Hospital Center in DC for a stroll around Rock Creek Park as they discuss an unusual case of cobalt cardiomyopathy. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Nana Afari Armah. Episode audio was edited by CardioNerds Intern Christiana Dangas. The case is of a middle-aged woman with a past medical history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and bilateral hip replacements, who presented with subacute progressive exertional dyspnea, orthopnea, and constitutional symptoms and was found to have SCAI Stage C cardiogenic shock. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, 20-25%) and a moderate pericardial effusion. Cardiac catheterization revealed biventricular failure with elevated filling pressures. A cardiac MRI showed diffuse late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in the left ventricle. Endomyocardial biopsy showed nonspecific chronic inflammation. However, the evidence of mitochondrial heavy metal toxicity and elevated cobalt levels made the diagnosis of cobalt cardiomyopathy. The patient underwent revision of hip joint implants to ceramic implants and started chelation therapy. However, due to persistent stage D heart failure despite normalization of cobalt levels, she underwent orthotropic heart transplantation. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 - Cobalt Cardiomyopathy Pearls - Cobalt Cardiomyopathy A good history goes a long way in diagnosing non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). Common problems can have uncommon presentations requiring a high degree of suspicion for diagnosis. Imaging features can overlap between causes of NICM. History helps in targeting further histological workup and uncovering the root cause. Multidisciplinary effort is essential in making a rare diagnosis. Taken from1 - Singh M, Krishnan M, Ghazzal A, Halushka M, Tozzi JE, Bunning RD, Rodrigo ME, Najjar SS, Molina EJ, Sheikh FH. From Hip to Heart: A Comprehensive Evaluation of an Infiltrative Cardiomyopathy. CJC Open. 2021 Nov 1;3(11):1392–5. Notes - Cobalt Cardiomyopathy How common is cobalt cardiomyopathy? When should it be suspected? Cobalt cardiomyopathy is incredibly rare, with only a handful of reported cases. 2 It is also known as beer drinkers' cardiomyopathy, as cobalt was added to beer for fortification in Quebec 3, where it was first reported. Cobalt cardiomyopathy is characterized by its rapidly progressive nature, the presence of low voltages on EKG, and diffuse infiltration. Patients also complained of a previous history of anorexia and weight loss and were found to have polycythemia and thyroid abnormalities on labs. This syndrome was very similar to wet beriberi except for the absence of a therapeutic response to thiamine. Taken from - 2 Later, this was noted in patients with total metal hip arthroplasty 4–6, especially in patients with metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty, which led to corrosion and leakage of cobalt into the bloodstream. The syndrome in these patients was similar to those in beer drinkers from Quebec. This figure, taken from 2, shows the reports of Cobalt cardiomyopathy after cobalt alloy prostheses. [HX1]  What is the pathophysiology of cobalt cardiomyopathy? Cobalt has a variety of effects on the heart, both microscopically and biochemically.Cobalt may have multiple calcium-mediated cardiac effects and may also interfere with the Krebs cycle and ATP generation by mitochondria. Histology may show modest changes with no inflammatory response o...

The following question refers to Section 2.2 of the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.The question is asked by University of Colorado internal medicine resident Dr. Hirsh Elhence, answered first by University of Chicago advanced heart failure cardiologist and Co-Chair for the CardioNerds Critical Care Cardiology Series Dr. Mark Belkin, and then by expert faculty Dr. Mark Drazner.Dr. Drazner is an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist, Professor of Medicine, and Clinical Chief of Cardiology at UT Southwestern. He is the President of the Heart Failure Society of America.The Decipher the Guidelines: 2022 AHA / ACC / HFSA Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure series was developed by the CardioNerds and created in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America. It was created by 30 trainees spanning college through advanced fellowship under the leadership of CardioNerds Cofounders Dr. Amit Goyal and Dr. Dan Ambinder, with mentorship from Dr. Anu Lala, Dr. Robert Mentz, and Dr. Nancy Sweitzer. We thank Dr. Judy Bezanson and Dr. Elliott Antman for tremendous guidance.Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values.  Question #35 A 50-year-old woman with a history of congestive heart failure, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obstructive sleep apnea presents to the outpatient clinic to follow up on her heart failure management. One year prior, echocardiogram showed an ejection fraction of 30% with an elevated BNP, for which she was started on appropriate GDMT. Repeat echocardiogram today showed an EF of 50%. Which of the following best describes her heart failure status? A HFrEF (HF with reduced EF) B HFimpEF (HF with improved EF) C HFmrEF (HF with mildly reduced EF) D HFpEF (HF with preserved EF) Answer #35 Explanation The correct answer is B – HFimpEF, or heart failure with improved ejection fraction, best describes her current heart failure status. Left ventricular ejection fraction is an important factor in classifying heart failure given differences in prognosis, response to treatment, and use in clinical trial enrollment criteria. The classification of heart failure by EF (adopted from the Universal Definition of HF): –        HFrEF (HF with reduced EF): LVEF ≤40% –        HFimpEF (HF with improved EF): previous LVEF ≤40%, a ≥10% increase from baseline LVEF, and a second measurement of LVEF >40%. –        HFmrEF (HF with mildly reduced EF): LVEF 41%–49%, andevidence of spontaneous or provokable increased LV filling pressures (e.g., elevated natriuretic peptide, noninvasive and invasive hemodynamic measurement) –        HFpEF (HF with preserved EF): LVEF ≥50%, and evidence of spontaneous or provokable increased LV filling pressures (e.g., elevated natriuretic peptide, noninvasive and invasive hemodynamic measurement) Patients with HFmrEF are usually in a dynamic state of improving from HFrEF or deteriorating towards HFrEF. Therefore, patients with HFmrEF may benefit from follow-up evaluation of systolic function and etiology of sub-normal EF. Improvements in EF are associated with better outcomes but do not indicate full myocardial recovery or normalization of LV function. Indeed, structural and functional abnormalities such as LV dilation and systolic or diastolic dysfunction often persist. Moreover, EF may remain dynamic with fluctuations in either direction depending on factors such as GDMT adherence and re-exposure to cardiotoxic agents. As such, the term heart failure with “improved EF” was deliberately chosen over “recovered EF” and “preserved EF”. Importantly, in patients with HFimpEF while on GDMT, the EF may decrease after withdrawal of GDMT. Main Takeaway

CardioNerds Cardio-Rheumatology Series Co-Chairs Dr. Rick Ferraro, Dr. Gurleen Kaur, and and Dr. Bree Hansen discuss how to decipher cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatological conditions with cardio-rheumatology experts Dr. Brittany Weber and Dr. Michael Garshick. In this episode, Drs. Weber and Garshick take us through the role of inflammation in patients with rheumatologic conditions and cardiovascular disease. They discuss the increased prevalence of traditional cardiac risk factors in this population and how these standard cardiac risk factors do not account for the full extent of cardiovascular risk. Dr. Bree Hansen drafted show notes. Audio editing by CardioNerds intern Christiana Dangas. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Cardio-Rheumatology - Deciphering Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Rheumatological Conditions Cardiovascular disease prevalence: cardiovascular disease is common in patients with autoimmune rheumatologic disease; therefore, we must take every opportunity to screen patients early. Limitations of Traditional Scores: conventional risk calculators often underestimate cardiovascular risk for autoimmune disease patients, necessitating additional methods to assess risk accurately. Integration of Disease-Specific Biomarkers: using biomarkers specific to autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, enhances risk assessment and helps in tailoring treatment strategies. Value of Imaging and Risk Enhancers: incorporating imaging (like CAC scoring and carotid ultrasound) and evaluating additional risk factors (such as lipoprotein(a) and high-sensitivity CRP) provides a more comprehensive view of cardiovascular risk and guides more effective management. Show notes - Cardio-Rheumatology - Deciphering Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Rheumatological Conditions Show notes (Drafted by Dr. Bree Hansen): How does inflammation contribute to atherosclerosis, specifically in autoimmune rheumatologic diseases like psoriasis? Lipids need to enter the intimal space of blood vessels, which can be facilitated by endothelial damage caused by chronic cytokine stimulation, such as TNF or IL-6. Once in the intima, lipids are recognized as foreign, leading to the recruitment of monocytes that transform into macrophages to clear these lipids. However, this process often exacerbates the problem, leading to persistent inflammation and atherosclerotic plaque formation. Specifically, in psoriasis, the endothelial damage is particularly pronounced due to cytokines like TNF, IL-17, and interferons. The inflammasome pathway, which is highly active in psoriasis, also contributes to endothelial damage. Additionally, hyperactivated platelets in psoriasis can further damage the endothelium and contribute to atherosclerosis. Overall, atherosclerosis results from a combination of traditional risk factors and systemic inflammation, leading to the development of cardiovascular disease. Which traditional cardiovascular risk factors are increased in patients with rheumatologic conditions? Patients with autoimmune diseases may be up to > three times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, similar to the risk of type 2 diabetes; therefore, it is important to screen patients with autoimmune rheumatologic disorders for cardiovascular disease Most common cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, are also increased in patients with autoimmune rheumatologic disorders. Smoking, specifically, is highly prevalent in psoriasis and exhibits a dose-response relationship with psoriasis severity. Hyperlipidemia is another common risk factor present in patients with autoimmune rheumatologic disease; however,

CardioNerds Dan Ambinder and Dr. Devesh Rai join cardiology fellows and National Lipid Association lipid scholars Dr. Jelani Grant from Johns Hopkins University and Dr. Alexander Razavi from Emory University. They discuss a case involving a patient with familial hypercholesterolemia. Dr. Archna Bajaj from University of Pennsylvania provides expert commentary. Drs. Jelani Grant and Alexander Razavi drafted notes. CardioNerds Intern Pacey Wetstein engineered episode audio. This episode is part of a case reports series developed in collaboration with the National Lipid Association and their Lipid Scholarship Program, with mentorship from Dr. Daniel Soffer and Dr. Eugenia Gianos. A classic finding in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia is the presence of markedly elevated levels of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with an LDL-C concentration of 190 mg/dL or greater. However, severe hypercholesterolemia is not inevitably present, and many patients who carry this diagnosis may have lower LDL-C levels. This case history describes a young woman whose mother and brother met clinical and genetic criteria for heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia but who had only a mild elevation in LDL-C, falling to 130 mg/dL after dietary intervention. Despite this finding, genetic testing revealed the presence of the same genetic variants as were noted in her mother and brother. In addition, a second genetic variant predisposing them to cholesterol gallstone formation was identified in all three family members. If genetic testing had not been performed, the diagnosis may have been missed or delayed, resulting in an increased risk for vascular complications associated with familial hypercholesterolemia. This case supports the value of genetic testing of family members of those with familial hypercholesterolemia, even when LDL-C levels are not severely elevated. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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! Pearls - Exposing an Unusual Presentation of Familial Hypercholesterolemia – National Lipid Association Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is among the most common autosomal co-dominant genetic conditions (approximately 1:200 to 1:300 for HeFH, 1:160,000 to 1:300,000 for HoFH). Genetic testing has a role for all first-degree relatives when a family history of FH is strongly suggestive, regardless of LDL-C level. Heterogeneity in ASCVD risk among individuals with FH is derived from background polygenic risk, clinical risk factors (e.g., timing of lipid-lowering initiation and adjacent risk factors), as well as subclinical atherosclerosis burden. In clinical or genetically confirmed FH, an LDL-C goal of 55 mg/dL is recommended. Beyond statins, FDA-approved non-statin therapies for FH include ezetimibe, PCSK9 mAb, bempedoic acid, inclisiran, evolocumab (only HoFH), lomitapide (only HoFH), and LDL apheresis. Notes - Exposing an Unusual Presentation of Familial Hypercholesterolemia – National Lipid Association What are the diagnostic criteria for FH? Dutch Lipid Clinic Network1 Variables: family history, clinical history, physical exam, LDL-C level, DNA (LDLR, APOB, PCSK9) Simon-Broome1 Variables: total or LDL-C, physical exam, DNA (LDLR, APOB, PCSK9), family history Emphasis on clinical history and physical exam reduces sensitivity U.S. Make Early Diagnosis Prevent Early Death (MEDPED) 1 Only one of the three where no genetic testing is required, may work well in cascade screening Variables: age, total cholesterol, family relative (and degree) with FH Definite, probable, possible, unlikely Emphasis on clinical history and physical exam reduces sensitivity

CardioNerds Cofounder Dr. Amit Goyal, Chair of the CardioNerds Heart Failure Committee Dr. Jenna Skowronski, and Episode FIT Lead Dr. Shazli Khan discuss iron deficiency and its impact on heart failure with Dr. Robert Mentz, Chief of Heart Failure at Duke University and principal investigator of the HEART-FID trial. In this case-based discussion, they cover the diagnostic criteria of iron deficiency in heart failure, epidemiology, and strengths and limitations of different iron formulations.  They also review clinical trials examining the impact of iron deficiency on quality of life, heart failure hospitalizations, and mortality. Importantly, they stress the relevance of iron metabolism in heart failure, irrespective of the presence of anemia. They also discuss the approach to addressing outpatient management of iron in heart failure and future directions of research needed in this domain. Notes were drafted by Dr. Shazli Khan, and Dr. Daniel Ambinder engineered episode audio. Click here for CME. This episode was created in collaboration with the Cardiometabolic Health Congress and is supported by an educational grant from American Regent. Please follow the link in the show notes for free CME. All CardioNerds education is planned, produced, and reviewed by CardioNerds. Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. CardioNerds Heart Success Series PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Iron Deficiency in Heart Failure Think about iron deficiency in ALL patients with heart failure and send appropriate diagnostic labs, even if there is no evidence of anemia! Iron deficiency in heart failure has a specific and distinguished definition, defined as a ferritin level of

CardioNerds Cardio-Rheumatology Series Co-Chairs Dr. Rick Ferraro, Dr. Gurleen Kaur, and Episode Lead Dr. Ronaldo Correa discuss “The Role of Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease” with Dr. Antonio Abbate. Join the CardioNerds as they kick off the Cardio-Rheumatology series with Dr. Antonio Abbate. In this episode, Dr. Abbate, a leading expert in cardio-immunology, discusses the role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease. We explore the molecular mechanisms linking inflammation to atherosclerosis, the impact of chronic low-grade systemic inflammation on heart disease, and potential therapeutic targets. Dr. Abbate shares insights on how genes and lifestyle factors contribute to inflammation, the use of inflammatory markers in clinical practice, and emerging anti-inflammatory therapies in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Tune in for an enlightening conversation on the intersection of inflammation and cardiovascular health. Dr. Ronaldo Correa drafted the notes. Episode audio was engineered by Dr. Amit Goyal. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - Cardio-Rheumatology: The Role of Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease Inflammation is key in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis. Estimating systemic inflammation is part of a comprehensive preventive assessment (primary/secondary). Patients with autoimmune inflammatory diseases are at a higher risk for cardiovascular events. C-reactive protein (CRP) can estimate systemic inflammation and help assess residual inflammatory risk in patients with traditional intermediate/low cardiovascular disease, guiding management consideration with lipid-lowering therapy, aspirin, and colchicine. The pharmacological management of atherosclerosis is evolving beyond primarily lipid-lowering therapies to focus on targeting the underlying residual inflammatory process. Colchicine (inflammasome blocker as an anti-mitotic drug) is approved for use in chronic stable CVD in selected cases, and interleukin pathway blockers, especially IL-1 and IL-6, are under clinical trial investigation. First things first! Prioritize treating and optimizing traditional risk factors and comorbidities and emphasize lifestyle modifications to reduce cardiovascular disease (control diabetes and hypertension, reduce or cease smoking/alcohol, lose weight, and engage in regular physical activity). They all impact inflammation directly or indirectly Show notes - Cardio-Rheumatology: The Role of Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease Notes: Notes drafted by Dr. Ronaldo Correa. What is the link between inflammation and cardiovascular atherosclerosis? Inflammation is involved both in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis.Histopathological coronary atherosclerosis studies have demonstrated the presence of inflammatory mediators as well as a central role of factors of innate immunity such as macrophages and T cells which can interact with vascular smooth muscle cells in the progression of atherosclerotic plaque.Patients with autoimmune inflammatory conditions have earlier and higher cardiovascular event rates (accelerated atherosclerosis due to residual inflammatory risk). Elevated inflammatory markers (for example, high CRP) predict cardiovascular events. How should inflammation be considered in the context of residual cardiovascular risk? Inflammation may be the inciting factor in atherosclerosis, or it may amplify the process driven primarily by other risk factors. Therefore, treating the comorbidities and traditional CVD contributors is key to reducing the vicious inflammatory cycle.Assessing residual risk using inflammatory markers can assist in management. C-reactive protein (CRP) can estimate systemic inflammation and help assess re...

CardioNerds (Drs. Teodora Donisan, Jenna Skowronski, and Johnny Hourmozdi) discuss Cardiomyopathies with Dr. Steve Ommen. Through a case-based discussion, we review the diagnostic evaluation of suspected restrictive cardiomyopathy, and Dr. Ommen shares his expertise in the nuances of caring for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, from counseling to pharmacologic, device, and septal reduction therapies. We cover the foundations of diagnosis and management that will be helpful to CardioNerds preparing to encounter hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on the boards or on the wards. Dr. Johnny Hourmozdi drafted notes. The audio was engineered by Dr. Atefeh Ghorbanzadeh. The CardioNerds Beyond the Boards Series was inspired by the Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular Board Review Course and designed in collaboration with the course directors Dr. Amy Pollak, Dr. Jeffrey Geske, and Dr. Michael Cullen. CardioNerds Beyond the Boards SeriesCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls and Quotes - Cardiomyopathies The presence of an S4 and a rapid y-descent in the jugular venous pulsation on exam should clue you to the presence of a restrictive filling pattern. Restrictive filling doesn't necessarily mean restrictive cardiomyopathy and is more commonly due to dilated or ischemic cardiomyopathy. The five main topics of counseling that every hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patient should understand: (1) Prognosis, (2) Family Screening, (3) Risk of Sudden Death, (4) Treatments, and (5) Physical Activity. Remember 1/3: In clinical trials of cardiac myosin inhibitors for HCM (mavacamten), about a third of patients had a tremendous improvement in symptoms, another third had some improvement, and the final third had no improvement or had to discontinue the drug due to negative inotropy. When counseling patients about septal reduction therapy, consider the patient's age. For younger patients, surgical myectomy at an experienced center offers a higher success rate and greater durability with lower rates of pacemaker placement when compared to alcohol septal ablation. Historically, the conclusion that it was higher risk to be an athlete with HCM was unfortunately generalized to mean that it was high risk to exercise for patients with HCM. “And we turned a generation of HCM patients into HCM cardiometabolic syndrome patients, which is actually a worse combination.” Notes - Cardiomyopathies What is the initial approach to evaluating a patient with new or suspected cardiomyopathy, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)? A history and physical exam, including a thorough past medical and family history, is always the first step and helps determine the patient's risk for potential underlying etiologies, including genetic cardiomyopathies, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or those related to treatments of previous cancer. In terms of ECG findings, pay attention to QRS voltage (high or low) and the presence of any arrhythmias. TTE should be obtained in all patients and is often sufficient to diagnose many underlying cardiomyopathies, including HCM. Cardiac MRI (CMR) is helpful as an adjunct when TTE alone is inconclusive or imaging quality is poor. CMR can help provide a better idea of chamber sizes and wall thickness, and late gadolinium contrast enhancement (LGE) can also be helpful if present in a specific pattern, though often HCM patients may have non-specific patterns of LGE. Invasive hemodynamics assessment is reserved for patients with discordance between non-invasive testing and the clinical impression. It can also be useful to guide the management of heart failure, especially in advanced disease. How do you treat patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM)? In patients with HCM and LVOT obstruction (defined a...

The following question refers to Sections 6.1 and 7.4 of the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.The question is asked by University of Colorado internal medicine resident Dr. Hirsh Elhence, answered first by University of Chicago advanced heart failure cardiologist and Co-Chair for the CardioNerds Critical Care Cardiology Series Dr. Mark Belkin, and then by expert faculty Dr. Mark Drazner.Dr. Drazner is an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist, Professor of Medicine, and Clinical Chief of Cardiology at UT Southwestern. He is the President of the Heart Failure Society of America.The Decipher the Guidelines: 2022 AHA / ACC / HFSA Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure series was developed by the CardioNerds and created in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America. It was created by 30 trainees spanning college through advanced fellowship under the leadership of CardioNerds Cofounders Dr. Amit Goyal and Dr. Dan Ambinder, with mentorship from Dr. Anu Lala, Dr. Robert Mentz, and Dr. Nancy Sweitzer. We thank Dr. Judy Bezanson and Dr. Elliott Antman for tremendous guidance.Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. /*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 25-07-2024 */ .elementor-toggle{text-align:start}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title{font-weight:700;line-height:1;margin:0;padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid #d5d8dc;cursor:pointer;outline:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon{display:inline-block;width:1em}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon svg{margin-inline-start:-5px;width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon.elementor-toggle-icon-right{float:right;text-align:right}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon.elementor-toggle-icon-left{float:left;text-align:left}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon .elementor-toggle-icon-closed{display:block}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon .elementor-toggle-icon-opened{display:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active{border-bottom:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-toggle-icon-closed{display:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-toggle-icon-opened{display:block}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-content{padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid #d5d8dc;display:none}@media (max-width:767px){.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title{padding:12px}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-content{padding:12px 10px}}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-toggle,.e-con>.elementor-widget-toggle{width:var(--container-widget-width);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)} Question #34 Question StemA 72-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and a recent myocardial infarction is seen in your clinic. Two months previously, she was hospitalized with a myocardial infarction and underwent successful revascularization of the left anterior descending artery with a drug-eluting stent. Following her myocardial infarction, an echocardiogram revealed an ejection fraction of 17%, and she was discharged on metoprolol succinate, lisinopril, spironolactone, and dapagliflozin with escalation to maximal tolerated doses over subsequent visits. A repeat echocardiogram performed today in your clinic reveals an ejection fraction of 26%. An electrocardiogram reveals normal sinus rhythm with a narrow QRS at a heart rate of 65 beats per minute. She is grateful for her cardiac rehabilitation program and reports no ongoing symptoms. Which of the following devices is indicated for placement at this time?Answer choicesAImplantable loop recorderBICDCCRT-DDCRT-P Answer #34 Explanation The correct answer is B.

CardioNerds Dan Ambinder and Dr. Devesh Rai join cardiology fellows and National Lipid Association lipid scholars Dr. Oby Ibe from Temple University and Dr. Elizabeth Epstein from Scripps Clinic. They discuss a case involving a patient with elevated Lp(a). Dr. Jessica Pena provides expert commentary. Drs. Oby Ibe and Elizabeth Epstein drafted notes. CardioNerds Intern Christiana Dangas engineered episode audio. This episode is part of a case reports series developed in collaboration with the National Lipid Association and their Lipid Scholarship Program, with mentorship from Dr. Daniel Soffer and Dr. Eugenia Gianos. This is a 63-year-old man with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and active tobacco smoking who presented with acute dyspnea. He was tachycardic but otherwise initially hemodynamically stable. The physical exam demonstrated warm extremities with no murmurs or peripheral edema. Chest X-ray revealed diffuse pulmonary edema, and the ECG showed sinus tachycardia with T-wave inversions in the inferior leads. A bedside echocardiogram revealed a flail anterior mitral valve leaflet. The patient was taken for cardiac catheterization that revealed nonobstructive mid-RCA atheroma with a distal RCA occlusion, which was felt to reflect embolic occlusion from recanalized plaque. PCI was not performed. Right heart catheterization then demonstrated a low cardiac index as well as elevated PCWP and PA pressures. An intra-aortic balloon pump was placed at that time. A TEE was performed soon after which showed the posteromedial papillary muscle was ruptured with flail segments of the anterior mitral leaflet as well as severe posteriorly directed mitral regurgitation. The patient ultimately underwent a successful tissue mitral valve replacement and CABG. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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! Pearls - Little (a), Big Deal – National Lipid Association You are never too young to see a preventive cardiologist! The field of preventive cardiology is shifting focus towards the identification of early upstream risk and intervention before the development of clinical ASCVD (1,5). Patients who have a strong family history of cardiovascular disease, a personal history of CVD at an early age, multiple risk factors, or genetic disorders such as familial hypercholesterolemia especially benefit from early cardiovascular risk assessment and reduction. Female-specific risk factors to incorporate into a young woman's cardiovascular risk assessment include polycystic ovarian syndrome, hormone contraceptive use, early menarche (age 5 pregnancies), early menopause (age

The following question refers to Section 5.1 of the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.The question is asked by University of Colorado internal medicine resident Dr. Hirsh Elhence, answered first by advanced heart failure faculty at the University of Chicago and Co-Chair for the CardioNerds Critical Care Cardiology Series Dr. Mark Belkin, and then by expert faculty Dr. Biykem Bozkurt.Dr. Bozkurt is the Mary and Gordon Cain Chair, Professor of Medicine, Director of the Winters Center for Heart Failure Research, and an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. She is former President of HFSA, former senior associate editor for Circulation, and current Editor-In-Chief of JACC Heart Failure. Dr. Bozkurt was the Vice Chair of the writing committee for the 2022 Heart Failure Guidelines.The Decipher the Guidelines: 2022 AHA / ACC / HFSA Guideline for The Management of Heart Failure series was developed by the CardioNerds and created in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America. It was created by 30 trainees spanning college through advanced fellowship under the leadership of CardioNerds Cofounders Dr. Amit Goyal and Dr. Dan Ambinder, with mentorship from Dr. Anu Lala, Dr. Robert Mentz, and Dr. Nancy Sweitzer. We thank Dr. Judy Bezanson and Dr. Elliott Antman for tremendous guidance.Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. /*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 25-07-2024 */ .elementor-toggle{text-align:start}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title{font-weight:700;line-height:1;margin:0;padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid #d5d8dc;cursor:pointer;outline:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon{display:inline-block;width:1em}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon svg{margin-inline-start:-5px;width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon.elementor-toggle-icon-right{float:right;text-align:right}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon.elementor-toggle-icon-left{float:left;text-align:left}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon .elementor-toggle-icon-closed{display:block}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon .elementor-toggle-icon-opened{display:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active{border-bottom:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-toggle-icon-closed{display:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-toggle-icon-opened{display:block}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-content{padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid #d5d8dc;display:none}@media (max-width:767px){.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title{padding:12px}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-content{padding:12px 10px}}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-toggle,.e-con>.elementor-widget-toggle{width:var(--container-widget-width);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)} Question #33 A 63-year-old man with a past medical history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus presents for routine follow-up. He reports feeling in general good health and enjoys 2-mile walks daily. A review of systems is negative for any symptoms. Which of the following laboratory studies may be beneficial for screening?ANT-proBNPBCK-MBCTroponinDC-reactive proteinENone of the above Answer #33 ExplanationThe correct answer is A – NT-proBNP.This patient is at risk for HF (Stage A) given the presence of risk factors (hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus) but the absence of signs or symptoms of heart failure.Patients at risk for HF screened with BNP or NT-proBNP followed by collaborative care, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment in those with elevated levels can reduce combined rates of LV systolic ...

CardioNerds Dr. Rick Ferraro, Dr. Gurleen Kaur, and Dr. Maryam Barkhordarian discuss the evidence and data supporting SGLT inhibition for cardiovascular and kidney health outcomes with expert faculty Dr. Muthu Vaduganathan. They discuss the role of SGLT inhibitors in different populations, including those with diabetes mellitus, heart failure, CKD, and myocardial infarction. Show notes and audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Fellow Dr. Maryam Barkhordarian. This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - The Data Supporting SGLT Inhibition with Dr. Muthiah Vaduganathan The benefit of SGLT inhibition extends beyond diabetes, and improves cardiovascular and kidney health outcomes independent of diabetes in appropriate patient populations. SGLT inhibition decreases cardiovascular mortality and heart failure hospitalization independent of left ventricular ejection fraction. SGLT inhibitors reduce clinically relevant events such as dialysis and transplantation in CKD patients irrespective of etiology and are now a cornerstone for the prevention of CKD progression. The introduction of polypills in heart failure can simplify GDMT implementation. Show notes - The Data Supporting SGLT Inhibition with Dr. Muthiah Vaduganathan How did SGLT inhibitors transition from “diabetes medication” to guideline-directed cardiovascular medicine? Most therapies in cardiology were developed for a particular purpose and ended up being indicated for a vastly different reason. The SGLT-2 inhibitors are no different. Cardiovascular safety concerns about diabetes medications led to a mandate to conduct cardiovascular outcomes trials for all novel diabetes medications. This federal requirement shed light on the cardiovascular benefits of SGLT inhibitors in patients with diabetes. These initial trials showed that not only are these medications safe but also, surprisingly, proved their role in preventing heart failure and delaying progression of chronic kidney disease. What are the mechanisms of action of SGLT-2 and SGLT-1/2 inhibitors? The central mechanism(s) of how these medications confer health outcomes benefits patients is/are not well understood. The main organ involved in the action of SGLT-2 inhibitors is the kidney at the level of the proximal tubule, impacting the cardiovascular system by handling salt and water and improving kidney efficiency. Conversely, SGLT-1/2 inhibitors also act at the level of the gut, the predominant location of the SGLT-1 cotransporter. Their effects on the cardiovascular system are secondary, given there is no SGLT-1 or -2 cotransporters in the myocardium. These secondary effects can be impacted through blood pressure reduction, volume regulation, improved glycemic control, etc. to overall improve cardiovascular status. Whatever the underlying mechanisms, the empirical data for their use is strong and growing. What is the role of SGLT inhibitors in preventing CKD progression? RAAS inhibitors (ACE inhibitors and ARBs) have been the cornerstone of CKD management for the past two to three decades. SGLT inhibitors have been the first add-on to this background therapy. Four trials, DAPA-CKD, EMPA-CKD, CREDENCE, and the SCORED, investigated the effects of SGLT-2 and SGLT-1/2 inhibitors in patients with CKD with or without diabetes. The outcomes of these trials include modifying the course of CKD and reducing events such as dialysis initiation and transplantation. These effects were regardless of participants' diabetic status, CKD etiology, or individual patient profile.

In this episode, Dr. Gurleen Kaur (Cardiology FIT at Brigham and Women's Hospital and APD of the CardioNerds Academy) and Dr. Chelsea Amo-Tweneboah (Medicine Resident at Stonybrook and CardioNerds Academy Intern) discuss with Dr. Heval Kelli (Cardiologist at Northside Hospital Cardiovascular Institute) about his personal and professional journey in Cardiology. They discuss Dr. Kelli's lifelong advocacy for serving those in need including refugee and immigrant communities, his character in the documentary Refuge, and fostering inclusivity within Cardiology. Audio editing and show notes were drafted by Dr. Chelsea Amo-Tweneboah.   The PA-ACC & CardioNerds Narratives in Cardiology is a multimedia educational series jointly developed by the Pennsylvania Chapter ACC, the ACC Fellows in Training Section, and the CardioNerds Platform with the goal to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in cardiology. In this series, we host inspiring faculty and fellows from various ACC chapters to discuss their areas of expertise and their individual narratives. Join us for these captivating conversations as we celebrate our differences and share our joy for practicing cardiovascular medicine. We thank our project mentors Dr. Katie Berlacher and Dr. Nosheen Reza. The PA-ACC & CardioNerds Narratives in Cardiology PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Video version - Advocacy for Refugee Health and Empowering First-Generation Cardiologists https://youtu.be/hP8bLt9q2sY Quoatables - Advocacy for Refugee Health and Empowering First-Generation Cardiologists “I have always believed that if someone opened the door for you, you have to hold the door for the next generation. Because if you just walk through the door and close it, you just close the door for many people behind you.”  “Instead of making luck a matter of luck, just make an opportunity for everyone else.”  “Hate makes us realize that no matter how privileged you are, you are not protected.”   “It is very hard to hate something you know.”   “Compassion starts with the neighbor next to you, and then you go out to the world and show it.”  “Your best intern wasn't the smartest intern. Your best intern was the person ready to go for rounds, took care of everything, sharp early in the morning, stays late, and gets the work done.”  “Intelligence is relative. Hard work and dedication [are] the most important thing.”   Notes - Advocacy for Refugee Health and Empowering First-Generation Cardiologists Advocacy for refugee health and empowering first-generation cardiologists  Focusing on creating professionals from a given community can help increase their chances of returning to that community and helping to address health disparities.  Refugees and immigrants come from countries and communities where, by and large, prevention is lacking. Seeing a healthcare provider is more appropriate in dire situations.  When approaching immigrants, it is important to present medical information in ways in which they can understand and absorb properly.   For many refugee families, there exists a language barrier and the children are most often the advocates for the family because they are most likely to understand the language of the community they live in.   The vast number of students in the US medical school system come from privileged backgrounds; however, this same statistic is not true for the populations they end up serving.  It is important to have health professionals reflect the populations they serve, and one of the methods to achieve this is through introducing as many individuals as possible to the field of medicine; one of the ways to overcome a leaky pipeline is to pack the pipeline. Strategies include encouraging medical students to serve as ...

CardioNerds co-founder Dan Ambinder joins Dr. Lefan He, Dr. Sina Salehi Omran, and Dr. Neil Gupta from the University of Rochester Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship Program for a day sailing on Lake Ontario. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Jeffrey Bruckel, and CV Fellowship Program Director Dr. Burr Hall shares insights on the University of Rochester fellowship. The episode audio was edited by CardioNerds intern Dr. Atefeh Ghorbanzadeh. They discuss the following case involving a patient with papillary muscle rupture. This is a 63-year-old man with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and active tobacco smoking who presented with acute dyspnea. He was tachycardic but otherwise initially hemodynamically stable. The physical exam demonstrated warm extremities with no murmurs or peripheral edema. Chest X-ray revealed diffuse pulmonary edema, and the ECG showed sinus tachycardia with T-wave inversions in the inferior leads. A bedside echocardiogram revealed a flail anterior mitral valve leaflet. The patient was taken for cardiac catheterization that revealed nonobstructive mid-RCA atheroma with a distal RCA occlusion, which was felt to reflect embolic occlusion from recanalized plaque. PCI was not performed. Right heart catheterization then demonstrated a low cardiac index as well as elevated PCWP and PA pressures. An intra-aortic balloon pump was placed at that time. A TEE was performed soon after which showed the posteromedial papillary muscle was ruptured with flail segments of the anterior mitral leaflet as well as severe posteriorly directed mitral regurgitation. The patient ultimately underwent a successful tissue mitral valve replacement and CABG. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 Pearls - A Case of Papillary Muscle Rupture Most cases of papillary muscle rupture demonstrate only small areas of ischemia with preserved ventricular function, thus causing high shear force on the ischemic papillary muscle. The posteromedial papillary muscle has a single blood supply from the posterior descending artery, while the anterolateral papillary muscle has a dual blood supply from the LAD and the circumflex. Therefore, the posteromedial papillary muscle is more vulnerable to ischemia and, hence, rupture. A murmur may be absent in cases of papillary muscle rupture due to the rapid equalization of left atrial and left ventricular pressures caused by the acuteness of the severe MR. Papillary muscle rupture should always be on the differential for acute dyspnea when ACS is suspected. While mostly associated with STEMIs, mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarctions can also occur after NSTEMIs. Always auscultate patients carefully after a myocardial infarction! When evaluating patients with chest pain presenting with acute or rapidly progressive heart failure and a hypercontractile LVEF should raise suspicion for mechanical complications of MI. Once a papillary muscle rupture is diagnosed, cardiac surgery should be immediately contacted. Temporizing measures prior to surgery include positive pressure ventilation, IV nitroglycerin/nitroprusside, and temporary mechanical circulatory support. Notes - A Case of Papillary Muscle Rupture What is the clinical presentation of acute mitral regurgitation from papillary muscle rupture? Patients typically present 3-5 days after a transmural infarct. Roughly half of these patients present with pulmonary edema that may quickly progress to cardiogenic shock. Most cases are associated with STEMIs, but papillary muscle rupture is also possible with an NSTEMI.

CardioNerds (Drs. Gurleen Kaur and Richard Ferraro) and episode FIT Lead Dr. Saahil Jumkhawala (Cardiology Fellow at the University of Miami) discuss SGLT inhibitors, focusing on the biology of SGLT and its inhibition, with Dr. Katherine Tuttle (Executive Director for Research at Providence Healthcare, Co-Principal Investigator of the Institute of Translational Health Sciences, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington).  Show notes were drafted by Dr. Saahil Jumkhawala. The episode audio was engineered by CardioNerds intern Christiana Dangas. This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls - The Biology of SGLT Inhibition with Dr. Katherine Tuttle SGLT inhibitors, while initially developed as antidiabetic medications, have been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular and renal outcomes. These benefits result from their on-target glucosuric effects and additional off-target effects. The side effect profiles of SGLTis are primarily mediated by glucose reabsorption in their target tissues. The side effect profile of SGLTis must be considered when prescribing these medications and is generally favorable for SGLT2is versus SGLT1is. Once SGLTis are prescribed, patients should be given specific attention to their eGFR, serum potassium, and clinical evaluations of volume status and blood pressure. Strategies to increase implementation of and reduce clinical inertia for these important class of medication remain an area of active investigation Show notes - The Biology of SGLT Inhibition with Dr. Katherine Tuttle What should prompt consideration of starting an SGLT inhibitor? Considerations for SGLT inhibitor initiation are based on a history of heart failure, kidney disease, and diabetes status. In the EMPA-KIDNEY trial, empagliflozin improved cardiovascular and kidney outcomes in those with low GFR (regardless of level of albuminuria). What is the mechanism of action of SGLT2 inhibitors? SGLT2 inhibitors improve glycemic control by blocking SGLT2 receptor-mediated reabsorption of glucose in the proximal convoluted tubule, where 80-90% of this reuptake occurs, and increased downstream excretion of glucose and sodium chloride. SGLT2 inhibitors provide only a modest glucose-lowering effect, particularly for patients with GFR

CardioNerds cofounder, Amit Goyal joins Dr. Belal Suleiman, Dr. Nkiru Osude, and Dr. David Elliott from Duke University. They discuss a case of severe mitral paravalvular regurgitation complicated by hemolytic anemia. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Andrew Wang. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Adriana Mares. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 - Severe Mitral Paravalvular Regurgitation Complicated by Hemolytic Anemia - Duke University

CardioNerds Co-Founder Dr. Daniel Ambinder, Series Co-Chair Dr. Giselle Suero Abreu (FIT at MGH), and Episode Lead Dr. Iva Minga (FIT at the University of Chicago) discuss the use of multi-modality cardiovascular imaging in cardio-oncology with expert faculty Dr. Nausheen Akhter (Northwestern University). Show notes were drafted by Dr. Sukriti Banthiya and episode audio was edited by CardioNerds Intern and student Dr. Diane Masket. They use illustrative cases to discuss: Recommendations on the use of multimodality imaging, including advanced echocardiographic techniques and cardiac MRI, in patients receiving cardiotoxic therapies and long-term surveillance. Role of nuclear imaging (MUGA scan) in monitoring left ventricular ejection fraction. Use of computed tomography to identify and/or monitor coronary disease. Imaging diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis. This episode is supported by a grant from Pfizer Inc. This CardioNerds Cardio-Oncology 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. Giselle Suero Abreu, Dr. Dinu Balanescu, and Dr. Teodora Donisan.  CardioNerds Cardio-Oncology PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! References -  Multi-modality Imaging in Cardio-Oncology Baldassarre L, Ganatra S, Lopez-Mattei J, et al. Advances in Multimodality Imaging in Cardio-Oncology. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022 Oct, 80 (16) 1560–1578.

CardioNerds cofounders, Dan Ambinder joins Drs. Aishwarya Pastapur, Oyinkansola Osobamiro, and Rafik Issa from the University of Michigan for drinks in Ann Arbor. They discuss the following case of pericardial decompression syndrome. Expert commentary is provided by Dr. Brett Wanamaker. Notes were drafted by Dr. Aishwarya Pastapur and Dr. Rafik Issa. The episode audio was engineered by CardioNerds Intern student Dr. Atefeh Ghorbanzadeh. A woman in her 50s with a past medical history of stage IV lung cancer (with metastatic involvement of the liver, bone, and brain), previous saddle pulmonary emboli, pericardial effusion, and malignant pleural effusions presents with dyspnea. She was found to have a pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology relieved by pericardiocentesis. We discuss the management of cardiac tamponade, indications for pericardiocentesis, how to monitor for post-pericardiocentesis complications, and what to keep on your differential diagnosis for decompensation after pericardiocentesis. We discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of pericardial decompression syndrome. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 - Pericardial Decompression Syndrome Pearls - Pericardial Decompression Syndrome Diminished heart sounds, a low-voltage EKG with electrical alternans, elevated jugular venous pressure/pulsations (JVP), and the presence of pulses paradoxes are important findings that could suggest tamponade. McConnell sign is strongly concerning for right ventricular failure and pulmonary hypertension, potentially due to acute pulmonary embolism. Mechanical thrombectomy for pulmonary embolism is not feasible if the emboli are diffusely scattered without a central lesion to target. For patients who experience decompensation following pericardiocentesis, consider perforation, tamponade re-accumulation, or pericardial decompression syndrome (PDS). When possible, avoid draining more than 1L of pericardial fluid at once to minimize the risk of PDS. Notes - Pericardial Decompression Syndrome What is Pericardial Decompression Syndrome (PDS), and how does it present? Pericardial decompression syndrome is a rare, life-threatening syndrome occurring in about 5-10% of cases with paradoxical worsening of hemodynamics after pericardial drainage. The clinical presentation ranges from pulmonary edema to cardiogenic shock to death, occurring a few hours to days after a successful pericardiocentesis. What is the underlying mechanism for PDS? The pathophysiology behind PDS is debated, but there are three proposed mechanisms: Paradoxical Hemodynamic Derangement: After pericardiocentesis, venous return to the RV rapidly increases, resulting in RV expansion and potentially septal deviation towards the LV. Subsequently, the LV experiences decreased preload while still facing increased afterload as a compensatory response to obstructive shock, leading to decompensation.Myocardial Ischemia: Increased intrapericardial pressure may impair coronary perfusion, leading to myocardial ischemia. Upon pericardiocentesis, there is myocardial stunning with increased demand due to increased venous return and cardiac output Sympathetic Withdrawal: Withdrawal of sympathetic activation after drainage of pericardial fluid can trigger cardiovascular collapse What are the risk factors for developing PDS, and how can we mitigate those risks for prevention? Generally, patients with long-standing pericardial effusion with chronic compression of the heart, such as those with malignant pericardial effusions, are more vulnerable to developing PDS after pericardioc...

CardioNerds (Amit Goyal and Dan Ambinder), Dr. Jaya Kanduri, and Dr. Jason Feinman discuss foundations of cardiovascular prevention with Dr. Stephen Kopecky. In this episode, the CardioNerds and topic expert Dr. Stephen Kopecky tackle cardiovascular prevention. They focus on how to identify patients at risk for cardiovascular disease by using the pooled cohort equation and discuss how to incorporate additional risk-enhancing factors in risk estimation. Later, they discuss the role of non-invasive imaging and testing for further patient risk stratification. Last, they discuss the appropriate pharmacologic interventions for patient care, how to determine what LDL-c to target for each patient, and how to modify your treatment modalities in response to side effects or the need for further lipid-lowering therapies. Notes were drafted by Dr. Jason Feinman. Audio was engineered by CardioNerds Intern Christiana Dangas. The CardioNerds Beyond the Boards Series was inspired by the Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular Board Review Course and designed in collaboration with the course directors Dr. Amy Pollak, Dr. Jeffrey Geske, and Dr. Michael Cullen. CardioNerds Beyond the Boards SeriesCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls and Quotes - Foundations of Cardiovascular Prevention The 2018 cardiovascular prevention guidelines indicate that a single equation, like the pooled risk equation, does not fit everyone. There are additional risk enhancers that are not factored into the pooled risk equation that can impact an individual's risk These factors are often conditions that increase inflammation but can also include family history, ethnicity, chronic kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, premature menopause or gestational diabetes, and rheumatologic conditions Data from Get With The Guidelines demonstrates that the average LDL at the time of the first myocardial infarction is 105 mg/dL. Coronary artery calcium scores or a carotid ultrasound can be used to further risk stratify patients. However, CAC is likely to be negative in young women. A CAC of zero can be used to “de-risk” some patients but should not be used to guide therapy in the setting of tobacco usage, diabetes mellitus, or familial hypercholesterolemia. Strategies to mitigate risk include healthy lifestyle habits and selectively targeting key risk factors including LDL, hypertriglyceridemia, inflammation, and the GLP1-pathway. Upcoming medications may address elevated Lp(a). Notes - Foundations of Cardiovascular Prevention Notes: Notes drafted by Dr. Jason Feinman. How do you assess an individual's risk for cardiovascular disease? The paramount role of primary prevention is the assessment and mitigation of an individual's risk for ASCVD event.1 The 10-year ASCVD risk calculator is a commonly used tool to assess an individual's risk and to guide shared decision-making conversations and recommendations.2 Individuals can be characterized as having low (less than 5%), borderline (5%-7.5%), intermediate (7.5%-20%), or high (greater than 20%) risk.2 The 10-year ASCVD risk calculator has varying validation in ethnic minorities, and other risk calculators, such as the Framingham CVD risk score, may be considered in those groups.3-5 Additional risk enhancers may be used to guide recommendations for individuals at borderline or intermediate risk.1 What additional imaging testing may be beneficial in the assessment of an individual's risk? Individuals with intermediate or borderline risk may benefit from further non-invasive imaging to help guide therapeutic recommendations.2 Coronary artery calcification is a marker of underlying atherosclerosis, which can help to reclassify patients to be at higher risk for ASCVD events and support interventions to help lower t...

This case report explores the intricacies of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), delving into its genetic basis, atherosclerotic cascade, and early-onset cardiovascular complications. It examines established diagnostic criteria and emphasizes personalized management, including statins, novel therapies, and lifestyle modifications. CardioNerds cofounders (Drs. Amit Goyal and Danial Ambinder) join Dr. Irfan Shafi, Dr. Preeya Prakash, and Dr. Rebecca Theisen from the Wayne State University/DMC and Central Michigan University at Campus Martius in Downtown Detroit for some holiday ice-skating! They discuss an interesting pediatric case (see case synopsis below). Dr. Luis C Afonso provides the Expert CardioNerd Perspectives & Review segment for this episode. Audio editing by CardioNerds academy intern, Pace Wetstein. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 Synopsis FH, a 9-year-old female with no previous medical history, recently moved back to the US from Iraq. She presented to establish care and discuss new-onset chest pain and dyspnea. A systolic ejection murmur was noted during her initial visit to the pediatrician, prompting cholesterol testing and a cardiology referral. Testing revealed, alarming cholesterol levels (Total Cholesterol: 802 mg/dL, LDL: 731 mg/dL, Triglycerides: 123 mg/dL) prompted concern for cardiac involvement. Due to persistent symptoms, FH was transferred to Children's Hospital of Michigan. Despite normal findings on EKG and chest x-ray, a 2/6 systolic murmur was noted. She was discharged with a cardiology clinic follow-up. However, two days later, FH experienced severe chest pain at rest, sweating, and difficulty breathing. She was transported to Children's Hospital again, and her troponin level measured 3000, and her total cholesterol was 695 mg/dL. An echocardiogram revealed valvar and supravalvar aortic stenosis, necessitating collaboration between Pediatric and Adult cardiology teams. CTA thorax revealed severe supravalvular stenosis, a hypoplastic right coronary artery, and significant coronary artery obstructions. Diagnostic cardiac catheterization confirmed severe aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease, leading to the decision for surgical intervention. FH underwent the Ross operation, left main coronary artery augmentation, and right coronary artery reimplantation. Intraoperatively, atherosclerotic plaques were observed in multiple cardiac structures. FH's recovery was uneventful, discharged on a regimen including Atorvastatin, Ezetimibe, evolocumab, and antiplatelet therapy. Persistent high LDL levels required regular plasmapheresis. Plans for evaluations in Genetics, Lipid Clinic, Endocrine, and Gastroenterology were made, potentially leading to a liver transplant assessment. Given the severity of her condition, a heart/liver transplant might be considered in the future. Conclusion: This case of FH highlights the complex presentation of severe aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease in a pediatric patient. Urgent diagnosis, interdisciplinary collaboration, and aggressive management were crucial. The case underscores the importance of comprehensive care for pediatric patients with rare cardiac conditions, emphasizing collaboration between specialties for optimal outcomes and long-term well-being. Case Media Pearls - Familial Hypercholesterolemia Mutations in LDLR, ApoB, or PCSK9 genes disrupt LDL-C clearance, leading to a cascade of events culminating in accelerated atherosclerosis and early-onset cardiovascular complications (e.g., CAD, aortic stenosis, PAD, stroke). Diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia relies on ...

In this episode, Dr. Katie Fell (General Cardiology Fellow at University of Michigan and CardioNerds Academy Fellow) and Dr. Gurleen Kaur (incoming General Cardiology fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Director of CardioNerds Internship) discuss with Dr. James Arrighi (General Cardiologist and CEO of ACGME-International) about developing as a clinician educator and the concept of competency-based education. The PA-ACC & CardioNerds Narratives in Cardiology is a multimedia educational series jointly developed by the Pennsylvania Chapter ACC, the ACC Fellows in Training Section, and the CardioNerds Platform with the goal to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in cardiology. In this series, we host inspiring faculty and fellows from various ACC chapters to discuss their areas of expertise and their individual narratives. Join us for these captivating conversations as we celebrate our differences and share our joy for practicing cardiovascular medicine. We thank our project mentors Dr. Katie Berlacher and Dr. Nosheen Reza. The PA-ACC & CardioNerds Narratives in Cardiology PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Video version - Becoming a “Big E” Medical Educator as a Cardiologist with Dr. James Arrighi https://youtu.be/xcrwnz6_9Qg Quoatables - Becoming a “Big E” Medical Educator as a Cardiologist with Dr. James Arrighi “You really have to have a passion or a love for what you do...that's probably responsible for most of the success one has in life” (time 4:43) “Sub-subspecialty societies in Cardiology represent [a] great opportunity for junior faculty or even trainees to get involved, even before getting involved in ACC.” (time 5:30) “Competency-based medical education and time variable training are not synonymous.” (time 16:43) “As Cardiology evolves into more and more subspecialties...it begs the question... ‘Is Cardiology a primary specialty?'” (time 27:30) “We need to think about [a] more efficient ways for training.” (time 31:55) “As a clinician educator, there's variety, there's innovation!” (time 41:22) Notes - Becoming a “Big E” Medical Educator as a Cardiologist with Dr. James Arrighi How might one develop as a clinician educator on a national level? Junior faculty and trainees should consider taking advantage of education opportunities in various Cardiology sub-specialty societies (ex: American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, ASNC). This may include involvement in different committees. These opportunities are great ways to build connections and establish a reputation on a national level. This can help lead to other opportunities with larger national organizations (ex: ACC, AHA). Cardiology Training Oversight The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) both have regulatory power over Cardiology training, providing the minimum clinical experience standards for Cardiology fellowship training programs.The ACGME oversees accreditation for Cardiology fellowships.The ABIM defines the requirements for eligibility for certification of individuals. Over time, the ACGME has transitioned to placing an emphasis on quality improvement, with a particular focus on continuous programmatic improvement. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) helps define more granular recommendations for Cardiology training programs and their curriculum.Periodically the ACC releases training guidelines for Cardiology fellowship programs, called Core Cardiovascular Training Statements, or COCATS. This document provides more contemporary, detailed, and specialty-specific recommendations for Cardiology training as compared to ACGME.While ACC has no regulatory authority over Cardiology training programs, COCATS documents provide a roadmap for program...

CardioNerds (Dr. Jessie Holtzman, Chair for the CardioNerds Women's Heart Disease Committee, and Dr. Naima Maqsood, Chair for the CardioNerds Electrophysiology Committee) join Dr. Ritika Gadodia, Dr. Namratha Meda, and Dr. Tsion Aberra from the Medstar Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University Program for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. They discuss involving a patient with Chagas cardiomyopathy. Dr. Rachel Marcus provides the Expert CardioNerd Perspectives & Review segment for this episode. Episode audio was edited by Dr. Diane Masket. A 79-year-old male with a history of cardiomyopathy presented with recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) post-CRT-D placement. On arrival, the patient was in cardiogenic shock. Initial treatment with amiodarone and milrinone failed, necessitating the addition of mexiletine. Imaging was suggestive of a left ventricular ejection fraction of 20-25% with severe global hypokinesis. Prior coronary angiogram had shown nonobstructive coronary artery disease. Further non-ischemic cardiomyopathy evaluation was unrevealing. Given his El Salvadorian origins, Chagas serology results revealed Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy (CCM) confirmed by CDC testing. This case underscores the importance of suspecting CCM in patients with risk factors. An early diagnosis of CCM, can prevent catastrophic events (heart blocks, ventricular arrhythmias, thromboembolic events). In summary, this case takes the learner through the journey of a patient with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and emphasizes the importance of approaching it with a wide range of differentials. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 Pearls - Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy with Recurrent Ventricular Tachyarrhythmia Always consider Chagas cardiomyopathy when you have a patient from Latin America who presents with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. Chagas cardiomyopathy is associated with an unfavorable prognosis and serves as an independent predictor of mortality. Chagas cardiomyopathy is arrhythmogenic and requires consideration for ICD and, when appropriate, catheter based ventricular tachycardia ablation. It is crucial to treat patients with nifurtimox and benznidazole when appropriate. Provide screening for first-degree family members or close relatives who may have lived in the same environment. Show Notes - Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy with Recurrent Ventricular Tachyarrhythmia What is the disease progression in Chagas disease5? Acute Stage:Initial infection occurs through contact with infected triatomine bug feces or contaminated blood products.Symptoms may be mild or absent but can include fever, fatigue, body aches, and swelling at the injection site (chagoma). Parasitemia is high during this stage. Intermediate/Indeterminate Stage:The infection becomes chronic if left untreated.Many individuals enter this stage with no noticeable symptoms.Parasitemia levels decrease, but the parasite remains in the body, mainly in muscle and cardiac tissue. This stage can last for years to decades. Chronic Stage:Some individuals will remain asymptomatic throughout their lives.Cardiac complications (chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy) can lead to arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and sudden death. Digestive complications can result in enlarged esophagus (megaesophagus) and colon (megacolon), leading to difficulties in swallowing and digestion. When do we suspect, and who do we screen, for Chagas disease? The seroprevalence of CCM in the USA is as high as 19%16. Among patients with LVEF

CardioNerds Dr. Josh Saef and Dr. Tommy Das join Dr. Omkar Betageri, Dr. Andrew Geissler, Dr. Philip Lacombe, and Dr. Cashel O'Brien from the Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine to enjoy an afternoon by the famous Portland headlight. They discuss a case of a patient who presents with obstructive cardiogenic shock. Dr. Bram Geller and Dr. Jon Donnelly provide the Expert CardioNerd Perspectives & Review segment for this episode. Dr. Maxwell Afari, the Maine Medical Center cardiology fellowship program director highlights the fellowship program. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Tina Reddy. This is the case of a 42 year-old woman born with complicated Tetralogy of Fallot repair culminating in a 29mm Edwards Sapiens (ES) S3 valve placement within a pulmonary homograft for graft failure who was admitted to the cardiac ICU for progressive cardiogenic shock requiring vasopressors and inotropic support. Initial workup showed lactic acidosis, acute kidney injury, elevated NT-proBNP, and negative blood cultures. TTE showed at least moderate biventricular systolic dysfunction. She was placed on furosemide infusion, blood cultures were drawn and empiric antibiotics initiated. Right heart catheterization demonstrated elevated right sided filling pressures, blunted PA pressures with low PCWP, low cardiac index, and low pulmonary artery pulsatility index. Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) showed a large mass within the ES valve apparatus causing restrictive valve motion with a low gradient across the pulmonic valve in the setting of poor RV function. Angiography revealed a large filling defect and balloon valvuloplasty was performed with immediate hemodynamic improvement. Blood cultures remained negative, she was gradually weaned off of inotropic and vasopressor support, and discharged. Despite empiric treatment for culture negative endocarditis and ongoing anticoagulation, she was readmitted for recurrent shock one month later at which time the pulmonic mass was revisualized on ICE. A valve-in-valve transcatheter pulmonary valve (29mm ES S3) was placed to compress what was likely pannus, with an excellent hemodynamic result and no visible mass on ICE. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 Pearls - Obstructive Cardiogenic ShocK Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common cyanotic defect and can lead to long term complications after surgical repair including chronic pulmonary insufficiency, RV dysfunction, residual RVOT obstruction and branch pulmonary artery stenoses. Chronic RV failure may be more indicative of a structural defect and therefore require interventional or surgical management. Valve thrombosis, infective endocarditis and obstructive pannus formation should be considered in the differential of a patient with obstructive shock with a prosthetic valve. Bioprosthetic pulmonic valve obstruction may be effectively managed with balloon valvuloplasty in patients who present in acute extremis but TCPV will likely provide a more lasting result. While valvular gradients are typically assessed via echocardiography, invasive hemodynamics can serve as a critical adjunctive tool in its characterization. Show Notes - Obstructive Cardiogenic ShocK Notes were drafted by Drs. Omkar Betageri, Philip Lacombe, Cashel O'Brien, and Andrew Geissler. What are the common therapies and management for Tetralogy of Fallot? Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common cyanotic defect in children beyond the age of one year Anatomic Abnormalities: Anterior and Superior deviation of the conal septum creating a SubAo VSD and encroachment on the RVOT.

CardioNerds Co-Founder Dr. Daniel Ambinder, Episode Chair Dr. Dinu Balanescu, and FIT Lead Dr. Natalie Tapaskar discuss advanced heart failure in CardioOncology with expert Dr. Richard Cheng. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, Dr. Akiva Rosenzveig. In this episode, we discuss the spectrum of advanced heart failure in patients with a history of cancer. We dissect cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) cases and the imaging and biomarker tools available for risk stratification and disease monitoring. We delve into the data on the use of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in these patients. We discuss the risk of prior radiation and chemotherapy during cardiac surgery. Finally, we learn about the post-transplant risk of rejection, recurrent malignancy, and de-novo malignancies, as well as treatment strategies we can employ for these patients. This episode is supported by a grant from Pfizer Inc. This CardioNerds Cardio-Oncology 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. Giselle Suero Abreu, Dr. Dinu Balanescu, and Dr. Teodora Donisan.  CardioNerds Cardio-Oncology 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 - Advanced Heart Failure in CardioOncology Use the HFA-ICOS risk tool to understand the baseline risk of developing cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). Key factors are type of cancer therapy, baseline CV risk factors, and age. A relative change in global longitudinal strain of more than 15% from baseline is a marker of early cardiac dysfunction and predicts the subsequent risk for systolic dysfunction in patients undergoing cardiotoxic chemotherapy. Statins may be useful in prevention of cardiovascular dysfunction in patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy. There is limited data on the 4 pillars of GDMT in prevention of CTRCD, but should be started early once CRTCD is suspected or diagnosed! Mediastinal radiation causes adhesions and scarring which increase the risk of bleeding during cardiac surgery, lead to longer operative times, and can lead to RV failure and poor wound healing. Patients with a pre-transplant history of malignancy have a higher risk of mortality due to post-transplant malignancy. And patients with active cancer should not be considered for heart transplant. Post-transplant malignancy risk can be mitigated by utilizing an mTOR based, CNI free immunosuppression regimen. Show notes - Advanced Heart Failure in CardioOncology How do cardio-oncology and advanced heart failure intersect? There are 3 basic populations of patients to consider:Patients with advanced heart failure who develop cancer.Patients with pre-existing chemotherapy and radiation exposure for cancer treatment who later develop advanced heart failureHeart transplant recipients who, in the long term are at very high risk of developing cancer Cardio-oncologists must consider risk assessment and mitigation, long-term prognosis, and treatment strategies for each of these unique populations. How can we assess the risk of developing cardiovascular disease during cancer treatment (CTRCD)? There are many proposed risk tools. However, the majority are not well-validated. One of the most used tools is the HFA-ICOS risk tool.1You can select the planned cancer therapy for the patient (anthracyclines, HER-2, VEGF, RAF/MEK inhibitors, Kinase inhibitors, multiple myeloma therapies) and then calculate their risk of developing CV disease during cancer treatment based on baseline variables:1) previous history of CV disease,2) biomarkers – troponin and NT-proBNP3)age,4) CV risk factors -HTN, DM,

CardioNerds, Dr. Richard Ferraro and Dr. Dan ambinder join Dr. Li Pang, Dr. Emily Hendricks, and Dr. Bei Jiang from West Virginia University to discuss the following case that features apical obliteration with biventricular thrombus. Dr. Christopher Bianco provides the Expert CardioNerd Perspectives & Review (E-CPR) for this episode. Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Tina Reddy. A 37-year-old Caucasian man with a history of tobacco smoking and hypertension who presented with chest pain and elevated troponin was admitted for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Ischemic evaluation with an invasive coronary angiogram was negative. He was treated as NSTEMI and scheduled for outpatient cardiac MRI (CMR). The patient came back 2 months later with right arm weakness and confusion and was found to have an embolic stroke. Labs showed positive troponin with a flat trend and hypereosinophilia. Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed obliteration of LV and RV apex with thrombus and reduced LV systolic function. CMR was consistent with myocarditis with biventricular thrombus. The patient was started on corticosteroids and warfarin. Hypereosinophilia workup was positive for PDGFRA alpha rearrangement. He was diagnosed with primary hypereosinophila syndrome. Imatinib was initiated. The patient was followed up with the hematology clinic, achieved a complete hematologic response with normalized cell count, and remained free from any cardiovascular event at the 8-month follow-up. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscript here. 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 Pearls - Apical Obliteration with Biventricular Thrombus Cardiac MRI is a valuable test for patients presenting with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). Obliterated apex with apical thrombus on TTE with hypereosinophilia should raise high suspicion for eosinophilic myocarditis. Initiation of corticosteroids is the first-line treatment for eosinophilic myocarditis, which is associated with lower mortality in patients with myocarditis. For other potential complications, such as heart failure, intracardiac thrombus, arrhythmia, and pericardial effusion, the standard of care for each disorder is recommended. Hypereosinophilia can be seen in parasitic infections, vasculitis, asthma, allergy, hematological malignancies, and as a primary disorder. Show Notes - Apical Obliteration with Biventricular Thrombus What is the differential diagnosis for patients with elevated troponin and nonobstructive CAD? The occurrence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without significant CAD was reported 80 years ago. However, the term MINOCA (myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries) has only been used recently to describe these patients. It involves ischemic and nonischemic etiologies. First, overlooked ischemic etiologies need to be ruled out by reconciling the angiogram images such as spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and plaque disruption. Intracoronary imaging, such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) or optical coherence tomography (OCT), may be applied to evaluate for SCAD and subtypes of plaque disruption when indicated.  The investigation continues with nonischemic causes such as stress cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, pulmonary embolism, demand ischemia from sepsis, anemia, chest trauma, heart failure exacerbation, arrhythmia, and stroke. The diagnosis of MINOCA is established when it fulfills the following criteria: First, it is AMI by the Fourth Universal Definition; Second, less than 50% of stenotic lesion on angiogram; Third, there is no alternate diagnosis.

CardioNerds (Drs. Richard Ferraro, Gurleen Kaur, and Rupan Bose) discuss the growing epidemic of obesity and dive into the role of its procedural management with Dr. Steve Nissen, Chief Academic Officer at the Cleveland Clinic HVTI and past president of the American College of Cardiology. This is an exciting topic that reflects a major inflection point in cardiovascular care. In this episode, we discuss the importance of addressing obesity in cardiovascular care, as it is a major driver of cardiovascular disease and the progression of associated cardiovascular comorbidities. We look at the role of bariatric surgery and its ability to produce sustained weight loss. Finally, we look into the emerging role of new medical therapies such as GLP1 and GIP agonist medications. Notes were drafted by Dr. Rupan Bose and episode audio was edited by CardioNerds Intern Dr. Atefeh Ghorbanzadeh. This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Novo Nordisk. See below for continuing medical education credit. Claim CME for this episode HERE. CardioNerds Prevention 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 - Procedural Management of Obesity with Dr. Steve Nissen Obesity is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Returning to a healthy weight can largely prevent the downstream consequences of obesity. Regarding lifestyle modifications, diet alone is insufficient in sustaining prolonged weight loss. It is associated with short-term weight loss, but it is generally necessary to supplement with exercise and activity to ensure sustained weight loss. Bariatric surgery should be considered for patients with BMI ≥40 kg/m2 or BMI ≥35 kg/m2 with obesity-related comorbid conditions who are motivated to lose weight and who have not responded to behavioral treatment with or without pharmacotherapy. New emerging medications, including GLP1 receptor agonists, GIP receptor agonists, and glucagon receptor agonists, are beginning to approach weight loss levels that were previously only seen with bariatric surgery. Further research in this dynamic area is ongoing. Show notes - Procedural Management of Obesity with Dr. Steve Nissen Notes drafted by Dr. Rupan Bose. What is the role of obesity in the burden of cardiovascular disease, and why is it so important for CardioNerds to address it? According to the AHA, approximately 2.8 to 3.5 billion people worldwide are either overweight or obese. It is estimated that by 2030, 30% of people in the US will have a BMI greater than 30. Adipose tissue is associated with cytokine release. Cytokines, in turn, can activate and increase levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and CRP, leading to an increased inflammatory state. This pro-inflammatory state then accelerates the rate of cardiovascular disease. Obesity is also associated with significant joint and orthopedic diseases, which further impact patients' quality of life and morbidity. Additionally, obesity is associated with NASH cirrhosis. These adverse liver outcomes hold additional significant systemic implications and morbidity. How do you determine one's goal weight and goal BMI? Is BMI a good standard for measuring obesity? BMI is a variable of both weight and height. However, it cannot differentiate those whose weight is from adipose tissue versus from muscle mass. Therefore, BMI measurements can sometimes be misleading. Waist circumference may be a better measurement standard for obesity and risk assessment. The “apple shape” body type, with more abdominal fat, is associated with higher inflammation and cardiovascular risk than the “pear-shaped” body type, which is where there is more fat deposition in the buttocks a...

CardioNerds (Drs. Gurleen Kaur and Richard Ferraro) and episode FIT Lead Dr. Spencer Carter (Cardiology Fellow at UT Southwestern) discuss the clinical implementation of GLP-1 receptor agonists with Dr. Neha Pagidapati (Faculty at Duke University School of Medicine). In this episode of the CardioNerds Cardiovascular Prevention Series, we discuss the clinical implementation of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. We cover the clinical indications, metabolic and cardiovascular benefits, and potential limitations of these emerging and exciting therapies. Show notes were drafted by Dr. Spencer Carter. Audio editing was performed by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student Dr. Pacey Wetstein. This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Novo Nordisk. See below for continuing medical education credit. Claim CME for this episode HERE. CardioNerds Prevention 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 - Clinical Implementation of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists GLP-1 agonists work through a variety of mechanisms to counteract metabolic disease. They increase insulin secretion, inhibit glucagon secretion, slow gastric motility, and increase satiety to limit excess energy intake. Patients with type II diabetes and an elevated risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease should be considered for GLP-1 agonist therapy regardless of hemoglobin A1c. GLP-1 agonists offer significant ASCVD risk reduction even in the absence of diabetes. Newer data suggest a significant reduction in cardiovascular events with GLP-1 agonist therapy in patients who are overweight or obese and have a prior history of heart disease. GLP-1 agonists should generally be avoided in patients with a history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2. As these medications slow gastric emptying, relative contraindications include history of recurrent pancreatitis and gastroparesis. GLP-1 agonists should be initially prescribed at the lowest dose and slowly uptitrated to avoid gastrointestinal side effects. Show notes - Clinical Implementation of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists What were the groundbreaking findings of the STEP1 and SURMOUNT-1 trials and how these impact cardiovascular wellness? The STEP1 and SURMOUNT trials demonstrated sustained clinically relevant reduction in body weight with semaglutide and tripeptide, respectively, in patients with overweight and obesity. As obesity is an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, weight reduction meaningfully contributes to cardiovascular wellness. What were the findings of the LEADER trial and their implications for patients with type II diabetes and high cardiovascular risk? The LEADER trial demonstrated a significant reduction in the rate of cardiovascular death, nonfatal MI, or nonfatal stroke in patients with type II diabetes treated with liraglutide. GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy should be considered in all patients with type II diabetes and elevated ASCVD risk regardless of A1c or current hyperglycemic therapy. What are current indications for GLP1 agonists in the context of cardiometabolic disease. GLP-1 receptor agonists should be considered in patients with type II diabetes and high ASCVD risk OR patients without diabetes who are overweight/obese and have a history of cardiovascular disease. What are important side effects or contraindications to GLP1 agents when used for cardiovascular risk reduction and wellness? GLP-1 receptor agonists should be avoided in patients with a history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2. Relative contraindications include recurrent pancreatitis, gastroparesis,

CardioNerds (Dr. Dan Ambinder), Dr. Nino Isakadze (EP Fellow at Johns Hopkins Hospital), and Dr. Karan Desai (Cardiology Faculty at Johns Hopkins Hospital) join Digital Health Experts, Dr. Alexis Beatty (Cardiologist and associate professor in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at UCSF) and Dr. Seth Martin (Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Mobile Technologies to Achieve Equity in Cardiovascular Health (mTECH), which is part of the American Heart Association (AHA) Strategically Focused Research Networks on Health Technology & Innovation) for another installment of the Digital Health Series. In this specific episode, we discuss pearls, pitfalls, and everything in between for emerging digital health innovators. This series is supported by an ACC Chapter Grant in collaboration with Corrie Health.  Audio editing by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student doctor Shivani Reddy. In this series, supported by an ACC Chapter Grant and in collaboration with Corrie Health, we hope to provide all CardioNerds out there a primer on the role of digital heath in cardiovascular medicine. Use of versatile hardware and software devices is skyrocketing in everyday life. This provides unique platforms to support healthcare management outside the walls of the hospital for patients with or at risk for cardiovascular disease. In addition, evolution of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and telemedicine is augmenting clinical decision making at a new level fueling a revolution in cardiovascular disease care delivery. Digital health has the potential to bridge the gap in healthcare access, lower costs of healthcare and promote equitable delivery of evidence-based care to patients. This CardioNerds Digital Health series is made possible by contributions of stellar fellow leads and expert faculty from several programs, led by series co-chairs, Dr. Nino Isakadze and Dr. Karan Desai.   Enjoy this Circulation 2022 Paths to Discovery article to learn about the CardioNerds story, mission, and values. CardioNerds Digital Health Series PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron!