Abstract Among the inotropic agents used in the management of heart failure, levosimendan, in particular, has a selective venodilator property that appears to explain its clinical benefit during pulmonary hypertension (PH). Most of the evidence refers to patients with group 2 PH and consequent right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. In this scenario, the observed benefits may be due to the effect of levosimendan on RV contractility and pulmonary vessel dilation, or to the improvement of left ventricular function and consequent reduction […]

Introduction Filamins interconnect actin filaments and form a broad network in cardiac and skeletal muscle cells by anchoring membrane proteins to the cytoskeleton. Filamin C, encoded by the FLNC gene, is one of three filamin-related proteins and binds to several proteins in the Z-disc of the sarcomere. Mutations in FLNC were initially associated with skeletal myofibrillar myopathy but are now recognized as associated with dilated and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy phenotypes, with autosomal dominant inheritance and an estimated penetrance of 92–97%, and […]

Introduction Sarcoidosis is a multisystem inflammatory granulomatous disease of unknown cause, related to genetic factors, with an incidence of 1 to 30 cases/100,000 people, and is more prevalent in women over 50 years of age. The formation of scar tissue characterizes it and can affect any organ, with a predilection for the lungs in approximately 90% of cases. Patients with cardiac involvement are mainly male and, in general, have a worse prognosis, with high mortality rates observed in this population […]

Case Report An 83-year-old female patient diagnosed with senile dementia and experiencing unintentional weight loss over the past few months was referred to a tertiary hospital due to complaints of typical chest pain. There is no previous history of cardiovascular diseases. During transport, the patient developed bradycardia, with a heart rate (HR) of 32 beats per minute, and upon arrival at the emergency room, it was observed that she was suffering from complete atrioventricular block () with episodes of non-sustained […]

Case presentation A 40-year-old male patient sought emergency care due to intensification of chronic epigastric pain on moderate exertion, without irradiation, and unrelated to food. On physical examination, vitals, blood pressure 129/81 mmHg, pulse rate 88 beats per minute, respiratory rate 20 breaths per minute, oxygen saturation 98%. He presented significant bilateral jugular distension (), irregular heart rhythm, and midsystolic click at the low left sternal border, pulmonary auscultation had vesicular murmurs present bilaterally without other adventitious sounds, flaccid abdomen, […]

Introduction Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a medical condition characterized by reversible regional dysfunction of the left ventricle (LV) and/or right ventricle. TTS is often triggered by situations of acute physical or emotional stress. It presents characteristics similar to an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event, but without coronary abnormality evidenced by exams such as angiography. Furthermore, upon admission, patients with TTS also manifest substantially lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) values, when compared to those with ACS. Nonetheless, even with these […]

Introduction Cardiac amyloidosis results from the deposition of amyloid fibrils in the heart’s extracellular space. This chronic and progressive disease significantly reduces quality of life and carries a high mortality rate if not diagnosed and treated early. Myocardial damage occurs due to direct injury by blood peptides, as well as architectural distortion caused by the extracellular infiltrate, leading primarily to diastolic ventricular dysfunction but also systolic dysfunction, as the disease progresses and cardiac arrhythmias emerge. The most common subtypes include […]

Abstract This report illustrates a case of acute myocarditis in a patient who was recently hospitalized for COVID-19. Myocarditis was suspected based on the presence of tachycardia, the only abnormality present on physical examination, as well as high levels of B-type natriuretic peptide. The diagnosis was confirmed with cardiac magnetic resonance image, which showed the presence of late enhancement, predominantly subepicardial, in the inferolateral and inferior walls of the left ventricle. The patient did not meet any of the criteria […]

Introduction Shock is defined as a state of tissue hypoperfusion due to reduced supply, increased consumption, inadequate use of oxygen, or a combination of these processes. When it is of cardiogenic etiology, it occurs as a result of left or right ventricular or biventricular dysfunction with reduced cardiac output (CO) or increased filling pressures and normal intravascular volume. Although the most classic manifestation of shock is arterial hypotension, it is essential to recognize that a patient in shock may present […]

Abstract We report 3 cases of heart transplantation in adults due to chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in a transplant center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All patients received anthracyclines during cancer treatment. We reviewed and discussed the cases with data from the literature, addressing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in cancer survivors.