RSU CAS

Dear Cardiology enthusiasts!
It’s time for the current cardiology board to hand off the reins to a new team after an incredible academic year full of growth, learning and memories.
Are you a cardiology enthusiast? Are you eager to meet new people, work with a group of peers that have similar interests, and have a significant influence on the RSU student community? If so, we would be glad to have you apply for the CAS Board for the forthcoming academic year
We are looking for:
1) Representative
2)Research coordinators
3) Treasurer
4) Meeting planner
5) Year planner
If this sounds like something for you, please send in your application to [email protected].
We will announce the voting date once we get more information from ISA

Join us for the last meeting of the Academic year

(Priority to the workshop for active members. Passive members are welcome to join the workshop, subject to availability)

Better together 🩷
We are so happy to announce that our next meeting will be in collaboration with FAMSA
We hope to see you there!

An important element is missing, that is Orthostatic hypotension.

As mentioned in the stories, non-cardiac syncope is divided into reflex-mediated and orthostatic syncope. In this third part, the focus will be on the latter, as in the article it has a separate section dedicated to its treatment. Moreover, it is (in this case) the missing piece when discussing of syncope.

1) A summary chart classifying TLOC. Highlighted in red is the part regarding syncope and this post's topic.

2) The FIVE types of orthostatic hypotension, identified by ESC guidelines. With the term "orthostatic hypotension" (OH) we can link to orthostatic syncope because drastic, abnormal drops in blood pressure can cause syncope. The term "orthostatic syncope" refers to TLOC resulting from postural decrease in BP. Orthostatic syncope can occur with or without symptoms (e.g. dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, sweating, visual and auditory disturbances, neck pain). Generally speaking, drops in blood pressure can be caused by volume depletion (e.g. vomiting, diarrhea, hemorrhage), peripheral venous pooling (e.g. prolonged bed rest), etc...

3) Diagnostic approach, and treatment.

4) "Syncope unit" - the idea of the research team of ​​creating a multidisciplinary collaboration of specialists (cardiologists, neurologists, geriatricians - for the management of syncope into older adults -, and psychologists). Their role.

Source: Martone, A.M., Parrini, I., Ciciarello, F., Galluzzo, V., Cacciatore, S., Massaro, C., Giordano, R., Giani, T., Landi, G., Gulizia, M.M., Colivicchi, F., Gabrielli, D., Oliva, F. and Zuccalà, G.; 2024. Recent advances and future directions in syncope management: a comprehensive narrative review. Journal of clinical medicine

In our stories, we briefly discussed syncope and its classification into cardiac and non-cardiac origin. What is interesting to know is that a team of Italian researchers has tried to put the foundations for an effective diagnostic paradigm and an efficient therapeutic plan, since nowadays there is a lack of standardization for a diagnostic approach and therapy.

1) A schematic representation of what steps the diagnostic approach should follow. There are three/four phases:

- Initial assessment --> This is a first look at how TLOC presents itself. Based on the dynamics of the TLOC event, it is possible to make some hypothesis. Therefore, syncope can be ruled out or suspected. Indeed, It helps differentiating syncope from other forms of non-syncopal TLOC (ex. Epilepsy). In addition, a further exploration of differential diagnoses is conducted.

- Prognostic stratification --> once the differential diagnoses between syncopal and non-syncopal TLOC has been ruled out, the diagnostic algorithm requires the identification of patients at high risk, neither high nor low risk, and low risk.
Thanks to this categorization it is possible to get an idea of ​​whether the event is of cardiac origin or not. However, having a low-risk patient does not mean that you are facing a non-cardiac syncope.

- Appropriate diagnosis --> A definitive diagnosis is achieved through a structured diagnostic paradigm specific for non-cardiac or cardiac syncope.

2) Initial assessment. What to pay attention at. A comprehensive table.

3) Syncope vs. Epilepsy. How to distinguish them: epilepsy is the most common condition requiring differential diagnosis. Therefore, it is important to highlight the differences.

4) Apparent loss of consciousness. "psychogenic loss of consciousness": another important differential.

5)&6) Risk of stratification: a table to distinguish high, medium, and low risk patients with syncopal TLOC.

7) Directed diagnostic approach: a list of tests.

8) Treatment: a shortened overview about syncope therapy. Focus on cardiac and reflex syncope.

9) Physical counter-pressure maneuvers: three easy, methods to decrease occurrence of syncope.

Source: page 10

A simplified, instant guide to transthoracic echocardiograohic windows. The echo of the workshop 🔙

Source: OTTO, C. M., 2023. TEXTBOOK OF CLINICAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY. 7TH ED. AMSTERDAM: ELSEVIER.

Tiny hearts. Big science 🫀
A theoretical meeting with the aim to learn how we protect life from its very beats 👶
Everyone is welcome to join!

The basics of transthoracic echocardiography: a workshop dedicated to the mesmerizing movements of the heart, visualized by the utilisation of ultrasounds🫀🔊

A special thanks is directed to the Mentor without whom this workshop would not have been possible: thank you from the bottom of our heart, Dr. Ingūna Lubaua!

There are engaging stories that tell fascinating tales: science has the power to ignite the human spirit 🔥 of diverse individuals and bring them into competition. This is how the competitive symbiosis that binds every scientist born.

Discover the story of the Starr-Edwards heart valve.💫 and see the different types of prosthetic heart valves today in use.

Sources:
1)Starr, A. and Edwards, M.L. (1998) Historical perspectives: The development of the Starr-Edwards heart valve. Texas Heart Institute Journal, 25(4), pp. 257–264.
2)Pontefract, D.E., Iyengar, S.S. and Barlow, C.W. (2006) Prosthetic cardiac valves. Elsevier.
3)Image of the types of cardiac valves (last page): Rodriguez-Gabella, T., Voisine, P., Puri, R., Pibarot, P. and Rodés-Cabau, J. (2017) ‘Aortic bioprosthetic valve durability: incidence, mechanisms, predictors, and management of surgical and transcatheter valve degeneration’, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 70(8), pp. 1013–1028.

Dear cardiology fanatics🤪,

During the winter holidays, we discussed pericarditis in DAY 1 of our quiz.

As we saw, Acute Pericarditis and ACS can look similar on the ECG, and we told you to "stay tuned" if you wanted to know the differences between these conditions.

Here is a practic table that will help you.

🫀Cardiology Academic Society

Source: Capucci, A. (Ed.) 2025, Clinical cases in cardiology: A guide to learning and practice, Springer ainternational Publishing, Cham.