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Background and Aims: To assess the difficulties encountered while performing coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention in anomalous right coronary artery arising from the left sinus of Valsalva. Methods: Between January 2016 and December 2020, a total of 23 patients underwent coronary angiography and eight underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for an angiographic significant lesion in the anomalous right coronary artery arising from the left sinus of Valsalva. The vascular approach, usage of catheters, fluoroscopic time, and the amount of contrast used were also assessed. Results: Among 6000 coronary angiography and 1500 percutaneous coronary intervention performed, 33 patients (0.55%) had right coronary artery arising from the left sinus of Valsalva. Altogether, 14 patients had type-A, seven had Type-B, eight had Type-C, and four had Type-D anomalous right coronary artery arising from the left sinus of Valsalva. Coronary Angiography was accomplished with the Tiger catheter in 13 patients, Judkins left JL in 8 patients, and Extra-backup (XB3) in one patient. In the percutaneous coronary intervention group, cannulation was done with Judkins left (JL), Amplatz left (AL), and XB in five, two, and one patient respectively and among five type-A patients, four were cannulated with JL and one with XB; one Type-B with JL4; and two Type-C with AL2. The mean fluoroscopic time and contrast volume consumption for coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention were 9.9 minutes and 47 minutes respectively and 63ml and 229 ml respectively. Conclusion: Coronary intervention of anomalous right coronary artery arising from the left sinus of Valsalva is difficult due to inappropriate selection of guide catheter and is associated with a higher both mean fluoroscopic time and contrast volume. Radial route is equally effective for successful procedure.

Background and Aims: Coronary artery disease is one of the important causes of deaths in females in many countries. Females with chest pain are more likely to be treated in a different way as compared to males at the time of presentation. Worldwide, there has been a considerable rise in the number of females who are undergoing coronary angiography recently. Methods: This study was a single-centre, prospective, observational study conducted in the department of cardiology, MCVTC, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. The study period was from 5th July 2020 to 4th July 2021.155 female patients with anginal chest pain were enrolled. Data were collected after thorough history taking, physical examination, laboratory investigations, and coronary angiography. They were further divided into three age groups:65 years. Subsequently statistical analysis was done using latest version of SPSS. Results: The mean age of the patients was 59.64 years (SD=11.428). There were 119 (76.77%) postmenopausal patients. The most prevalent risk factor of IHD was HTN (43.87% ). Obesity/overweight was most common (58.62%) in those with age

Background and Aims: Coronary bifurcation lesions are associated with high atherosclerotic plaque burden due to turbulent blood flow and high shear stress. There are various strategies for bifurcation stenting however, they are often prone to major cardiac events during percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical profile and procedural outcome of patients with coronary bifurcation lesions. Methods: This retrospective study was carried out at Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant center, Kathmandu, Nepal. Two hundred and eight patients were enrolled in this study who had coronary bifurcation lesions seen on invasive coronary angiography from August 2017 to October 2021. The procedural complications were assessed. Results: The mean age of patients with coronary bifurcation lesions was 61.48±11.19 years. Out of total 208 patients, 77% were males. True bifurcation lesion was seen in 65.4% of patients. Left anterior descending artery with diagonal was the most common bifurcation lesion (67.3%). The provisional stenting was done in 80.8% of patients and rest underwent 2-stent strategy. The complications mainly observed during the provisional stenting were plaque shift and side branch dissection. Conclusion: The provisional stenting is the most preferred and suitable technique for most bifurcation lesions if technically feasible.

Background and Aims:Transcatheter closure of the secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) has become an accepted alternative to surgical repair. We aimed to analyze and compare the changes in cardiac hemodynamics with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) before, within 48 hours, and after 3 months of ASD closure. Methods: This was a prospective, single-centered study of 43 patients who underwent ASD device closure in the Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center during June 2020 to June 2021 with Amplatzer Septal Occluder under transesophageal and fluoroscopic guidance. The patients were evaluated with TTE before, at 48 hours, and 3 months after the procedure. Results: At 48 hours and 3 months of device closure, the right atrial major dimension, the maximum blood flow velocity at the pulmonary valve orifice, mean flow velocity, velocity time integral, and E peak and A peak blood flow velocity at the tricuspid valve orifice were significantly reduced (P < 0.001). At 3 months, the dimensions and ejection fraction of the left ventricle showed significant increment (P < 0.001). Likewise, the right atrial minor dimension and area, right ventricular basal, mid, and longitudinal dimensions, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, right ventricular Tei Index, and fractional area change were significantly reduced (P < 0.001). The main pulmonary artery diameter, pulmonary artery systolic and mean pressure, and the pulmonary vascular resistance and index were significantly reduced (p

Aim: To access the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) towards COVID-19 disease among chronic diseases patients visiting tertiary hospitals of Kathmandu. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among chronic disease patients who visited Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center, Kathmandu. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect patients’ socio-demographic data and perspectives on COVID-19. Results: Four hundred chronic disease patients participated in the study, with 53.2% female and 46.8% male, and 56.8% of age ≥50 years. Overall, 55.5% of the participants had good knowledge, 56.2% had good practice, and 30.7% had positive attitude towards COVID-19. Younger patients, 18-34 years, were found to have higher odds of having good knowledge compared to other age groups (aOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.3-6.0). The patients with less than average family income and those unable to read and write had lower odds of having positive attitude towards COVID-19 (aOR: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-0.9 and aOR: 0.4; 95%CI: 0.2-0.9, respectively). A statistically significant correlation was found between the patients’ knowledge and practice, knowledge and attitude, and attitude and practice (p Conclusion: Nearly half of the chronic disease patients in Nepal had poor knowledge and practice whereas more than two-third had negative attitude towards COVID-19 disease. Older age of the patient was significantly associated with poor knowledge and poor practice. These study findings could be helpful for the government and non-government stakeholders while planning COVID-19 awareness campaigns to the targeted patient groups.

Background and Aims: Coronary artery bypass graft is the treatment of choice for left main disease. However the results from several large multicenter trials have shown that the angioplasty of left main disease is an alternative treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients undergoing angioplasty of left main disease. Methods: This prospective study was conducted at Manmohan cardiothoracic vascular and transplant center, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal. Twenty-Five patients with a diagnosis of left main coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angioplasty were enrolled in the study. The cases were followed up and outcomes on follow up were assessed. Results: Patients with left main disease enrolled in this study belonged to the age group of 51 to 77 years. The mean age of patients was 64.7±8.12 with 68% (17) male and 32% (8) female. Among 25 patients 3 patients had single vessel disease, double vessel in 10 patients and triple vessel in 12 patients. Three patients (12%) had previous history of percutaneous coronary intervention and 1 (4%) had previous history of coronary artery bypass graft. All patients underwent successful procedure with unprotected left main stenting in 14 cases (56%). There was few major and minor complications and no procedure related mortality and in hospital death. Conclusion: Left main coronary angioplasty is a safe and alternative procedure to CABG with low incidence of major clinical events.

Even though the left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology in the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) is expected after right ventricular endocardial pacing, the right bundle branch block (RBBB) morphology may be paradoxically seen in around 8 to 10% of patients. The paced RBBB morphology should be given special attention in terms of safe RV pacing or septal and free wall perforation. Simple techniques such as moving the leads V1-2 to one interspace lower than standard (Klein maneuver) and combining frontal QRS axis between -30° to -90°, precordial transition point at or within V3, and absence of S wave in lead I as an algorithmic approach may correctly identify the pacemaker lead in right ventricle with high sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value.

Introduction: Gram-negative isolates harboring mobilized colistin resistance (mcr-1) gene are a great threat to human health. They have been reported worldwide among various bacterial isolates. This work aimed to study the prevalence of colistin resistance among Gram-negative bacteria and the incidence of mcr-1 gene among these isolates. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done at a tertiary care center from June 2016 to February 2017. An ethical approval was taken from review board of the Nepal Health Research Council (Reg. no: 274/2016). Convenience sampling was used. The data was collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2010 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 16 . Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. Results: Among 485 gram-negative isolates, only 13 (2.68%) (1.26-6.62 at 95% Confidence Interval) isolates were colistin-resistant and mcr-1 was present in two isolates. Predominant colistin-resistant isolates were E. coli 6 (4.1%), Enterobacter spp 2 (2.81%), and Acinetobacter spp 2 (2.81%). A high level of colistin-resistance was noted in 4 (30.7%) isolates as indicated by the very high value of colistin MIC (>256 µg/ml). ICU was the major site of isolation of colistin-resistant and mcr-1 positive pathogens. The majority of colistin-resistant isolates were highly drug-resistant and were sensitive only to polymyxin B. Antibiotics like imipenem, amikacin, gentamicin, aztreonam, ciprofloxacin, and piperacillin-tazobactam were effective for few of these isolates. Conclusions: Though the prevalence of mcr-1 gene was low among colistin-resistant gram-negative isolates, the resistant pattern was quite alarming as these isolates were highly drug-resistant.

We tried to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of glycogen phosphorylase BB as a cardiac marker for myocardial infarction.We searched through different electronic databases (PubMed, Google-scholar, Embase, and Cochrane Library) to locate relevant articles. Studies, with sufficient data to reconstruct a 2 × 2 contingency table, met our inclusion criteria were included. Three reviewers independently screened the articles. Discrepancies were resolved by other reviewers. Unpublished data were requested from the authors of the study via email. Subsequently, data extraction was done using a standardized form and quality assessment of studies using the QUADAS-2 tool. Meta-analysis was done using a bivariate model using R software.Fourteen studies were selected for the final evaluation, which yielded the summary points: pooled sensitivity 87.77% (77.52%-93.72%, IWith these results, we can conclude that GPBB has modest accuracy in screening myocardial infarction, but the limitations of the study warrant further high-quality studies to confirm its usefulness in predicting myocardial infarction (MI).

Raised blood pressure (BP) is a leading risk factor for mortality globally and in Nepal. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative aimed at screening for hypertension and raising awareness on high BP worldwide. This study provides the results of the 2018 MMM (MMM18) in Nepal. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 years was carried out in May 2018 nationwide. The standard MMM protocol was followed for BP measurement, the definition of hypertension, and statistical analysis. The campaign was publicized through various social media for recruiting volunteers and inviting participation. A total of 15 561 (58.7% male) from 35 districts of Nepal were screened in MMM18, of which 4 321 (27.8%) had hypertension. A total of 2 633 (19.0%) of 13 873 individuals who were not on antihypertensive treatment were found to be hypertensive. Of those on medication, 799 (47.4%) had uncontrolled BP. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly higher in people on antihypertensive treatment, smokers, and alcohol drinkers compared with those who were not on antihypertensive treatment, smokers, and alcohol drinkers, respectively. Likewise, SBP and DBP steadily increased across increasing body mass index categories. MMM18 was the largest BP screening campaign undertaken in Nepal. MMM has highlighted the importance of a periodic public health program at the national level to increase awareness on hypertension detection and control rate, and thus, the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Background: Colistin resistance among Gram-negative isolates is a tremendous public health problem, and there are very few studies in Nepal about these pathogens. Hence, this review provides comprehensive data on colistin resistance among Gram-negative isolates from various samples in Nepal. Methods: Articles reporting colistin resistance among various Gram-negative isolates from Nepal before July 2019 were selected; analyzed and relevant data was collected. Results: Colistin resistance was low among clinical isolates (less than 6%) in comparison to food and animal isolates (up to 69%). A wide variety of clinical isolates were colistin-resistant in comparison to food and animal isolates. Many of these isolates were highly drug-resistant and also harbored various drug-resistant determinants. Conclusion: Increased colistin resistance among Gram-negative pathogens is a serious concern. Screening of these isolates in clinical settings, animal farms, and food industries, as well as cautious use of colistin in both clinical and animal farms, is imminent.

Background and Aims: Heart failure is one of the debilitating conditions in patients with various forms of heart disease. It can have impacts on various aspects of the life of a patient. There have been few studies on the etiological aspects and precipitants of heart failure in the Nepalese population. The aim of our study is to find out the major factors that lead to decompensation of heart failure in patients who already have established heart failure. Methods: This study was a single-centre, prospective, observational study conducted in the emergency department of Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre (MCVTC) from 1st June 2019 to 30th November 2019. Hundred and one patients with established heart failure in the past, who presented again with decompensated heart failure were enrolled. Results: The mean age of the patients was 62.81 years (SD=15.92). Factors responsible for acute decompensation of heart failure were identified in 95.0 % of patients included in the study. The most common factor identified was poor compliance with medications and diet and fluid intake (38.6%). Next to it was arrhythmia identified in about 35.6% of cases.Other important factors responsible for decompensation in our study were infection (12.8%), anemia (4.9%) and ischemia (2.9%). Conclusion: Preventable and identifiable factors are responsible for the decompensation of heart failure. Most of these factors can be modified with the use of proper patient counseling/patient education, thereby reducing recurrent hospital admissions and economic burden to the patient and the government as well.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice that affects morbidity and mortality to a large extent. This study was intended to determine various clinical profile and etiological factors in valvular and non-valvular atrial fibrillation and evaluate the usage of anticoagulants in them in the settings of developing nation like ours. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional observational prospective study was conducted at Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center, Institute of Medicine, Nepal for a period of sixteen months. All the patients with atrial fibrillation who were admitted in the cardiology department were included. The demographic profile, etiology, clinical features and the usage of anticoagulants were recorded. Results: A total of 175 patients with atrial fibrillation were enrolled in the study with 62% nonvalvular and 38% valvular cases. The overall mean age was 60 ± 16.79 years but among valvular atrial fibrillation, it was 47.9 ± 14.013 and among nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, it was 67.85 ± 13.507 years. Majority of patients were female (56%). Sixty percent were from outside Kathmandu valley. Rheumatic heart disease was the most common cause (38.9%) followed by dilated cardiomyopathy, systemic hypertension, degenerative valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, etc. The most common presentation was dyspnea. About 79% of valvular and 17% of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients were using anticoagulants. Conclusion: Atrial fibrillation was common in young females and rheumatic heart disease was the leading cause. There was inadequate use of anticoagulants in both valvular and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation probably due to the economic constraints and geographical hurdles.

The prevalence and drug resistance of the respiratory pathogens is increasing gradually in Nepal. However, their detail study is rare in the western region of Nepal. Hence, this study was carried out to know the incidence and antibiotic susceptibility profile of the respiratory pathogens obtained at a tertiary care center located at Pokhara. 139 pathogens were isolated from 460 clinical samples included. Significant pathogens were Gram-negative bacteria 94 (67.62%), followed by 28 (20.15%) Candida, and Gram-positive isolates 17 (12.23%). The growth rate was significantly higher for sputum samples in comparison to throat swabs. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter were significant Gram-negative isolates while Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pyogenes were Gram-positive pathogens. Sensitivity rate was higher for colistin and imipenem among Gram-negative isolates while lower sensitivity was for cefepime. Vancomycin was effective against all tested Gram-positive isolates while erythromycin and ciprofloxacin were less effective.

Antimicrobial resistance among food animal isolates is increasing as a result of their uncontrolled uses. The monitoring of antibiotic resistance among these isolates is very necessary. S aureus was isolated from eggshells and chicken meat samples collected from different retail outlets of the Pokhara metropolitan. Samples were inoculated on Mannitol salt agar aseptically and inoculated overnight. Isolated yellow colonies were further examined by Gram-staining, catalase, and coagulase test to detect S aureus. Methicillin resistance was screened using cefoxitin disc. Vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) isolates were determined by the agar dilution method following CLSI guidelines. 139 S aureus were isolated from 205 samples. Among them, 89 were from egg samples (out of 125 samples) and 50 from chicken (out of 80 samples). The overall prevalence of MRSA was 12.94%. Antibiotic resistance was significantly higher in MRSA isolates compared to Methicillin sensitive S aureus (MSSA) isolates. The highest rate of resistance was noted for ampicillin, amoxicillin, and erythromycin while the least resistance was noted for gentamicin and amikacin. Vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range of the MRSA isolates was 0.25-8μg/ml indicating the detection of both vancomycin-intermediate and sensitive isolates from the samples. This is the first study reporting vancomycin-intermediate S aureus (VISA) isolates from Nepal and indicates the increasing drug resistance among animal isolates. Further surveillance studies about the transmission of these pathogens to humans as well as detail molecular analyses are imminent.

Background and Aims: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is the preferred method of revascularization in Acute ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). Our aim was to study the clinical profile and outcomes of patients who underwent PCI for STEMI at tertiary cardiac centre of Nepal. Methods: It is a retrospective, single centre study, performed at Tribhuvan University, Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal. All patients who underwent PCI for STEMI from November 2015 to July 2018 were enrolled in this study. All the data were collected from hospital registry and cath lab records. Results: The Study showed that out of 232 patients who presented with STEMI, 74.5% were male with average age of 57.39 years. The mean time of presentation after onset of symptom/s was 17.5 hours. About 66% patients presented in less than 12 hours of symptoms onset, 21% presented at 12-24 hours of symptoms onset and 13% patients presented late. Primary PCI was done in 87% of patients. Almost all patients (98.2%) underwent coronary artery stenting with drug eluting stents. Multivessel PCI during index procedure was done in 7 patients. TIMI III flow following PCI was achieved in 97% cases. Average LVEF at discharge was 44.73%. There were 8 deaths, all after Primary PCI. In-hospital mortality rates for patients presenting with and without cardiogenic shock were 38.46% and 1.59% respectively. The overall mortality rate was 3.98%. Conclusion: This study has reemphasized that PCI is effective in the management of STEMI cases in Nepal with improving mortality rates and decreasing complications. Minimizing the delayed presentation after the onset of symptoms should be one of the prime focuses for effective management of STEMI.

Background and Aims: Although pacemaker implantation has been done regularly in Nepal for the last 20 years, there is no large scale published data of pacemaker implantations. Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre (MCVTC) have been providing uninterrupted permanent pacemaker implantation services since its inception. This led us an opportunity to report the data regarding permanent pacemaker implantations in MCVTC. Methods: Hospital records of all patients who had undergone PPI at MCVTC between Shrawan 2070 – Ashad 2075/ July 2013- June 2018 (5 years) were searched for and all available data were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 277 cases underwent PPI at MCVTC in 5 years. Out of these 165 (59.5%) were male with male to female ratio of 1.47. The mean age was 65.82±16.10 years with 3 (1.1%) cases of 60 years. Dual chamber units were implanted in 49 (17.7%) cases. Only 13 women (11.6%) received dual chamber pacemaker compared with 36 men (21.8%) (P = 0.029). The most common indication for PPI was complete atrioventricular block 165 (59.6%) followed by sick sinus syndrome 65 (23.5%). Hypertension 84 (30.3%) was the most common co morbidity present. Complication occurred in 5.4% of cases with wound infection as commonest complication and single mortality due to postoperative complications post-RV repair. Conclusion: Single chamber pacemaker was the most commonly used pacemaker. Dual chamber pacemaker was more common in younger patients. Complete heart block was the most common indication. Permanent pacemaker insertion was effective and relatively safe procedure in MCVTC with few complications.

The overall incidence of embolic complications in infective endocarditis (IE) ranges from 20 to 50%. It is very uncommon for a treating physician to encounter a patient having multiple manifestations of systemic embolisation.Acute coronary syndrome complicating infective endocarditis is an uncommon finding and the incidence has been found to be upto 10%.Cerebral embolism should be suspected in patients with infective endocarditis and neurological sign and symptoms. Neurologic manifestations can sometimes be the first presentation of infective endocarditis. We present the scenario of a 51-year-old diabetic male with chronic kidney disease, rheumatic heart disease with infective endocarditis leading to multiple embolic complications. Our case is notable because the patient had evidence of coronary, cerebral, splenic, hepatic and musculoskeletal manifestations due to embolic complications of IE within a duration of one year. Our case was primarily managed by multidiscipliniary approach. It is an impossible task for a cardiologist to treat such cases with showering complications where a multidisciplinary team approach is the only treatment option.

Background Hypertension is a major global public health problem. Elevated blood pressure can cause cardiovascular and kidney diseases. We assessed the effectiveness of health education sessions and home support programs in reducing blood pressure among patients with uncontrolled hypertension in a suburban community of Nepal. Methods We conducted a community-based, open-level, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial in Birendranagar municipality of Surkhet, Nepal. We randomly assigned four clusters (wards) into intervention and control arms. We provided four health education sessions, frequent home and usual care for intervention groups over six months. The participants of the control arm received only usual care from health facilities. The primary outcome of this study was the proportion of controlled systolic blood pressure (SBP). The analysis included all participants who completed follow-up at six months. Results 125 participants were assigned to either the intervention (n = 63) or the control (n = 62) group. Of them, 60 participants in each group completed six months follow-up. The proportion of controlled SBP was significantly higher among the intervention participants compared to the control (58.3% vs. 40%). Odds ratio of this was 2.1 with 95% CI: 1.01–4.35 (p = 0.046) and that of controlled diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 1.31 (0.63–2.72) (p = 0.600). The mean change (follow-up minus baseline) in SBP was significantly higher in the intervention than in the usual care (-18.7 mmHg vs. -11.2 mmHg, p = 0.041). Such mean change of DBP was also higher in the intervention (-10.95 mmHg vs. -5.53 mmHg, p = 0.065). The knowledge score on hypertension improved by 2.38 (SD 2.4) in the intervention arm, which was significantly different from that of the control group, 0.13 (1.8) (p Conclusions Multiple health education sessions complemented by frequent household visits by health volunteers can effectively improve knowledge on hypertension and reduce blood pressure among uncontrolled hypertensive patients at the community level in Nepal. Trial registration ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT02981251

May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative to screen high blood pressure (BP) in the community and increase awareness at the population level. High BP is the leading risk factor for mortality worldwide and in Nepal. This study presents the results of the 2019 MMM in Nepal. Opportunistic BP screening was conducted in 30 out of 77 districts across Nepal and aged ≥18 years at the community and public places. BP was measured three times in a seated position. A total of 74 205 individuals participated in the study, mean age 39.9 years, and 58% were male. BP measurements for the second and third readings were available for 69 292 (93.3%) individuals. The proportion of the population that were hypertensive was 27.5% (n = 20 429). Among those hypertensives, 46.3% were aware of their hypertensive status and of these, 37.5% were on antihypertensive medication. Only 54.3% of those on antihypertensive medication had their BP controlled. Of the community screened, those self reporting to have diabetes, current tobacco users, and current alcohol drinkers were 6.7%, 23.6%, and 31.9%, respectively; 20.6% of the participants were overweight, and 6.5% were obese. Since the first BP screening campaign, MMM 2017 in Nepal, the number of participants screened has largely increased over the years. MMM’s success in Nepal is through a coordinated mobilization of trained health science students and volunteers in the communities. The Nepal MMM data demonstrates that large community-based BP screening campaigns are possible in low resource settings.

Coronary embolism, though uncommon, can occur in young patients with mechanical prosthetic heart valves. Coronary embolism has been reported in patients with prosthetic heart valves with or without thrombosis in literatures. It can cause acute coronary syndrome and lead to death if threshold of diagnosis of coronary embolism is not low. Here we report a case of coronary embolism in a 26 year old female with history of double mechanical prosthetic valve replacement, presenting to our centre with acute coronary syndrome. She was managed with thrombosuction establishing almost complete revascularization.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3126/njh.v16i1.23895 Background and Aims: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) refers to a group of clinical symptoms consistent with new onset or worsening ischemic symptoms. ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and unstable angina (UA) are the three types of ACS. The objectives were to study the risk factors prevalence, angiographic distribution and severity of coronary artery stenosis in ACS among patients admitted in Cardiology Department of Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center (MCVTC). Methods: This is a restrospective study of 419 ACS patients admitted and treated in MCVTC from November 2017 to October 2018. Patients were divided into STEMI, NSTEMI and UA then analyzed for various risk factors, angiographic patterns and severity of coronary artery disease. Results: Mean age of presentation was 59.3A}12.8 years. Majority were male 317(75.7%). Most patients had STEMI 252 (60.1%) followed by NSTEMI 98 (23.4%) and UA 69 (16.5 %). Risk factors: smoking was present in 241 (57.5%), hypertension in 212 (50.6%), diabetes in 144 (34.4%), dyslipidemia in 58 (13.8%). Single-vessel disease was present in 34.6 % patients, double- vessel disease was present in 27.44 % patients and triple vessel disease was present in 26.3 % patients, left main disease in 1.4 % patients. Normal coronaries were present in 6.4% patients and minor coronary artery disease in 3.8 % patients. Conclusions: STEMI was the most common presentation. Three quarters of ACS were male patients. Smoking was most prevalent risk factor. Single vessel involvement was the most common CAG finding in all spectrum of ACS. Diabetic patients had more multivessel disease. Keywords: Acute Coronary Syndrome, Angiogram, Nepal.

Introduction: Pericardial effusion is one of the common cardiac problems in our part of the world and adds burden to the health and economy of the country, as it is associated with high risk of morbidity and mortality. Our objective of the study was to determine the etiological spectrum of pericardial effusion, their clinical presentations and complications and assessing the usefulness of echocardiographic features of effusion in helping to determine the etiology. Methods: A cross-sectional observational prospective study of 63 patients with diagnosis of pericardial effusion was enrolled in the study. Pericardial effusion was diagnosed by echocardiography and pericardiocentesis was done in the cardiac catheterization room. Patients were followed up 3 monthly for 1 year and reassessed clinically and by echocardiography. Results: Patients presenting with pericardial effusion belonged to the age group of 8 to 88 years. The most common etiology was tuberculosis (36.5%) followed by malignancy (19%) and idiopathic/Viral (12.6%). Among malignancies, carcinoma lung was the most common cause followed by lymphoma. Pericardiocentesis was done in 46 patients (73%) and the approach was subxiphoid. The procedure-related complications were in 4 patients (6.3%) and there was no death as a consequence of the procedure. The total mortality was 12 (19%) with in-hospital death of 6 patients (9.5%). Conclusions: The study showed tuberculosis as the most common cause of pericardial effusion in developing countries like Nepal and as a cause of cardiac tamponade in contrast to the studies from the developed world where malignancy remains the leading cause.

Background and Aims: Coronary artery disease (CAD) constitute a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide with an enormous burden on healthcare resources. Prevalence and pattern of CAD in patients of rheumatic and non-rhemuatic valvular heart diseases varies widely with limited data on optimal strategies for diagnosis and treatment.Methods: This study includes 97 patients with rheumatic and non-rheumatic valvular heart disease who underwent coronary angiogram (CAG) before cardiac surgery. Patients were divided into two groups based on rheumatic heart disease (RHD) & non-rheumatic disease (Non-RHD) and correlate the patterns of CAD.Results: Out of 97 patients, 22 (22.6%) patients were found to have significant CAD. In patients with non-rheumatic origin CAD was common (15 patients, 68.1%) as compared to rheumatic origin (7 patients, 31. 8%). In rheumatic origin, the prevalence was 7(12.2%) out of 57 patients while in non-rheumatic origin, was 15(37.5%) out of 40 patients. In RHD group, all patients with CAD were found to have single vessel diease (SVD) while, in non-RHD group, 11 patients (73.3%) had SVD, 3 patients (16.7%) had double vessel disease (DVD) and one patient (5.6%) had triple vessel disease (TVD).Conclusions: Prevalence of CAD is higher in patients with non-RHD in comparison to those with RHD. We also found SVD to be the most common pattern of CAD in both rheumatic and non-rheumatic valvular heart disease.

Objective: Hypertension is a leading risk factor of global deaths. May Measurement Month (MMM) is an initiative of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) to raise awareness of the importance of measuring blood pressure. Nepal has been participating in the MMM campaign since 2017. This study presents the initial results of the 2019 MMM in Nepal.Design and method: An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged at least 18 years was carried out in May 2019. Data were collected from 30 out of 77 districts using a structured questionnaire developed by ISH; adapted in the local language and context. Screenings were conducted in health facilities and public places using either digital or manual sphygmomanometers. Trained volunteers were mobilized to take part in the screening. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Nepal Health Research Council.Results: The mean age of the participants was 39.4 ± 15.2 years, and 58% of them were female. A total of 72,320 individuals were screened, out of which the mean of the 2nd and 3rd readings was available for 66,955 {93%} individuals. The proportions of self-reported diabetes, current tobacco user and current alcohol drinkers were 6%, 24% and 22%, respectively. Likewise, 27% of the participants were overweight, and 12% were obese. The mean systolic blood pressure was 119 ± 14 mm Hg, and the mean diastolic blood pressure were 80 ± 11 mm Hg. A third of the participants {32%} were screened for blood pressure for the first time in the last one year. The proportion of hypertension was 24% {n = 15,872} with more hypertensive male {28%} than female {18%}. Among individuals with hypertension, 47% {7,507} were receiving treatment and among those under treatment, 19% {1,226} had uncontrolled blood pressure.Conclusions: These blood pressure screening results suggest a higher proportion of hypertensive patients were not on treatment and only a fifth of those under treatment achieved blood pressure control in Nepal. Screening campaign such as MMM with mobilization of volunteers can be an important approach for identifying undetected or uncontrolled cases of hypertension in low resource settings like Nepal.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent supraventricular arrhythmia responsible forthe large morbidity and mortality burden worldwide. There are various causes of atrial fibrillationthat may affect the prognosis of patients. This study was intended to determine different echocardiographic findings in patients with atrial fibrillation in a tertiary care center. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascularand Transplant Center, Institute of Medicine, among 175 patients with atrial fibrillation admittedin the cardiology department from June 2017 to October 2018. It was approved by the InstitutionalReview Board of the Institute of Medicine (Ref.:411(6-11-E)2/073/074). Convenience sampling wasused. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0. Results: A total of 175 patients with atrial fibrillation were enrolled where Rheumatic heart disease 68 (38.9%) was the leading cause in which 54 (79.4%) had mitral valve lesion, 1 (1.5%) hadaortic valve lesion and rest had a combination of both. The mixed lesion of mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation was the commonest. The left atrium size was larger in valvular atrial fibrillation(47.29±6.651mm). The left ventricular systolic dysfunction was seen more in non-valvular atrialfibrillation. The commonest site of thrombus formation was left atrium 7 (63.6%). Conclusions: Atrial fibrillation was common in rheumatic heart disease, especially mixed lesions ofmitral stenosis and regurgitation. Valvular atrial fibrillation had a larger left atrium. The thrombuswas seen in mitral stenosis and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The left atrium size and left ventricular ejection fraction were associated with the occurrence of atrial fibrillation.

Elevated blood pressure remains the single biggest risk factor contributing to the global burden of disease and mortality. May Measurement Month is an annual global screening campaign aiming to improve awareness of blood pressure at the individual and population level. Adults ({greater than or equal to}18 years) recruited through opportunistic sampling were screened at sites in 92 countries during May 2019. Ideally three blood pressure readings were measured for each participant, and data on lifestyle factors and co-morbidities were collected. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP {greater than or equal to} 140 mmHg, and/or a diastolic BP {greater than or equal to} 90 mmHg (mean of the second and third readings) or taking antihypertensive medication. When necessary, multiple imputation was used to estimate participants' mean blood pressure. Mixed-effects models were used to evaluate associations between blood pressure and participant characteristics. Of 1,508,130 screenees 482,273 (32.0%) had never had a blood pressure measurement before and 513,337 (34.0%) had hypertension, of whom 58.7% were aware and 54.7% were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 57.8% were controlled to

Gram-negative isolates producing carbapenemase enzymes is a great public health problem in developing countries and their control is challenging task due to the involvement of multiple factors including the practice of self-medication, use of antibiotics on animal farms, poor hospital hygiene, etc. During this study, we searched various databases for relevant publication on carbapenemase-producing isolates in Nepal. Various classes of carbapenemases had been reported in Nepal. Most frequent was the New Delhi Metallo beta lactamase with many variants where NDM-1 was most prevalent. Similarly, Oxacillinase and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase producers were also prevalent in Nepal. While other carbapenemases like VIM, IPM, and DIM also detected. The isolates producing carbapenemases were extremely drug-resistant as they also co-produced various other carbapenemases, beta-lactamases, 16S rRNA methylase. Most isolates were resistant to many members of carbapenem, cephalosporin, quinolone, penicillin, aminoglycoside group of antibiotics. Such isolates had very few treatment options as only last line drugs like colistin, fosfomycin, and tigecycline was effective against most of these isolates. Carbapenemase production by almost all major human pathogens including E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter. Citrobacter, Proteus, Providencia is a matter of concern because some of these enzymes are located on plasmids and pose rapid dissemination among various gram-negative pathogens. Timely surveillance for carbapenemase producers throughout the nation, their proper treatment, and proper hospital hygiene to prevent nosocomial infections by carbapenemase producers, controlled use of carbapenems, educating health care workers, students and the general public about the adverse effects of antimicrobial resistance is imminent.

Background: As a low-income country, Nepal is experiencing cardiovascular diseases as an emerging health problem. However, studies are lacking on the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in peri-urban communities; where the socio-demographical transition is in progress. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the prevalence and socio-demographic distribution of cardiovascular disease risk factors in one of the peri-urban communities in Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Sitapaila Village Development Committee, Kathmandu from February 2014 to February 2015. Altogether, 347 adults from 18 to 70 years of age were selected randomly. Data were collected through modified WHO STEPS questionnaire for non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors survey and analyzed in SPSS V.16.0 software. Results: Mean age of the participant was 42.5 ± 13.2 years. Majority of them were female (n = 206; 59.4%), one-third (34%) represented Brahman and Chetri, and over a quarter (29.1%) did not attend school. Cardiovascular disease risk factors included smoking (17.6%), alcohol consumption (29.4%), insufficient fruit and vegetables intake (98%), insufficient physical activity (21.0%), obesity (15.3%), hypertension (34.4%), diabetes (10.5%), and high triglyceride levels (10.8%). They were significantly associated with different socio-demographic characteristics: smoking with gender, age groups and education level; alcohol consumption was with gender, age groups, ethnicity and occupation; insufficient physical activity with gender, age groups and occupation; hypertension with gender, age groups, ethnicity, education level and occupation. Conclusion: A high prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors and their disproportional distribution among the study population indicated an inevitable risk of cardiovascular events in near future. Keywords: CVD risk factors, Diabetes, Hypertension, NCDs, Nepal, Peri-urban community

Background: Permanent pacemaker implantation is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in the management of patients with cardiac rhythm disturbances. Previous studies have reported gender differences in pacemaker selection. There is lack of evidences in selection of pacemaker mode with respect to gender in Nepal. Therefore, this study was performed to compare the frequency of implantation between men and women. Objectives: This study was performed to compare the frequency of implantation rate between men and women. Methods : The present study is based on all consecutive pacemaker implantations in a single centre between April 2014 and May 2015. A total of 116 patients were categorized into two cohorts according to the type of pacemaker implanted- single chamber or dual chamber. Data were presented as means ± standard deviation (SD) for continuous variables and as proportions for categorical variables. Comparison of continuous variables between the groups was made with independent Student’s t-test. For discrete variables distribution between groups were compared with Chi-square test. Results: The mean age (±SD) of total population at implant was 64.08 (± 15.09) years. Dual chamber units were implanted in 44 (37.93%) of patients, single chamber in 72 (62.06%). Only 14 women (31.81%) received dual chamber compared with 42 women (58.33%) who received single chamber (Chi-square=18, DF=1, P = 0.0084). Complete atrioventricular block was the commonest (56.03%) indication for permanent pacemaker insertion followed by sick sinus syndrome (33.62%), symptomatic high-grade AV block (11.20%). Hypertension (dual chamber 21.55%, single chamber 40.51%) was the most common comorbidity in both cohorts. Conclusions: Women were more likely to receive single chamber systems and less likely to receive dual chamber systems than men. Journal of Nobel College of Medicine Vol.4(1) 2015: 15-20