Pregnancy and aortic dissections

Impact of Wildfires on Cardiovascular Health

Wildfire smoke (WFS) is a mixture of respirable particulate matter, environmental gases, and other hazardous pollutants that originate from the unplanned burning of arid vegetation during wildfires. The increasing size and frequency of recent wildfires has escalated public and occupational health concerns regarding WFS inhalation, by either individuals living nearby and downstream an active fire or wildland firefighters and other workers that face unavoidable exposure because of their profession. In this review, we first synthesize current evidence from environmental, controlled, and interventional human exposure studies, to highlight positive associations between WFS inhalation and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Motivated by these findings, we discuss preventative measures and suggest interventions to mitigate the cardiovascular impact of wildfires. We then review animal and cell exposure studies to call attention on the pathophysiological processes that support the deterioration of cardiovascular tissues and organs in response to WFS inhalation. Acknowledging the challenges of integrating evidence across independent sources, we contextualize laboratory-scale exposure approaches according to the biological processes that they model and offer suggestions for ensuring relevance to the human condition. Noting that wildfires are significant contributors to ambient air pollution, we compare the biological responses triggered by WFS to those of other harmful pollutants. We also review evidence for how WFS inhalation may trigger mechanisms that have been proposed as mediators of adverse cardiovascular effects upon exposure to air pollution. We finally conclude by highlighting research areas that demand further consideration. Overall, we aspire for this work to serve as a catalyst for regulatory initiatives to mitigate the adverse cardiovascular effects of WFS inhalation in the community and alleviate the occupational risk in wildland firefighters.

Aortic dissection in the first trimester; is it a dead end? A narrative review of recent articles

INTRODUCTION

Acute-type aortic dissection (AD) during pregnancy is considered a rare and potentially fatal complication for both mother and fetus. Although the definite treatment for an acute-type AD is considered to be open-heart surgery, the decision to perform such a surgery during pregnancy requires a multidisciplinary approach and carries significant risks.

METHODS

In the present review of the literature, we have discussed various challenges in the management of acute-type AD during pregnancy, including therapeutic approaches, choosing the preferred imaging modalities, surgical techniques, and medication challenges. We have also reported an 8-week pregnant woman with Marfan syndrome who presented with chest pain and was diagnosed with acute AD.

RESULTS

The patient underwent a Bentall operation and was discharged in good condition with her fetus alive. The medical team's various decisions during preoperative, operative, and postoperative treatments were discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Type A AD is considered infrequent in the second and third trimester of pregnancy and rare in the first trimester. Performing a CMR study without contrast in stable patients can help evaluate the extension of the flap. Urgent surgery in the hands of a skilled surgeon may prove lifesaving for the mother while maximizing the likelihood of preserving the fetus.