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Background: Middle Eastern (ME) immigrants are one of the fastest-growing groups in the US. Although ME countries have a high burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the cardiovascular health status among ME immigrants in the US has not been studied in detail. This study aims to characterize the cardiovascular health status (CVD risk factors and ASCVD burden) among ME immigrants in the US. Methods: We used 2012–2018 data from the National Health Interview Survey, a US nationally representative survey. ME origin, CVD risk factors, and ASCVD status were self-reported. We compared these to US-born non-Hispanic white (NHW) individuals in the US. Results: Among 139,778 adults included, 886 (representing 1.3 million individuals, mean age 46.8) were of ME origin, and 138,892 were US-born NHWs (representing 150 million US adults, mean age 49.3). ME participants were more likely to have higher education, lower income and be uninsured. The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension (22.4% vs 27.4%) and obesity (21.4% vs 31.4%) were significantly lower in ME vs NHW participants, respectively. There were no significant differences between the groups in the age-adjusted prevalence of ASCVD, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and smoking. Only insufficient physical activity was higher among ME individuals. ME immigrants living in the US for 10 years or more reported higher age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and ASCVD. Conclusions: ME immigrants in the US have lower odds of hypertension and obesity, and of having a suboptimal CRF profile compared to US-born NHWs. Further studies are needed to determine whether these findings are related to lower risk, selection of a healthier ME subgroup in NHIS, or possible under-detection of cardiovascular risk factors in ME immigrants living in the US.

Critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) is a heart lesion for which neonates require early surgical intervention to survive. Without intervention, the rates of mortality and survival with significant disability are extremely high. Early diagnosis can potentially improve health outcomes in newborns with CCHD. Until recent years, no routine screening protocol existed. In the last few years, pulse oximetry screening for CCHD in newborns has been added to the list of recommended uniform screening panels and advocated by several health-care authorities. A positive screening test result warrants an echocardiogram to evaluate for CCHD. Newborn screens do not usually require parental consent. However, most of the states mandates in the United States include a statement allowing exemption from the screen on the basis of parental religious or personal beliefs.

Ibn Sina, known in the West as Avicenna, was the most famous and influential of all the Islamic philosopher-scientists. His most important medical works are the Canon of Medicine medical encyclopedia and a treatise on cardiac drugs. His Canon of Medicine remained the standard text in both the East and West until the 16 th century. Avicenna′s description of cardiac diseases was logically presented perhaps for the first time in the history of medicine. Avicenna was the first to describe carotid sinus hypersensitivity, which presents with vasovagal syncope. He was a pioneer in pulsology and the first correct explanation of pulsation was given by Avicenna, after he refined Galen′s theory of the pulse. Besides, he discussed the action of available drugs on the heart in details and mentioned their indications and contraindications. In conclusion, Avicenna made important contributions to cardiology. This article describes some of his contributions in this field.

A 40-year-old woman presented with a 1 month history of shortness of breath and easy fatigability. Two-dimensional echocardiography and real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) showed a large right atrial mass protruding into the right ventricle and an atrial septal defect (ASD). Successful excision of the mass, which proved to be a myxoma, and closure of the ASD completely relieved her symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first report of RT3DE in a patient with right atrial myxoma associated with an ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]