Background and Aims: : Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is highly prevalent in the Nepalese population. It is associated with significant extrapulmonary effects among which cardiovascular complications are most common . Echocardiography evaluation mainly focused on effects on the right heart function is a salient tool to evaluate the presence of degree of pulmonary hypertension and also identify those group of patients who need more early aggressive therapy for the underling lung disease . We aimed to prospectively study the patients with diagnosed COPD with echocardiogram for evaluating the right heart . Methods: An observational , cross sectional study was done on 50 patients with COPD who were admitted at Bir Hospital and underwent echocardiographic evaluation from Dec 2015 -Dec 2016 . All echocardiogaphic parameters focused on right heart and its function were assessed . Results: Out of total 50 COPD patients studied , majority of them were female (32 patients ,64%). The mean age group of the studied patients was 60.9 ±11.4 years . Pulmonary hypertension defined as sPAP>30 mmHg was evident in all of the patients ; with 30 patients (60% ), 14 (28 %) and 6(12 %) patients having severe, moderate and mild pulmonary hypertension respectively . RV dysfunction was evident with reduced average TAPSE values (1.59± 0.38 cm) and elevated RIMP values (0.58±0.16). Conclusion: Majority of COPD patients had evidence of pulmonary hypertension. Echocardiogram can be a helpful tool to assess early changes on the right heart size and function in patients with COPD and also monitor these patients for rapid progression of the illness .

Brunner’s gland adenoma is a rare benign tumor of small bowel, often incidentally discovered during endoscopy or radiological imaging. Mostly they are asymptomatic or often present with nonspecific symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, iron deficiency anemia. We reported a 76 years old male case presented with chief complaints of vomiting and black tarry stool. General physical examination was normal except mild tenderness over epigastrium. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a pedunculated polypoid tubular structure with blind end distally of length approximately 10-12* 3.5*1.5 cm in the second section of the duodenum with multiple skipped ulcers on the exposed surface of it. Additionally, there were few erosions in the duodenum proximally and multiple superficial ulcerations in the antrum, associated with helicobacter pylori confirmed by rapid urease test kit. Keywords: Brunner’s gland adenoma; Brunner’s gland hamartoma; Brunner’s gland hyperplasia; case report.

Background and Aims: Heart failure is a major global health problem, but studies on prevalence of heart disease in Nepal are sparse. The aim of this study is to describe the etiology of heart failure patients in emergency department of Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre.Methods: This was a single centre, prospective, observational study, conducted in the Emergency Department of National Heart Centre, from 1st May to 30th August 2016. All (n=591) consecutive patients with clinical diagnosis of heart failure were evaluated.Results: The mean age of the patients was 56.48 ±19.44 years, with 45.9% males. 31.3% had atrial fibrillation. The commonest cause of heart failure was rheumatic heart disease (25.1%), followed by dilated cardiomyopathy (22.8%), and coronary artery disease (18.1%). The commonest causes in the age group ≤44 years were rheumatic heart disease (61.9%), and congenital heart disease (11.0%). Commonest causes in the age groups 45 – 64 years and ≥ 65 years were dilated cardiomyopathy (29.0% and 26.4%, respectively) and coronary artery disease (22.3% and 24.3%, respectively). The commonest causes in male was dilated cardiomyopathy (26.9%) and in female it was rheumatic heart disease (31.6%).Conclusion: Rheumatic heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease are the commonest cause of heart failure. Appropriate prevention strategies focused at these causes of heart failure are required to decrease the burden of heart failure in Nepal.Nepalese Heart Journal 2017; Vol 14(2), 1-4

Sub mitral aneurysm is a very rare cardiac pathology with varied clinical manifestations. The disease process has been postulated to various mechanisms including mainly infection and inflammation. Here, we describe a young female with large submitral aneurysm presenting with rheumatic heart disease in the form of severe mitral regurgitation and aortic regurgitation.