Aim: To evaluate the health literacy (HL) of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admitted to a public hospital of high complexity in the interior of Minas Gerais, Brazil, through the application of the instrument Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Portuguese Speaking Adults (SAHLPA)-18. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study, from the Good Clinical Practices (GCP) project developed in a tertiary hospital. The 175 patients with ACS were analyzed, in which the profile and the SAHLPA-18 were evaluated. Results: It was found that 55.43% (97 among 175; 95% CI: 48.07–62.79) were considered with inadequate HL, and 40.00% of patients who have completed elementary school or higher education had inadequate HL (36 among 90). Female sex and complete primary education or higher increased the HL, and diabetes decreased the HL. Conclusions: We observed low literacy even in the presence of formal education, which, combined with the presence of diabetes, may represent a risk to patients with ACS, highlighting the need for continuous health education in this group regardless of the profile.

The aim is to evaluate the transannular patch (TAP) repair and valve-sparing repair (VSR) techniques following tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) correction, focusing on post-operative complications and cardiac function. A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus using relevant terms like “Tetralogy of Fallot, right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), VSR, pulmonary valve replacement, transannular-patch repair”. Results indicated that VSR is favored due to its shorter cardiopulmonary bypass duration, preservation of the pulmonary valve, less demanding surgical requirements, shorter post-operative hospital stays, lower mortality rates, survival of at least 30 years, reduced pulmonary regurgitation, decreased right ventricular dysfunction, and improved physical activity tolerance and neurodevelopment. While TAP alleviates RVOT obstruction (RVOTO), it is associated with long-term pulmonary regurgitation. Both TAP and VSR are effective in managing TOF, but VSR provides better valve function preservation and long-term outcomes.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, often leading to diagnostic delay. The COVID-19 pandemic has added further complexity by overlapping clinical features and imposing constraints on diagnostic pathways. We report the case of a 48-year-old male who presented with prolonged non-specific symptoms following a recent COVID-19 infection. Multiple emergency department visits resulted in an initial diagnosis of viral illness. Subsequent clinical deterioration prompted further evaluation, which revealed severe aortic regurgitation due to a large aortic valve vegetation on transthoracic echocardiography. Blood cultures grew α-haemolytic Streptococcus mitis fulfilling the modified Duke criteria for IE. The patient developed complications, including heart failure and peripheral arterial embolisation, necessitating urgent surgical aortic valve replacement. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of IE in the context of recent COVID-19 infection, where overlapping symptoms and altered healthcare pathways may contribute to delayed recognition. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for IE in patients presenting with persistent or atypical symptoms following COVID-19 infection. Early recognition and prompt intervention are essential to prevent serious complications.