Acute Care and Trauma (2) Flashcards
What is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)?
A serious complication or first presentation of type 1 diabetes mellitus (rarely type 2)
What is the pathophysiology of DKA?
- Uncontrolled lipolysis which results in the excess production of free fatty acids
- These are ultimately converted to ketone bodies
What is type 1 diabetes mellitus?
- Autoimmune disorder
- Insulin producing beta-cells in the in the Islet of Langerhans in the pancreas are destroyed
- Results in an absolute deficiency of insulin resulting in raised glucose levels
What are the presenting symptoms of type 1 DM?
- Weight loss
- Polydipsia
- Polyuria
(2 and 3 are caused by the osmotic effects of excess blood glucose being excreted by the body, drawing water out)
What are the features of DKA?
- Abdominal pain
- Of type 1: polyuria, polydipsia, dehydration
- Kussmaul breathing: deep hyperventilation
- Acetone-smelling breathing
- Low GCS
What are the precipitating factors for DKA?
- Infection
- Missed insulin doses
- Myocardial infarction
What are the investigations for DKA?
- A to E approach
- Key investigations include VBG (pH, glucose) bloods for ketones, U&Es
- Urine dip
What is the diagnostic criteria for DKA?
- Glucose > 11 mmol/L or known DM
- pH < 7.3
- Bicarbonate < 15 mmol/L
- Presence of ketones:
a. Ketones > 3mmol/L
b. Urine ketones ++ on dipstick
What are the management principles of DKA?
MEDICAL EMERGENCY: A to E approach
1. Fluid resuscitation
2. Insulin
3. Correction of electrolyte disturbance
4. Long-term management e.g. insulin
What is the fluid replacement management in DKA?
- Most patients with DKA will be deplete of 5-8 L
- Isotonic saline is used initially (0.9% sodium chloride)
- Bolus of 500ml over 10-15 minutes
- Then replacement fluids: 100 ml/kg/day for the first 10kg, 50 ml/kg/day for the next 10kg, 20 ml/kg/day for weight over 20kg
- Plus maintenance fluids
What is the greatest risk in fluid resuscitation in children in the management of DKA?
Cerebral oedema:
1. Children and young adults are particularly vulnerable
2. Slower infusion rates may be indicated
3. Presents with headache, irritability, visual disturbance, focal neurology
4. If suspicion: CT head and senior review
What is the insulin management of DKA?
- Start an IV infusion at 0.1unit/kg/hour
- Once the blood glucose has been bought down to < 14mmol/L, continue the IV insulin and add 10% dextrose
- Infusion of 10% dextrose should be started at 125 mls/hr in addition to the 0.9% sodium chloride regime
How are electrolyte disturbances corrected in the management of DKA?
- Serum potassium levels fall after the administration of insulin
- Therefore may need to add potassium to the fluids
- Of the rate of potassium infusion is > 20 mmol/hour then cardiac monitoring may be required
What is DKA resolution?
- pH > 7.3
- Blood ketones < 0.6 mmol/L
- Bicarbonate > 15 mmol/L
If the patient is eating and drinking at this point = switch to S/C insulin
What must happen before a patient is discharged for an admission of DKA?
The patient must be reviewed by a diabetes specialist nurse
How quickly should ketonaemia and acidosis resolve in the management of DKA?
- Should resolve within 24 hours
- If not, requires senior review from endocrinologist
What are the complications of a DKA?
Can be from DKA or the management of it:
1. Gastric stasis
2. VTE
3. Arrhythmias secondary to hyperkalaemia
4. Incorrect fluid therapy: cerebral oedema, hypokalaemia, hypoglycaemia
5. ARDS
6. AKI
What is the prognosis of DKA?
Although a serious condition, mortality has decreased significantly due to improved understanding of pathophysiology and close monitoring of electrolytes
What is Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)?
- An acquired syndrome
- Characterised by activation of coagulation pathways, resulting in formation of intravascular thrombi and depletion of platelets and coagulation factors
- Thrombi may lead to vascular obstruction/ischaemia and multi-organ failure
What are the common causes of DIC?
- Sepsis
- Trauma
- Obstetric complications e.g. amniotic fluid embolisation, elevated LFTs, HELLP syndrome
- Malignancy
What is the epidemiology of DIC?
- Many conditions can cause DIC, therefore, the overall incidence is difficult to determine
- Seen in any severely ill patient
What are the presenting symptoms of DIC?
Patient is severely unwell with symptoms of:
1. The underlying disease
2. Confusion
3. Dyspnoea
4. Evidence of bleeding
What are the signs of acute DIC?
- Signs of underlying cause e.g. sepsis, evidence of shock
- Petechiae
- Purpura
- Ecchymoses
- Epistaxis
- Mucosal bleeding
- Signs of end organ damage
What are the signs of chronic DIC?
- Signs of DVT or arterial thrombosis
- Superficial venous thrombosis
What is the difference between petechiae, purpura and ecchymosis?
Petechiae: bleeding into the skin from broken blood vessels, form tiny red dots
Purpura: blood can collect under the skin in larger flat reas
Ecchymosis: blood can collect under the skin and form a very large bruised area
What are the investigations for DIC?
FBC:
1. Decreased platelets (due to excessive consumption)
2. Decreased fibrinogen (excessive consumption)
3. Prolonged prothrombin time
4. Elevated D dimer
5. Raised fibrinogen degradation products
Peripheral blood film:
1. Red cell fragments: schistocytes
Causes for underlying cause e.g. blood cultures
How is DIC diagnosed?
- Low platelets
- Low fibrinogen
- Prolonged PT and APTT
- Raised fibrinogen degradation products
- Presence of schistocytes (red cell fragments) on blood film due to microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia
What is the management of DIC?
- Aggressive treatment of underlying disorder
- Restore normal coagulation: heparin
- Replacement of platelets and coagulation factors: Fresh frozen plasma, platelet concentrate, antithrombin III
What are the complications of DIC?
- Life threatening haemorrhage
- Acute renal failure
- Gangrene and loss of digits
What are the different causes of elbow pain?
- Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
- Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow)
- Radial tunnel syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Olecranon bursitis
What is Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)?
- Pain and tenderness to the lateral epicondyle
- Typically following unaccustomed activity e.g. house painting, play tennis
Who commonly is affected by Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)?
Middle aged people: 45-55 years
Which are is typically affected in Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
The dominant arm
What are the features of Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)?
- Pain and tenderness localised to the lateral epicondyle
- Pain worse on wrist extension against resistance when the elbow is extended
- Pain worse on supination of the forearm with the elbow extended
- Tends to be acutely painful for 6-12 weeks (can last up to 2 years as chronic pain)
What are the management options for Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)?
- Avoid muscle overload
- Simple analgesia
- Steroid injections
- Physiotherapy
What is Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow)?
- Pain and tenderness localised to the medial epicondyle
- Pain is aggravated by wrist flexion and pronation
- Symptoms may be accompanied by numbness / tingling in the 4th and 5th finger due to ulnar nerve involvement
What is radial tunnel syndrome?
- Symptoms are similar to lateral epicondylitis (so difficult to diagnose)
- Symptoms worsened by extending the elbow or pronating the forearm (opposite to lateral)
- Most commonly due to compression of the posterior interosseous branch of the radial nerve from overuse
What is Cubital tunnel syndrome?
- Tingling and numbness of the 4th and 5th finger
- Pain worse on leaning on the affected elbow
- Due to compression of the ulnar nerve as it passes through the cubital tunnel
What are the features of cubital tunnel syndrome?
- Tingling and numbness of the 4th and 5th finger which starts off intermittent and then becomes constant.
- Over time, may also develop weakness and muscle wasting
- Pain worse on leaning on the affected elbow
- Often a history of osteoarthritis or prior trauma to the area
What is the investigation for cubital tunnel syndrome?
Clinical diagnosis: however, in selected cases nerve conduction studies may be used
What is the management of cubital tunnel syndrome?
- Avoid aggravating activity
- Physiotherapy
- Steroid injections
- Surgery in resistant cases
What is olecranon bursitis?
- Swelling over the posterior aspect of the elbow
- May be associated warmth, pain and erythema
- Typically affects middle aged male patients
What is a radial head fracture?
- Common in young adults
- It is usually caused by a fall on the outstretched hand
- O/E: there is marked local tenderness over the head of the radius, impaired movements at the elbow, and a sharp pain at the lateral side of the elbow at the extremes of rotation (pronation and supination)
What is an epidural?
- An anaesthetic injected into the epidural space surrounding the fluid-filled sac (the dura) around the spinal cord
- It partially numbs the abdomen and legs and is most commonly used during childbirth
What are the indications for an epidural?
- Provide analgesia:
a. intraoperative
b. postoperative (v good for this)
c. peripartum (labour analgesia, Caesarean section)
d. end-of-life settings - Can be used as the primary anaesthetic for surgeries from the mediastinum to the lower extremities
What are the possible complications of an epidural?
- Anaphylaxis due to anaesthetic
- Procedure related: back pain, pneumocephalus (presence of air in the cranial activity)
- Potentially life threatening:
a. subdural injection
b. Aseptic meningitis
c. Cardiac arrest
d. Spinal epidural abscess
e. Epidural haematoma
f. Permanent neurological injury
What is epilepsy?
A common neurological condition characterised by recurrent seizures
Are there any associated diseases with epilepsy?
Most commonly occurs in isolation
Can be associated with:
1. Cerebral palsy - 30% have epilepsy
2. Tuberous sclerosis
3. Mitochondrial diseases
How are seizures in epilepsy classified?
3 key features:
1. Where seizures begin in the brain
2. Level of awareness during a seizure
3. Any other features of seizures
What are the two main types of epilepsy?
Focal seizures
Generalised seizures
What are focal seizures?
- Start in a specific area on one side of the brain
- Level of awareness can vary
- Can be further classified into motor (e.g. Jacksonian march) or non-motor (e.g. deja vu) or other such as aura
What are generalised seizures?
- These engage or involve networks on both sides of the brain at onset
- Consciousness is lost immediately (no level of awareness)
- Can be further subdivided into motor (e.g. tonic-clonic) and non-motor (e.g. absence)
- Specific types: tonic-clonic, tonic, clonic, typical absence and myoclonic (brief rapid muscle jerks)
What is a focal to bilateral seizure?
Where the seizure starts on one side of the brain in a specific area before spreading to both lobes
What are some of the signs and features of epilepsy?
- Seizure activity: level of awareness, motor vs non-motor
- Biting their tongue
- Incontinence of urine
- Post-ictal phase: drowsy and tired for around 15 minutes
What are the features of a seizure originating in the temporal lobe?
- May occur with or without impairment of consciousness
- An aura occurs in most patients (e.g. rising epigastric sensation, deja vu, less commonly hallucinations)
- Seizures typically last around 1 minute
- Automatisms are common (e.g. lip smacking, grabbing, plucking)
What are the features of a seizure originating in the frontal lobe?
- Head/leg movements
- Posturing
- Post-ictal weakness
- Jacksonian march
What are the features of a seizure originating in the parietal lobe?
Paraesthesia
What are the features of a seizure originating in the occipital lobe?
Floaters/ flashers
What are the investigations for epilepsy?
For any seizure: A to E approach, including blood glucose to exclude hypoglycaemia, think cardiac causes too
Following their first seizures, patients generally have both an EEG and imaging = MRI
What is the management of epilepsy?
- Most neurologists start anti-epileptics following a SECOND epileptic seizure
- Common medications include sodium valproate (not for females of reproductive age), Carbamazepine, Lamotrigine, Phenytoin
- Other considerations include:
a. DVLA
b. Other medications (enzyme inducers and inhibitors to need to check)
c. women wishing to get pregnant or on contraceptives (talk to specialist neurologist)
What are the DVLA rules for patients who have epilepsy?
Patients cannot drive for 6 months following a seizure
Must be fit free for 12 months before being able to drive
What are the common anti-epileptic drugs?
- Sodium valproate: used for generalised seizures in men, P450 inhibitor
- Carbamazepine: used second line for focal seizures, P450 induced, side effects include leucopenia and agranulocytosis, dizziness
*3. Lamotrigine: used for a variety of generalised and focal seizures with a limited side effect profile (other than Stevens-Johnson syndrome)
What is the acute management of seizures?
- Most seizures terminate spontaneously
- If they don’t after 5-10 minutes: appropriate to administer ‘rescue’ medication = benzodiazepines such as diazepam (intranasally or buccal midazolam)
- If a patient continues to fit despite such measures = status epilepticus = MEDICAL EMERGENCY
What is status epilepticus?
Either:
1. A single seizure lasting > 5 mins or
2. More than 2 seizures within a 5 minute period without the person turning normal between them
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
What is the priority in status epilepticus?
Termination of seizure activity, which if prolonged will lead to irreversible brain damage
What is the management of status epilepticus?
- ABC: airway adjunct, oxygen, check blood glucose
- First line medication = IV benzodiazepines e.g. diazepam or lorazepam - this can be repeated after 10-20 minutes
- If ongoing (or established) status, it is appropriate to start a second line agent e.g. phenytoin or phenobarbital infusion
- If no response (refractory status) within 45 minutes from onset = general anaesthesia (best way to achieve rapid control of seizure activity)
What are the complications of epilepsy?
- Fractures with tonic-clonic seizures
- Sudden death in epilepsy
- Side effects of AEDs e.g. neutropenia, osteoporosis with carbamazepine
What is an extradural haemorrhage?
A bleed between the dura mater and the inner surface of the skull
What is the difference between an extradural haemorrhage and a haematoma?
A haematoma is a collection of blood and a haemorrhage is an acute bleed (most commonly becomes a haematoma)
What is the aetiology of an extradural haematoma?
- Almost always caused by trauma and most typically ‘low impact trauma’
E.g. a blow to the head or a fall - The affected artery = middle meningeal artery: thin skill at the pterion overlies this and is vulnerable to injury
- Collection of blood is therefore in the temporal region
What are the features of an extradural haematoma?
- Patient initially loses, briefly regains and then loses consciousness again after a low-impact head injury
- As the haematoma expands: patient develops a fixed and dilated pupil due to the compression of the parasympathetic fibres of the third CN
What is the brief regain in consciousness in an extradural haemorrhage known as?
The lucid interval
Consciousness is lost again due to the expanding haematoma and brain hernia
As the haematoma expands the uncut of the temporal love herniates = compression of parasympathetic fibres of CN3
What is the investigation of choice for an extradural haematoma?
Non-contrast CT:
1. Shows a biconvex (or lentiform), hyperdense collection around the surface of the brain
2. Looks like a lemon
3. Collection is limited by the suture lines of the skull
What is the management for an extradural haematoma?
- In patients with no neurological deficit: cautious clinical and radiological observation may be appropriate
- Definitive treatment: craniotomy and evacuation of the haematoma (if midline shift and brain stem herniate - needs early surgical intervention)
What is a head injury?
- Any sort of injury to your brain, skull, or scalp. 2. Can range from a mild bump or bruise to a traumatic brain injury. 3. Common head injuries include concussions, skull fractures, and scalp wounds
- Can be either closed or open (penetrating)- through the skull
What is the aetiology of head injuries?
- Accidents at home, work, outdoors, or while playing sports
- Falls (the most common cause of a skull fracture is a fall from a height)
- Physical assault
- Traffic accidents
What is the epidemiology of head injuries?
The most common causes in:
a. Infants are falls and abuse
b. Older children are falls and traffic accidents
c. Adults are falls, followed by traffic accidents, followed by assaults
1. Skull fractures occur in 2% to 20% of all head trauma
2. Occur most frequently between the ages of 20 and 50 years
3. Men are more commonly affected
How can head injury be divided?
Intracranial and extracranial
How can brain (intracranial) injury be classified?
Primary and secondary
What is a primary brain injury?
- Can be focal (contusion/haematoma) or diffuse
- Intracranial haematomas include extradural, subdural or intracerebral
What is a secondary brain injury?
- Occurs when cerebral oedema, ischaemia, infection, tonsillar or tentorial herniation exacerbates the original injury
- The normal cerebral auto regulatory processes are disrupted following trauma rendering the brain more susceptible to blood flow changes and hypoxia
What is the Cushing’s reflex?
- Characterised by hypertension and bradycardia
- Often occurs late
- Usually a pre terminal event (occurring in the period before death)
What are they presenting symptoms of a head injury?
- Loss of consciousness (seconds to minutes)
- State of confusion or disorientated
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue/ drowsiness
- Problems with speech
- Sleeping problems (more or less than normal)
- Dizziness/ loss of balance
- Blurred vision
- Tinnitus
- Memory/ concentration problems
- Sensitivity to light or sound
What are some of the signs of a head injury on examination?
- GCS: altered mental state
- Evidence of trauma: bleeding, bruises
- Abnormal pupillary reflexes: suggests herniation/ brainstem injury
- Conductive hearing loss
- Open fracture
- Perioribital ecchymoses: (panda eyes), sign of basal skull fracture
- Battle’s sign: bruising over mastoid process
When does a patient with a head injury require a CT head within 1 hour?
- GCS < 13 on initial assessment
- GCS < 15 at 2 hours
- Suspected open or depressed skull fracture
- Sign of basal skull fracture:
haemotympanum (blood behind ear drum), ‘panda’ eyes, CSF leakage from the ear or nose, Battle’s sign - Post-traumatic seizure
- Focal neurological deficit
- More than one episode of vomiting
When does a patient with a head injury require a CT head within 8 hours?
For adults who have experienced some loss of consciousness or amnesia since the injury with any of the following:
1. > 65 years
2. PMH of bleeding or clotting disorders incl anticoagulants
3. Dangerous mechanism of injury (RTCs)
4. More than 30 minutes retrograde amnesia of events before the head injury
What is the investigation of choice for a head injury?
CT Head: detects skull fractures and any associated intracranial pathology
What are the investigations for a head injury?
- A to E assessment
- GCS
- CT head > MRI (used secondary for increased detection of associated intracranial pathology such as diffuse axonal injury)
- MR angiography (vascular assessment)
- beta-2 transferrin assay: for any patient with head trauma and otorrhoea /rhinorrhoea to detect a CSF leak
- Audiogram: conductive or sensorineural hearing loss
- Skeletal scan for fractures
What is an important part of examining a patient with a head injury?
Pupillary findings
What are the causes of bilateral constriction of pupils on examination?
Main cause is opiates
Others: Pontine lesions, metabolic encephalopathy
What is the management of a head injury?
- Depends of type of injury e.g. extracranial vs intracranial, subdural vs extradural vs SAH
- Important to monitor ICP
- Where there is life threatening rising ICP (e.g. extradural haematoma), whilst theatre is prepared or transfer arranged, use of IV mannitol/ frusemide may be required
What are some of the specific surgical techniques used in the management of head injuries?
- Diffuse cerebral oedema may require decompressive craniotomy
- Depressed skull fractures that are open require formal surgical reduction and debridement
- Closed injuries may be managed nonoperatively if there is minimal displacement
What is the minimum cerebral perfusion pressure in adults and children?
Adults: 70mmHg
Children: 40-70mmHg
What is a hip fracture?
Fracture of the hip, which a common site especially in osteoporotic elderly females
What is the risk of neck of femur fractures?
Avascular necrosis: the blood supply to the femoral head runs up the neck of the femur
Risk is greater in displaced fractures
What are the features of hip fractures?
- Pain
- Shortened and externally rotated leg
- Patient with non-displaced or incomplete neck of femur fractures may be able to weight bear
How can hip fractures/ neck of femur fractures be classified?
- Location
- Garden system
What is the location classification for neck of femur fractures?
- Intracapsular: from the edge of the femoral head to the insertion of the capsule of the hip joint
Lesser trochanter is the dividing line - Extracapsular: these can either be trochanteric or subtrochanteric
What is the Garden system for hip fractures?
Type 1: Stable fracture with impaction in valgus
Type 2: Complete fracture but undisplaced
Type 3: Displaced fracture, usually rooted and angulated but still has boney contact
Type 4: Complete boney disruption
What Garden types most commonly have blood supply disruption and so greater risk of avascular necrosis?
Types 3 and 4
What is the management of an intracapsular hip fracture?
Depends if it is displaced or undisplaced:
1. Undisplaced = internal fixation or hermiarthroplasty if unfit
2. Displaced = replacement arthroplasty (either THR or hemirthroplasty), THR is favoured if:
a. Patients were able to walk independently with no more than the use of a stick
b. Not cognitively impaired
c. Medically fit for anaesthesia and procedure
What is the management for an extra capsular hip fracture?
- Stable intertrochanteric fracture = dynamic hip screw
- Reverse oblique, transverse or subtrochanteric features = intramedullary device
What advice should be given to patients who have had a hip replacement to minimise the risk of dislocation?
- Avoid flexing the hip > 90 degrees
- Avoid low chairs
- Do not cross your legs
- Sleep on their back for the first 6 weeks
What are the different surgical techniques in hip arthroplasty?
- Cemented hip replacement (most common): metal femoral component is cemented into the femoral shaft
- Uncemented hip: increasingly popular in younger and more active patients but more expensive
- Hip resurfacing: metal cap over the femoral head (advantage of preserving femoral neck in case conventional arthroplasty is needed later in life)
What sign is seen in pelvic fracture?
Positive Trendelenburg sign from superior gluteal nerve dysfunction
What is Ischaemic heart disease?
- Characterized by reduced blood supply (ischaemia) to the heart muscle resulting in chest pain known as angina pectoris
- Can present as:
a. Stable angina
b. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
What are the three types of acute coronary syndrome (ACS)?
- ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)
- Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)
- Unstable angina
What is the difference between unstable angina and an NSTEMI?
Unstable angina:
1. Considered when there are symptoms of ischaemia but no elevation in troponins
2. Can be with or without ischaemic changes in ECG
3. Treated the same as an NSTEMI as troponins can take a while to increase
What is ischaemic heart disease also known as?
Coronary heart disease and coronary artery disease
What does ischaemic heart disease generally describe?
The gradual build up of fatty plaques within the walls of the coronary arteries
What are the two main consequences of ischaemic heart disease?
- Gradual narrowing of coronary arteries: stable angina (less oxygen reaches the myocardium at times of demand)
- Risk of sudden plaque rupture: ACS (rupture of fatty plaque leading to sudden occlusion of a coronary artery)
How are the risk factors for ischaemic heart disease divided?
- Unmodifiable:
a. Increasing age
b. Male gender
c. FH - Modifiable:
a. Smoking
b. DM
c. Hypertension
d. Hypercholesterolaemia
e. Obesity
What is the most common cause of ischaemic heart disease?
Atherosclerosis
What is the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis?
- Endothelial injury (smoking, HTN, DM)
- Migration of monocytes into subendothelial space and differentiation into macrophages
- Macrophages accumulate LDL lipids in the subendothelium and become foam cells
- They release growth factors, which stimulate smooth muscle proliferation, production of collagen and proteoglycans = further propagate the inflammatory process
- This leads to the formation of an atheromatous plaque covered by a fibrous capsule
What is the epidemiology of ischaemic heart disease?
Common, prevalence > 2%
More common in males
What is stable angina?
- Occurs when myocardial oxygen demand exceeds oxygen supply
- The most common cause is atherosclerosis
- Other causes of coronary artery narrowing are: RARE
a. Spasm (e.g. from cocaine)
b. Arteritis
c. Emboli
What are the features of stable angina/ chest pain?
- Constricting discomfort in the front of the best, shoulder, jaw or arms
- Precipitated by physical exertion
- Relieved by rest or GTN in 5 minutes
How is stable angina classified?
- Typical angina: patients who have all three of the features of stable angina
- Atypical angina: patients with 2 features
- Non-anginal chest pain: patients with 1 or none of the features
What are the next steps in patients who present with typical/ atypical angina?
- CT coronary angiogram (first line)
- Non-invasive functional imaging (looking for reversible myocardial ischaemia) (second line)
- Invasive coronary angiography
What are some of the exmaples of non-invasive functional imaging in the investigation of anginal chest pain?
- Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with single photon emission computed tomography (MPS with SPECT)
- Stress echocardiography
- First-pass contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) perfusion
- MR imaging for stress-induced wall motion abnormalities
What is the management of stable angina/ angina pectoris?
- Lifestyle measures
- Aspirin and statin
- Sublingual GTN
- Beta blocker or calcium channel blocker:
a. If CCB as monotherapy, use a rate-limiting one verapamil or diltiazem
b. If CCB plus B-blocker, use amlodipine - Once patient is on both and doses have been increased: consider PCI and CABG, whilst waiting add a third drug e.g. a long-acting nitrate or ivabradine
What is nitrate tolerance in the management of stable angina?
- Many patients who take nitrates develop tolerance and experience reduced efficacy
- NICE advises that patients who take standard-release isosorbide mononitrate should use an asymmetric dosing interval to maintain a daily nitrate-free time of 10-14 hours to minimise the development of nitrate tolerance
What are the classic features of ACS?
- Centra/ left sided chest pain
- May radiate to the jaw or left arm
- ‘heavy’ or constricting sensation (like an elephant on their chest)
- Associations:
a. Dyspnoea
b. Sweating
c. Nausea and vomiting
How can ACS present in older patients or those with diabetes?
Can be silent- experience no chest pain
What are the signs of ACS on examination?
- May have no signs
- May appear pale and clammy
- Mild changes to observations
- New arrhythmias/ murmurs
- Signs of complications e.g. acute HF, cardiogenic shock (hypotension, cold peripheries, oliguria)
When should a patient be referred with chest pain?
- Emergency admission: current chest pain or chest pain in the last 12 hours with an abnormal ECG
- Refer to hospital for same day assessment: chest pain 12-72 hours ago
- Perform full assessment with ECG and troponin before referring: chest pain > 72 hours ago
What is the immediate management of suspected ACS in primary care?
- Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN)
- Aspirin 300 mg
- Do not routine give oxygen (only if sats < 94%)
- Perform an ECG ASAP but do not delay transfer to hospital
When would you offer a patient presenting with chest pain supplemental oxygen?
- If sats < 94% (those not at risk of hypercapnic respiratory failure)
- People with COPD to achieve their target of 88-92% until ABG available
What is the initial management of ACS in secondary care?
- Aspirin 300mg
- Oxygen if sats < 94%
- Morphine: only to patients in severe pain
- Nitrates: sublingually or IV, used in caution in patient hypotensive
What is the next step in the management of patients with ACS following initial treatment?
Determine what type of ACS they are having: ECG and biomarkers of myocardial damage
What is the criteria for a STEMI?
- Clinical symptoms consistent with ACS (generally > 20 mins duration)
- Persistent (>20 mins) ECG features in more than 2 contiguous leads
- ECG changes:
a. 2.5 - 2.0mm ST elevation in V2-V3 (men, under 40, over 40 respectively)
b. 1.5 mm ST elevation in V2-V3 in women
c. 1mm ST elevation in other leads
d. New LBBB
What is the management of a STEMI once it has been idnetified?
- Aspirin 300mg (if not previously given)
- Assess eligibility to coronary reperfusion therapy:
a. PCI is first option if presenting within 12 hours and can be completed within 120 minutes
b. Fibrinolysis: if primary PCI cannot be delivered within 120 minutes
What is PCI in the management of a STEMI?
Percutaenous coronary intervention:
1. Should be offered if the presentation is within 12 hours of onset and can be delivered within 120 mins
2. Radial access > femoral
3. Use drug-eluting stents
3. If presentation > 12 hours, but ongoing ischaemia PCI can be considered
What must be given to the patient before PCI for the management of a STEMI?
- Aspirin 300mg PLUS another antiplatelet e.g. clopidogrel or ticagrelor (known as dual antiplatelet therapy)
- Radial access: unfractionated heparin with bailout glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI)
What are the anticoagulants given to patients before PCI?
Aspirin 300mg plus:
1. Prasugrel/ ticagrelor (not high bleeding risk/ not on oral anticoagulants)
2. Clopidogrel (if high bleeding risk/ on oral anticoagulants)
What procedures can be offered during PCI?
- Main procedure is unblocking the affected coronary artery using a drug eluted stent
- Thrombus aspiration can be considered
- Complete revascularisation should be considered if with multivessel coronary artery disease without cardiogenic shock
What is fibrinolysis is the management of a STEMI?
- Less preferred to PCI, but used when it is the only form of reperfusion therapy available
- Patients should be given an antithrombin drugs
- Give ticagrelor following procedure
- ECG should be repeated after 60-90 minutes to see if ECG changes have been resolved