Angina Flashcards
What is angina?
a discomfort in the chest and/or adjacent areas associated with myocardial ischaemia but with no myocardial necrosis
What is the pathophysiology of angina?
Mismatch between oxygen supply and metabolites supply to myocardium and the myocardial demand for them
What is angina most commonly due to?
-reduction in coronary blood flow to the myocardium commonly caused by an obstructive coronary atheroma
What is angina rarely due to?
reduction in coronary blood flow to the myocardium rarely due to Coronary artery spasm (uncommon, Vasospastic angina) or coronary artery inflammation/arteritis (Rare)
or due to Microvascular angina
What is reduced oxygen transport uncommonly due to?
- Anaemia of any cause
What is increased myocardial O2 demand uncommonly due to?
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Left ventricular hypertrophy which is seen in significant hypertension, aortic stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Explain the effect of coronary atheroma on activity.
- Increased myocardial oxygen demand, but atheroma is causing a blockage for the blood to travel through, therefore causing myocardial ischaemia and thus the symptoms
What kinds of activity trigger angina
- emotional distress, anxiety, eating after a huge meal, physical activity, cold weather
How much of the plaque needs to cover the lumen for symptom, and how does atherosclerosis form?
- > 70%
- Fatty streak -> non obstructive plaque-> obstructive plaque.
- Atherosclerosis is a progressive process which builds up over icnreasing age.
How does stable angina differ from acute coronary syndrome?
- The plaque is stable but in ACS, there is spontaneous ruptured plaque and local thrombosis, with degrees of occlusion
How to diagnose angina?
- Relived immediately after GTN spray or rest.
- retrsternal chest pain spreading to arms, neck, jaw
- “heavy” “tight band” “pressure” pain
- aggravated by trigger
others:
- near syncope
- dyspnoae
- excessive fatigue
When may it not be angina?
- pleuritic or pericardial chest pain= Sharp, stabbing
- pain continues after rest
- associated with body movements or respiration
- very localised pain
- no pattern pain
- lasts for hours and begins some time after exercising.
What are differential diagnoses to angina?
- cardiovascular
a) Pericarditis b) Aorta dissection - respiratory
a) Pleurisy b) Pneumonia c)Peripheral pulmonary emboli - GI
a) Gastro-oesphageal reflux b) oesophageal spasm c) peptic ulceration d) biliary colic e) cholecystitis.f) pancreatitis - Muscoskeletal
a) Cervical disease b) costochondritis c)muscle spasm or strain
when the other symptoms (excessive fatigue, near syncope, dyspnoea) more common?
- elderly or diabetes mellitus due to reduced pain sensation
What are risk factors for angina?
- modifiable
e. g. Lifestyle (Exercise and diet), Diabetes (glycemic control), Hypertension (controlling reduces CV risk), Hyperlipidaemia (same again) - non modifiable
e. g. Genetic factors, age, gender, fam history