Cardiac chest pain Flashcards
Causes and types of stable angina
Atherosclerotic disease (most common)
Rarer types:
Decubitus angina - occurs when lying down
Prinzmental angina - occurs due to coronary vasospasm
Coronary syndrome X - angina sx despite normal exercise tolerance and normal coronary angiograms
Mx of stable angina
Conservative - stop smoking - lose wt - exercise Medical - symptomatic: GTN spray - anti-anginals: BBs, CCBs - reduce RFs: ACEi, aspirin, statins
Sx of ACS
Acute-onset central, crushing chest pain Radiates to arms/neck/jaw Pallor Sweating NOTE: silent infarcts in elderly and diabetics
What are the mx steps to determine what type of ACS it is?
Hx - sudden-onset central crushing pain ECG - changes => STEMI - no changes Troponin - +ve => NSTEMI - -ve => unstable angina
What does an ECG show for
a) STEMI
b) NSTEMI?
a) hyperacute T waves, ST elevation, new onset LBBB
b) ST depression, T wave inversion
What can ECG leads tell us about the site of the infarct?
II, III, aVF => inferior => right coronary artery
V1-V5 => anterior => left anterior descending
I, aVL, V5/6 => lateral => left circumflex
tall R wave + ST depression V1-3 => posterior => posterior descending
Drug mx for ACS
M orphine O xygen N itrates A ntiplatelets (aspirin+clopidogrel) B eta-blockers A CEi S tatins H eparins
Mx of STEMI
300mg loading dose of aspirin <12hrs - PCI >12hrs - coronary angiography followed by PCI if indicated
Mx of NSTEMI and UAP
Immediate
- aspirin: 300mg loading dose + other antiplatelet (clopidogrel)
- fondaparinux: if low bleeding unless coronary angiography planned within 24hrs
- UFH: if coronary angiography planned
Risk stratify using GRACE score
- HIGH: coronary angiography within 72hrs and GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor (tirofiban)
- LOW: conservative mx, control RFs
What are potential complications of ACS?
D eath A rrythmia R upture T amponade H eart failure
V alve disease A neurysm D ressler's syndrome E mbolism R einfarction
Compare use of anticoagulants and antiplatelets
Anticoagulants
- inhibit coagulation factors
- prevent venous thrombosis (DVT, PE)
Antiplatelets
- inhibit platelets
- prevent arterial thrombosis (MI, stroke)
Possible causes of pericarditis
Idiopathic Infective (Cox-Sackie B) CTD (sarcoidosis) Dressler syndrome (2-10 weeks post-MI) Malignancy
What is Beck’s triad?
‘Muffled’ heart sounds, raised JVP, low BP
- cardiac tamponade
Presentation of pericarditis
Sharp, central chest pain Pleuritic Relieved by sitting forward Fever/flu-like sx if viral Pericardial friction rub Tamponade (if pericardial effusion)
Ix for pericarditis, incl. what they may show
ECG => widespread saddle-shapped ST elevation
Bloods (FBC, CRP) => raised CRP if infection
CXR => pleural effusion
Pathognomonic for AF
Irregularly irregular pulse
Causes of AF
PE Pneumonia Hyperthyroidism IHD Alcohol Pericarditis
Ix for AF
ECG => irregularly irregular tachycardia and absent P waves
Test for underlying causes
- FBC, TFTs, glucose, lipids
Mx for AF
*TREAT CAUSE and
1) Rhythm control
<48hrs: DC cardioversion or chemical cardioversion
>48hrs: anticoagulate for 3-4 weeks before attempting cardioversion
2) Rate control
verapamil, BBs, digoxin
3) Stroke risk stratification
CHA2DS2-Vasc score
- low: nothing
- high: warfarin
Which drugs are used for chemical cardioversion?
Flecainide (contraindicated in IHD) or amiodarone
Break down the CHA2DS2-Vasc score
C ongestive heart failure/LV dysfunction (1) H TN (1) A ge>/=75 (2) D iabetes mellitus (1) S troke/TIA/TE (2) V ascular disease, prior (1) A ge 65-74 (1) S ex female (1)
What are the two types of supraventricular tachycardias?
AVNRT (atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia)
- local circuit forms around AV node
AVRT (atrioventricular reentry tachycardia)
- reentry circuit forms between atria and ventricles due to presence of accessory pathway (Bundle of Kent)
What might show on an ECG after termination of a SVT?
AVNRT => normal
AVRT => ‘delta’ wave; slurred upstroke on QRS compex, indicative of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
How does WPWS lead to AVRT?
Accessory pathway allows early depolarisation of ventricles
=>
Gives rise to slurred upstroke
=>
Wave of depolarisation travels retrograde back into atria, setting up a reentry circuit between atria and ventricles
=>
AVRT