Cardiac System Flashcards
This deck covers Chapters 68-74 in Rosens, compromising all of cardiology.
What is AVRT orthodromic vs antidromic and why do we care?
AVRT with Orthodromic Conduction
Anterograde conduction occurs via the AV node with retrograde conduction occurring via the accessory pathway.
Treatment of Orthodromic AVRT
- Like SVT
AVRT with Antidromic Conduction
Anterograde conduction occurs via the accessory pathway with retrograde conduction via the AV node.
Treatment of Antidromic AVRT
- Unstable
- Procainamide
- DC Cardioversion
Describe the “runaway PM syndrome”.
Runaway Pacemaker Syndrome
- Low battery causes spikes in HR which can cause VF
- May cause failure to capture due to low voltage spikes
- Rare in current age PPMs
Treatment
- Magnet
List 6 vascular phenomena seen in IE
- Arterial emboli
- Splinter hemorrhages
- Septic pulmonary infarcts
- Mycotic aneurysm
- Conjunctival hemorrhage
- Janeway lesions
What is this?

Pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT)
- Retrograde p waves sensed w/ ventricular pacing
- Ventricular pacing causes retrograde p waves
- Causes endless loop and rate-related ischemia
- New PPM have programming to terminate PMT
Treatment
- Slow AV conduction
- Adenosine
- Magnet
List 8 causes of PVCs/VT
- Acute MI
- Previous MI
- Cardiomyopathy
- Myocardial contusion
- Hypokalemia
- Hypomagnesemia
- Hypoxemia
- Hypercapnia
- Acidosis
- Alkalosis
- Methylxanthine toxicity (caffeine)
- Valvular heart disease
- Catecholamine excess
- TCAs
- Idiopathic
- Digitalis toxicity
List clinical features that would help you distinguish SVT with aberrancy and VT
VT: >50 years, hx of MI, ASD, CHF, VT in the past
SVT: <35, healthy
List 8 early complications of MI
- Death
- CHF
- Dysrhythmias
- Cardiogenic shock
- LV free wall rupture
- Ruptured interventricular septum
- Papillary muscle rupture
- Pericarditis
- Hyperglycemia
- Stroke
- LV Aneurysm
- Post-PCI pseudoaneurysm
List 10 infectious causes of myocarditis
-
Viral
- Hep A/B/C
- Herpes 3,4,5,6,7
- Influenza A/B
- Enteroviruses
- Adenovirus
- HIV
-
Bacterial:
- S. pneumoniae
- M. pneumoniae
- C. pneumoniae
- TB
- Lyme
- Diptheria
-
Others:
- Chagas’ – protozoa
- Trichinosis – helminth
List the common presentations of ICD malfunction.
Increase or changes to shock frequency
- Shocking SVT
- Shocking non-cardiac signals
- Oversensing T waves
- Increased VF/VT (electrolytes, ischemia)
Syncope or dizzy
- VT w/ low shock strength
- SVT w/ hypotension
- Inadequate backup rate
Cardiac Arrest
- ICD malfunction
- VF failing to respond to ICD parameters
What is this?

Paroxysmal SVT
- Produce retrograde atrial depolarization and a P’ wave
- But these P’ waves are usually buried in the QRS
- Most common = AVNRT (AV node is used for anterograde conduction)
Treatment
- Vagal maneuvers
- Adenosine 6 mg (can repeat 12 mg x 2)
- CCB (Diltiazem 0.25 mg/kg or 20 mg IV)
- UNSTABLE: Electrical 50J
What is the CCS classification of stable angina?
Class I
- No angina with ordinary activity
Class II
- Slightly limited activity
- Climbing stairs, emotional stress, walking
Class III
- Severely limited activity
- Walking 1-2 blocks, climbing 1 flight of stairs
Class IV
- Can’t do any activity without pain
- Pain at rest
According to new guidelines, what are our targets for PCI, thrombolytics, transfer, etc.?
- Door to ECG goal: ≤10 min
- Door to lytics: ≤30 min
- Door to balloon goal: ≤90 min
- FMC to balloon goal (transferred): ≤120 min
- Lytics if unable to get PCI within 120 min
Transfer all patients in cardiogenic shock
Primary PCI for patients >12h out with ongoing ischemia
What are 4 Class I indications for an ICD?
- Cardiac arrest from VF/VT
- Sustained VT
- Syncope with inducible VF/VT
- Nonsustained VT with CAD, MI, EF <35%
What is the management of Acute Rheumatic Fever?
Treat streptococcus
- Penicillin V 500 mg PO TID x10 days
Treat arthritis
- ASA (or another anti-inflammatory)
- Until symptoms resolve and CRP/ESR normalize
Treat carditis
- Corticosteroids (conflicting evidence)
List 8 common precipitating causes of acute HF
- Non-compliance
- Fluids
- Sodium intake
- HTN
- MI
- Dysrhythmia
- Infection
- Myocarditis
- Valvular disorder
- PE
- Pregnancy
- Trauma
- Exercise
- Thyroid
- Hypoxia
- Anemia
What is the Jones Criteria for the diagnosis of ARF?
Positive DX of Rheumatic Fever if:
- Strep + 2 Major or
- Strep + 1 Major + 2 Minor
Proof strep infection
- Culture
- ASOT positive
Major (JONES)
- Joint pain
- cOrditis (carditis)
- Nodules
- Erythema marginatum
- Sydenham chorea
Minor (PEACH F)
- PR prolongation
- ESR elevated
- Arthralgias
- CRP elevated
- History of preceding GAS infection
- Fever
List 5 causes of completely irregular (chaotic) rhythms
- Atrial fibrillation
- Multifocal atrial tachycardia
- AT/AF with varying conduction
- Extrasystoles
- Wandering pacemaker
- Parasystole
What’s the best mode for surgery?
VOO
- Asynchronous pacing
- Ventricle paced at a pre-programmed rate
- Sensing not interfered with by cautery
- Monitor for R on T with cautery –> torsades de pointes
Describe the 4 stages of pericarditis
- Diffuse STE and PR depression (hours/days)
- Flat T wave, ST/PR normalizes (days/weeks)
- TWI (2 weeks)
- Normalization (months)
What are the 5 types of MI?
- Type 1: Plaque rupture
- Type 2: Supply-Demand
- Type 3: Sudden death
- Type 4: PCI-related
- Type 5: CABG-related
List 10 causes of pericarditis
- MI
- Viral/Bacterial/Fungal/Lyme
- Surgical
- Idiopathic
- Uremic
- Traumatic
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- SLE
- Amyloid
- Scleroderma
- Radiation
- Tumours
List 6 treatments to manage an electrical storm?
Rule out reversible causes (electrolyte AbN, myocardial ischemia, TCAs, hyperthyroidism)
- Amiodarone
- B-blockers
- Sedation
- Overdrive pacing
- Emergent catheter ablation
- Hemodynamic support with IABP, LVAD
- Transplantation
List 10 secondary causes of HTN
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Conn’s syndrome
- OCP use
- Pheochromocytoma
- Hyperthyroidism
- OSA
- Chronic pyelonephritis
- PCKD
- Renal artery stenosis
- Sympathetic drugs
- Licorice Root
- Chronic EtOH abuse
- Atherosclerosis
- Aortic coarctation
Describe the 2 Types of Wellen’s Patterns:
Type A
- Biphasic, initial positivity
- 25% of cases
Type B
- Deeply, symmetrically inverted
- 75% of cases
The T waves evolve over time from Type A to Type B












