Cardio Flashcards
Broad complex tachycardia, BP 88/59, Rx?
DC cardioversion
If systolic BP <90 in tachyarrhythmia then DC cardioversion
When is a patient classified as stable or unstable in the context of tachyarrhythmia?
Unstable if any of the following adverse signs:
- Shock (systolic BP <90, pallor, clammy, confusion, impaired consciousness)
- Syncope
- Myocardial ischaemia
- Heart failure
If any of the above are present then give synchronised DC cardioversion. Rx following this is dependent on if it was broad or narrow complex, and if it was regular or irregular
What are potential causes of a broad complex tachycardia with regular and irregular rhythms?
What are their treatments (if stable)?
Regular:
- Assume VT - amiodarone (300mg loading dose then 900mg over 24 hours)
- SVT with BBB - treat as per SVT
Irregular:
- AF with BBB - treat as per narrow complex tachycardia
- Polymorphic VT (torsades de pointes) - IV Magnesium
Potential causes of narrow complex tachycardia with regular and irregular rhythms?
Treatments?
Regular:
- SVT - vagal manoeuvres then IV adenosine
- If unsuccessful, consider atrial flutter and control rate
Irregular:
- Probably AF
- If onset <48 hrs consider electrical/chemical cardioversion
- Rate control (B blocker/Digoxin) and anticoagulation required
Treatment of acute native valve endocarditis?
IV Flucloxacillin 2g 6 hourly
Treatment of subacute (indolent) native valve endocarditis?
IV Amoxicillin + Gentamicin
Treatment of prosthetic valve endocarditis or suspected MRSA?
IV Vancomycin + Gentamicin + PO Rifampicin
4 common bacterial causes of endocarditis and their associations?
Staph Aureus - most common, IVDU
Staph epidermis - peri-operative, <2 months post-op
Strep Viridans - dental procedures
Strep Bovis - colorectal cancer
5 causes of culture negative endocarditis?
Previous antibiotic therapy Coxiella burnetti Bartonella Brucella HACEK (haemophilus, actinobacillus, cardiobacterium, eikenella, kingella)
common drugs which prolong QT interval?
Antipsychotics (mainly typical) Type 1a, 1c and 3 arrhytmatics Tricyclics Other antidepressants (citalopram, moclobemide etc) Loratadine Hydroxychloroquine Macrolides (clarithromycin)
How to tell between aortic stenosis and sclerosis?
Aortic sclerosis doesn’t radiate to carotids and has normal ECG
What 2 scenarios is cardioversion used in AF?
When should you offer rate/rhythm control?
Haemodynamically unstable - electrical
Electively where rhythm control strategy preferred - electrical or chemical
Offer rate/rhythm control if onset <48 hours
Offer rate control if >48 hours
Management of haemodynamically stable AF onset <48 hours?
Heparinise patient, then cardiovert
Electrical - synchronised DC OR Pharmacological: - Amiodarone if structural heart disease - Amiodarone/Flecainide without
If no other risk factors for ischaemic stroke, further anticoagulation unnecessary. If present, oral anticoagulation for life
Management of haemodynamically stable AF onset >48 hours?
Rate control and anticoagulation for at least 3 weeks.
If recurrent AF or previous cardioversion failure, amiodarone/sotalol for 4 weeks.
Electrical cardioversion
Anticoagulation continued for at least 4 weeks after - decision on continuation based on risk factors
Drugs to control rate in AF?
Bisoprolol
Verapamil/Diltiazem
Digoxin - normally not preferred, but 1st choice if co-existing heart failure as positive inotropic effect
Drugs to maintain sinus rhythm in Hx of AF?
Amiodarone
Sotalol
Flecainide
Factors favouring rate (2)/rhythm (4) control strategy in AF?
Rate - age >65, Hx of IHD
Rhythm - age <65, symptomatic, first presentation, CCF
Stroke risk score in AF?
CHA2DS2VascS
C - congestive HF H - hypertension A - age 75 or above = 2 age 65-74 = 1 D - diabetes S - stroke or TIA (previous) = 2 V - vascular disease (IHD/PVD) S - sex (female)
0 = no anticoagulation
1 = males consider anticoagulation
females don’t (they got this score from their sex)
2 = offer anticoagulation
When is catheter ablation used in AF?
What medication must the patient take beforehand?
What does it do to stroke risk?
3 complications?
Failure to respond to cardioversion, or wish to avoid antiarrhythmatics
Anticoagulants for 4 weeks minimum beforehand
Whilst ablation might restore to sinus rhythm, it doesn’t reduce stroke risk
tamponade, stroke, pulmonary valve stenosis
How do thiazides cause hypokalaemia?
They block Na/Cl co-transporter in DCT, so more Na reaches collecting duct
More K lost in collecting duct as a result
Side effects of thiazide-like diuretics, such as indapamide and chlortalidone?
Same as thiazides
Hypokalaemia/Hyponatraemia Hypercalcaemia Gout Postural hypotension Impaired glucose tolerance Impotence
Rarely: agranulocytosis, pancreatitis, thrombocytopenia, photosensitive rash
Hypertension ladder?
1:
<55 OR T2DM - A
55+ or black, no T2DM - C
2: A+C or A+D
3: A+C+D
4: If K+ 4.5 or less - spironolactone
If K+ >4.5 B-blocker or A-blocker
5: Specialist
What tests should be done before starting amiodarone?
Monitoring after this?
TFT, LFT, U&E, baseline CXR
TFT and LFT every 6 months
Blood pressure targets for clinic and ABPM for someone:
<80 y/o?
>80 y/o?
<80:
clinic - <140/90
ABPM - <135/85
> 80:
clinic - <150/90
ABPM - <145/85
7 causes of ST elevation?
STEMI
Pericarditis/myocarditis
Normal variant (high take off)
LV aneurysm
Coronary artery spasm (prinzmetal’s angina)
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (octopus pot, floppy apical LV)
Subarachnoid haemorrhage (rare)
Pathognomic ECG finding in cardiac tamponade?
Electrical alternans
Waves are of alternating amplitude, 1st and 3rd will be same height, 2nd and 4th will be etc
Amplitude may be small as well depending on how bad the tamponade is
Which antihypertensive can cause constipation and abdominal pain as a side effect?
Thiazides - hypercalcaemia
Bones - bone pain Stones - kidney stones Groans - abdo pain Thrones - constipation/urinary frequency Tones - muscle weakness and hyporeflexia Psychiatric moans - depression, anxiety, confusion
What is eisenmenger’s syndrome?
How can it present?
Management?
Pulmonary hypertension as a result of an uncorrected VSD
The RV hypertrophies until it overcomes the LV - this causes chronic pulmonary microvascular changes
It causes R to L shunt and chronic cyanosis. This may be seen as:
- blue tinge to nails/lips
- clubbing/loss of nail fold
- RV failure
- original murmur may disappear
- haemoptysis (from pul microvasc changes)
Rx: heart and lung transplant needed eventually
VT without haemodynamic instability:
- What is treatment?
- What should be avoided?
Amiodarone - 1st line option
Procainamide
Lidocaine (use with caution, esp with severe LV impairment)
NEVER use Verapamil
(if drug therapy fails then synchronised DC cardioversion)
What symptom do most patients get following administration of adenosine?
Chest pain
due to increased coronary sinus blood flow
ECG of digoxin toxicity? (4)
- Downsloping ST depression widespread (like a reversed nike tick)
- inverted/flattened T waves
- Shortened QT interval
- Can cause AV block/bradycardia
Course of action for patients presenting with acute chest pain:
- <12 hours ago?
- 12-72 hours ago?
- > 72 hours ago?
- take ECG and emergency admission to hospital
- refer to hospital for same-day assessment
- Full workup including ECG and troponin - use this to guide your judgement
Immediate management of suspected ACS?
- Morphine (if in pain)
- Oxygen**
- GTN spray
- Aspirin - 300mg (high dose)
- Clopidogrel or Ticagrelor once in hospital
- if sats <94% and not at risk of T2 resp failure
- if at risk of T2 resp failure, aim for 88-92%
3 criteria for angina?
What is unstable angina?
- Constricting discomfort in chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms
- Brought on by physical exertion
- Relieved within 5 mins by GTN spray
Atypical angina - 2/3 of these - e.g. if pain is ‘stabbing’ instead of ‘constricting’ (more common in women and diabetics)
If only 1/3 - non-anginal chest pain
Investigations for angina if it cannot be diagnosed clinically alone?
- CT coronary angiography
- non-invasive functional imaging
(e. g. perfusion scintigraphy, SPECT, stress echo, MR perfusion scan) - invasive coronary imaging
Angina pectoris treatment ladder?
All patients should receive aspirin 75mg, a statin and GTN (unless CI)
- B-blocker or rate-limiting CCB
- Once at max dose, add second drug:
B-blocker + dihydropyridine CCB - If still symptomatic, refer for assessment for PCI/CABG and add a 3rd drug:
- ivabradine (funny current HCN channel blocker)
- long-acting nitrate
- nicorandil (K channel opener/NO activity)
- minoxidil (K channel opener/NO activity)
Usual 4 medications for pulmonary hypertension?
Other drug options (class + example)?
Warfarin/DOAC
Diuretic
High % oxygen
Digoxin
- CCB’s - nifedipine, amlodipine, diltiazem
- Endothelin ETa receptor antagonists - bosentan, ambrisentan
- PDE5 inhibitors - sildenafil
- Prostaglandins - iloprost
- guanylate cyclase inhibitors - riocugat
What must you be careful of with nitrates?
Other SE? (4)
Tolerance - take second nitrate after 8 hours, not 12, leaving 4 hours nitrate free in body
Effect not seen as much with modified release isosorbide mononitrate
Headache
Postural hypotension
Tachycardia
Flushing
2 methods of ACS developement? What is ACS spectrum? Symptoms? Often mistaken for? Who gets silent MI? Signs?
- Gradual narrowing of lumen until occluded by atherosclerotic plaque (angina)
- Rupture of plaque causing thrombosis
Unstable angina
NSTEMI
STEMI
Central, crushing, heavy chest pain - to neck, jaw, shoulder, arm Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting Pale, clammy Sense of impending doom SOB
Often mistaken for dyspepsia
Esp in diabetics/elderly, who may not get chest pain
Often very little signs - BP, temp etc all normal
May be tachycardia/tachypnoeic
Signs of heart failure may begin to develop after a while
Criteria for a STEMI?
- Clinical symptoms consistent with ACS for >20 mins
- ST elevation of 2 small squares (2mm) in at least 2 contiguous leads
Can also have :
- ST elevation of 1 small square (1mm) in other leads
- New onset LBBB
Management of STEMI?
If presenting within 12 hours of symptom onset:
If PCI can be accessed within 2 hours:
- Aspirin + prasugrel (clopidogrel if already on oral anticoagulant)
- PCI with heparin + abciximab cover
- Place drug-eluting stent
If PCI cannot be accessed within 2 hours:
- Thrombolysis + LMWH/Fondaparinux
- Repeat ECG 90 mins after delivery - if no improvement, organise transfer for PCI
NSTEMI/Unstable angina management?
Give aspirin
Give Fondaparinux if no immediate PCI planned and no increased bleeding risk
Calculate GRACE score (6 month mortality)
If >3%:
- Offer PCI within 72 hours
- Prasugrel/Ticagrelor + heparin + drug-eluting stent
If <3%:
- Give Ticagrelor
Why does cardiac arrest occur after MI?
Most commonly VF
Also VT
Why does cardiogenic shock occur with MI?
If a large part of the LV myocardium is damaged, ejection fraction of heart may decrease massively
May occur because of mechanical reasons such as LV free wall rupture
What chronic condition occurs commonly after MI?
Heart failure
Which type of MI does AV block occur with?
Most commonly inferior
Can cause bradyarrhythmias
2 types of pericarditis following MI?
<48 hours - due to transmural MI, occurs in 10%.
Typical pericarditis features - worse on lying flat, pericardial rub, pericardial effusion
2-6 weeks - Dressler’s Syndrome - autoimmune reaction against antigenic proteins.
Fever, pleuritic pain, pericardial effusion, raised ESR.
Rx: NSAIDs
Why might LV aneurysm form after MI?
ECG and signs?
What might it put patients at risk of?
Sustained weakness of myocardium
Persistent ST elevation
Signs of LV failure (pul oed)
Thrombus forming and stroke - patients must be anticoagulated
When does LV free wall rupture occur following MI?
Presentation?
Treatment?
1-2 weeks
(occurs in 3%)
Acute heart failure secondary to tamponade
- Raised JVP
- Pulsus paradoxus
- diminished heart sounds
Urgent pericardiocentesis and thoracotomy
What type of MI does acute mitral regurg occur with?
Why does it happen?
Symptoms/signs?
Treatment?
Infero-posterior MI
Ischaemia/rupture of papillary muscle
Acute hypotension and pulmonary oedema
Early-mid diastolic murmur
Vasodilator therapy and emergency surgical repair
What is plusus paradoxus?
2 causes?
Greater than normal (>10mmHg) drop in systolic BP during inspiration
(faint/absent pulse during inspiration)
Cardiac tamponade
Severe asthma
What causes a slow-rising/plateau pulse? (1)
Aortic stenosis
also narrow pulse pressure
What is a collapsing/water-hammer pulse?
Causes? (3)
Pulse which can be felt rapidly increasing in force through the bulk of the muscle in the forearm when the arm is raised above the head, and subsequently collapses
Aortic regurgitation
PDA
Hyperkinetic states (anaemia, thyrotoxicosis, fever, exercise, pregnancy)
Explanation: if hyperaemic/aortic regurg etc sluggish blood flow through artery in arm. Raising arm above head causes it to rapidly flow back towards the LV, increasing the EDV for the next cycle (valve regurgitates it) - increased stretch from increased volume increases the force of the next contraction via Frank-Starling mechanism
What is plusus alternans?
Cause?
Regular alternation of the force of arterial pulse
Severe LVF
What is a bisferiens pulse?
What causes it? (2)
‘double pulse’ - 2 systolic peaks
Mixed aortic valve disease
Occasionally HOCM
What is a jerky pulse?
What causes it?
Seen in HOCM
Pulse which has a rapid upstroke due to vigorous contraction of hypertrophic LV
As volume of LV decreases there is abrupt blockage of outflow
This causes a rapid fall in arterial pressure
(HOCM may also sometimes be assoc w bisferiens pulse)