cardio Flashcards
A 35-year-old lady presents to cardiology for investigation of a pansystolic murmur. She has hypermobility of large and small joints bilaterally and marked striae on her abdomen and chest.
What is the most likely cause of this murmur?
mitral regurgitation
Widespread joint hypermobility along with skin changes indicated by striae should make you think of a collagen disorder - these findings are commonly present in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation are associated with Marfan’s and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes. Mitral regurgitation would produce a pansystolic murmur as described in the stem.
In what scenario would you expect a MI to present without chest pain?
If the patient is elderly or diabetic
You suspect pulmonary hypertension, what feature would support your Dx on auscultation of the chest?
loud second heart sound
A 59-year-old man attends a cardiology outpatient clinic 4 weeks after sustaining a myocardial infarction (MI). He reports feeling a little more tired than previously and has felt his heart racing occasionally. He denies any cough, fever, or chest pain. He has a past medical history of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia.
On examination, he has bibasal crackles and is noted to have a third and fourth heart sound. His ECG is reported as ST elevation in the precordial leads alongside some well-formed Q waves.
What is the most likely diagnosis?
Left ventricular aneurysm
ST elevation usually returns to normal after 2 weeks and T waves become inverted - prolonged ST elevation suggests LVA.
LVA occurs due to incomplete reperfusion of LV post-MI and transmural scar formation causes impaired conduction and contractility.
What vein is usually used for a CABG?
saphenous vein - longest vein in the body
other options: internal thoracic artery (internal mammary artery), radial artery
What medical conditions increase the risk of atherosclerosis?
- diabetes
- HTN
- CKD
- inflammatory conditions (RA)
- Atypical antipsychotic meds
What are the complications of atherosclerosis?
- angina
- MI
- TIA
- Stroke
- peripheral artery disease
- chronic mesenteric ischemia
If a Px presents with erectile dysfunction - what tests should you do?
indicates arterial disease
- lipid profile
- BP
- Q-risk score (% px will have a MI or stroke in the next 10 years - if >10% should be started on atorvastatin 20mg)
What is the Mx for coronary artery disease?
conservative: improve diet, lose weight, stop smoking, decrease alcohol intake
medical: statins, aspirin, BB, ACEi
surgical: PCI or CABG
Describe PCI
- catheter in brachial or femoral artery
- feed up to coronary arteries via xray guidance and injecting contract to highlight areas of stenosis
- Areas of stenosis treated with balloon dilatation and stented
What are the stages of a CABG procedure? `
- Cardiopulmonary bypass: Takes deoxygenated blood from the VC or RA and passes it through a machine that oxygenates it and removes the CO2. Herapin is used to prevent blood clots.
- Cardioplegia: Heart needs to be still. High K solution is delivered to coronary circulation which causes it to stop. Cardioplegia is stopped following surgery. May result in arrhythmias.
- CABG: pedicled graft - proximally attached to original site but changing where it supplies or free graft - completely separated from original site and reattached to new area.
Free grafts are attached directly to the aorta with the other end attached to the coronary artery distal to the diseased part of artery to avoid the stenosis.
What is intimal hyperplasia?
Process where the tunica intima layer of the vein thickens due to the increased pressure, causing stenosis of the vessel. Arterial grafts are less affected by this so can make better grafts
How long does it take to recover from a CABG?
Discharged after approx. 1 weeks and gradually build up exercise tolerance for ~3 months
2 most serious complications of CABG procedure ?
- death
- stroke
What would a midline sternotomy scar suggest?
- aortic or mitral valve replacement
- CABG
What is the life span of bioprosthetic valve?
~10 years
What is the life span of a mechanical heart valve?
What is a con of mechanical heart valves?
> 20 years
lifelong anticoagulation of warfarin (*INR range 2.5-3.5)
What is the most favourable metallic heart valve?
St Jude valve - two tilting discs - bileaflet valve - least risk of thrombosis formation
Complications of mechanical heart valves?
- thrombosis formation - stroke
- infective endocarditis
- haemolysis - break down of RBC in valve causing anaemia
What valve would have been replaced if you heard a click in the place of S1 ?
S1 - mitral valve
S2 - aortic valve
What is a TAVI and when would you do one ?
transcatheter aortic valve implantation
done is severe aortic stenosis when px is too high risk of open heart valve replacement.
Done via a catheter - inflate balloon - insert bioprosthetic valve