Cardio Flashcards
what percentage of strokes are ischaemic
85%
acronym for stroke symptoms
FAST
- facial drooping
- arm weakness
- slurred speech
what arteries does an anterior circulation infarct involve in a stroke
anterior and middle cerebral arteries
features of a stroke of the anterior cerebral artery
- contralateral lower limb weakness
- behavioural changes
features of a stroke of the middle cerebral artery
- contralateral upper limb weakness
- contralateral sensory loss
- aphasia
what are the 2 types of aphasia
- Wernicke’s: can speak but not comprehend
- Broca’s: can comprehend but not speak
features of a stroke of the posterior cerebral artery
- contralateral homonymous hemianopia with macular sparing
- visual agnosia
features of a stroke affecting the cerebellum
ipsilateral DANISH
- dysdiadochokinesia
- ataxia
- nystagmus
- intention tremor
- slurred speech
- hypotonia
first line investigation for a stroke
non-contrast CT to exclude haemorrhage
how to manage acute ischaemic stroke once bleeding excluded
< 4.5 hours since symptoms:
- thrombolysis (alteplase) + aspirin 300mg
- add thrombectomy if anterior circulation confirmed by CT angio
> 4.5 hours
- oral aspirin
secondary prevention of ischaemic stroke
- aspirin 75mg for 2 weeks then lifelong clopidogrel
- warfarin in AF patients
how to manage a haemorrhagic stroke
reverse anticoagulation and refer to neurosurgery
QRISK indication for a statin
> 10%
what is the difference between syncope and loss of consciousness
- loss of consciousness can either be syncopal or non-syncopal
- syncope is loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion
- non syncopal causes include epilepsy, hypoglycaemia, head trauma, alcohol
how do you classify syncope
- based on its causes
1. reflex
2. cardiac
3. orthostatic
what are two causes of reflex syncope
- vasovagal syncope: fear
- situational syncope: when straining
what are two causes of cardiac syncope
- arrhythmias: heart block
- outflow obstruction: AS, HOCM
what are two causes of orthostatic syncope
- drugs: ACEi, beta blockers, CCB
- autonomic instabilty: Parkinson’s
what are 3 triggers for vasovagal syncope
- fear
- pain
- standing too long
what is the pathophysiology of vasovagal syncope
excessive vagal discharge causes bradycardia and hypotension
how does loss of consciousness in vasovagal syncope present
- Before: lightheaded, sweating, nausea
- During: lasts seconds
- After: fast recovery
What investigations would you do for loss of consciousness
Bedside:
- ECG for arrhythmias
- BM for hypoglycaemia
Bloods:
- FBC for anaemia
- U&Es for electrolyte abnormalities
Imaging:
- consider echo for cardiac causes
- consider CT head for trauma
3 ways to manage a patient with vasovagal syncope
- advice to avoid triggers
- advise physical techniques
- advise electrolyte rich sports drinks
how to manage a patient with syncope due to HOCM, Brugada
implant a cardioverter-defebrillator
sign of HOCM on auscultation
ejection systolic murmur
three steps to managing orthostatic syncope
i) educate and advice salt and hydration
ii) discontinue drugs
iii) fludrocortisone
how to manage syncope due to complete heart block
i) atropine
ii) transvenous pacing
triad of causes for VTE
Virchow’s triad:
1. stasis
2. injury
3. coagulability
acronym to remember risk factors for PE
CT sil vous plait:
- C: cancer, chemo
- T: trauma, travelling
- S: surgery, smoking, stasis
- V: virchow’s, varicose veins
- P: pill, pregnancy, previous DVT, polycythaemia
four symptoms for PE
- pleuritic chest pain
- SOB
- haemoptysis
- collapse
three signs of PE
- tachycardia
- tachypnoea
- hypoxia
what are the PERC criteria
- used when very low probability of PE just to be sure
- PE excluded when they’re all negative
what are two initial investigations for PE
- CXR
- ECG
CXR findings for PE
- most commonly normal
- Westermark’s sign
ECG findings for PE
- usually sinus tachycardia
- RBBB, RAD
- rarely S1Q3T3
- S wave in lead I
- Q wave & inverted T wave in lead III
how do you score PE to decide how to investigate it
Well’s score
- more than 4 do a CTPA
- 4 or less do a D-dimer
when is a CTPA unsuitable and what is the alternative
- renal impairment (CKD)
- do a V/Q scan
what do you do if a CTPA is negative in PE
do a leg US for DVT
what do you do if the D-dimer is elevated in PE and what if it’s normal
- elevated: CTPA
- normal: alternative diagnosis
what do you do if there is a delay in CTPA in PE
give them apixaban in the meantime
how do you treat PE
- unstable: thrombolysis with alteplase
- stable: DOAC aka apixaban unless severe renal impairment then LMWH
how long do you treat a PE for
- provoked PE: 3 months
- unprovoked PE: 6 months
how do you manage recurrent PEs
IVC filter
what is VTE prophylaxis in hospital patients
- TED stockings
- LMWH
which breast cancer drug increases the risk of VTE
tamoxifen
what will an ABG in PE show
respiratory alkalosis
what is aortic dissection
tear in the tunica intima forms a false lumen
what is the epidemiology and risk factors for aortic dissection
- men over 50
- hypertension
- smoking
- connective tissue disorders (Marfan’s)
how do you classify aortic dissection and which type is the most common
- Type A: involves ascending aorta
- IA: both
- IIA: ascending only - Type B: does not involve ascending
- IIIa: above diaphragm
- IIIb: above and below - most common is type A
typical symptom of aortic dissection
sudden severe tearing chest pain that radiates to the back
three signs of aortic dissection
- weak/absent pulses
- blood pressure difference between arms
- aortic regurgitation murmur (Type A)
three artery-specific symptoms of aortic dissection
- angina (coronary arteries)
- hemiparesis (spinal arteries)
- syncope (subclavian artery)
how to investigate suspected aortic dissection
- CXR: widened mediastinum
- stable: CT angio false lumen (diagnostic)
- unstable: TOE
how to manage aortic dissection and what is the target blood pressure
- Type A: surgery (aortic root replacement) + morphine + labetalol
- Type B: bed rest + morphine + IV labetalol
- labetalol controls blood pressure to a target of 100-120
what are the three types of peripheral arterial disease
- intermittent claudication
- critical limb ischaemia
- acute limb ischaemia
what are 5 risk factors for peripheral arterial disease
- age >40
- smoking
- diabetes
- hypertension
- hyperlipidaemia
what is the presentation of acute limb ischaemia
6 Ps
- pale
- pain
- paraesthesia
- perishingly cold
- pulseless
- paralysis
what are the symptoms of intermittent claudication
- calf pain on exertion
- worse going up the hill
what are the symptoms of critical limb ischaemia
- calf pain at rest
- relieved by hanging legs off the bed
what are two signs of peripheral vascular disease
- hair loss
- absent pulses
how do you test for peripheral vascular disease on examination
- Buerger’s test
- angle less than 20 degrees is severe ischaemia
what is leriche syndrome
- erectile dysfunction
- buttock claudication
- absent pulses
what is an investigation specific for peripheral vascular disease and how to interpret it
- ABPI
- normal is around 1
- vascular disease is less than 0.9
- critical limb ischaemia is less than 0.5
when is ABPI not a reliable test for peripheral vascular disease
- diabetes
- more than 1.3
which US is for acute limb ischaemia and which for intermittent claudication
o is before u so acute
- acute: Doppler
- intermittent: Duplex
what is the first line and diagnostic imaging for peripheral vascular disease
- first line: duplex US
- diagnostic: MR angiogram
how to manage acute limb ischaemia
i) heparin + paracetamol + morphine
ii) revascularisation
iii) amputation
how to manage peripheral vascular disease
- quite smoking + statin + clopidogrel + exercise
- revascularisation in critical limb ischaemia
what are the types of ischaemic heart disease
- stable angina
- ACS (unstable angina, NSTEMI, STEMI)
five risk factors for ischaemic heart disease
- male
- HTN
- diabetes
- smoking
- hyperlipidaemia
what is stable angina
chest pain on exertion relieved by rest
how would you investigate stable angina
- ECG: normal
- troponin: normal
- bloods: lipid profile, FBC, HbA1c
what is the management for stable angina
- aspirin 75mg
- statin
- GTN
- beta blocker or verapamil
- 2nd line: beta blocker + amlodipine
what is unstable angina
chest pain at rest
what is the management for unstable angina/NSTEMI
i) MONA
ii) if unstable then PCI
iii) LMWH + GRACE score
iv) long term prevention
what is the long term management in all patients with ACS
- aspirin 75mg
- tricagrelor/clopidogrel
- ACEi
- statin
- beta blocker
how do you interpret the GRACE score
- > 3% take them for PCI
- <3% give aspirin + tricagrelor
what do you give before and during a PCI
- before: prasugrel + aspirin
- during: unfractionated heparin
what are the symptoms of ACS
- chest pain radiates to left arm and jaw
- sweating, nausea, SOB
- diabetics can have an atypical presentation (no chest pain)
what investigations would you do in ACS
- ECG
- troponin: elevated
- bloods for clotting, FBC, lipid profile
2 ECG features of an NSTEMI
- ST depression
- T wave inversion
2 ECG features of a STEMI
- ST elevation
- LBBB
what are the 4 areas of myocardial infarction and arteries supplying them
- anterior MI: V1 - V4 (LAD)
- lateral MI: I, aVL, V5 - V6 (left circumflex)
- inferior MI: II, III, aVF (right coronary)
- posterior MI: ST depression in V1 - V3
how to manage an ACS
i) MONA
ii) determine whether it’s STEMI or NSTEMI
iii) if STEMI then PCI within 2 hours within 12 hours of symptoms
iv) if more than 2 hours then give alteplase + antithrombin
3 contraindications for fibrinolysis in a STEMI
- blood thinners
- head trauma
- more than 12 hours since symptoms
what do you do if fibrinolysis is unsuccessful in a STEMI
coronary angio with PCI
what are the complications of an MI
DARTH VADER
- death
- arrhythmias (V-fib, V-tach, heart block)
- rupture (tamponade)
- tamponade
- heart failure
- valve problems (MR)
- aneurysm (persistent ST elevation)
- dressler’s (pericarditis fever)
- embolism
- recurrence
how do you investigate a DVT
- if Wells >2:
doppler US then D dimer if negative US - if Wells <2:
D-dimer then doppler US if high D-dimer
what causes arterial ulcers
- peripheral arterial disease
- atherosclerosis
what causes venous ulcers
- valve incompetence
- varicose veins, DVT
compare the appearance of venous vs arterial ulcer
- venous: shallow, dark, not well defined
- arterial: pale, deep, well defined
compare the location of venous vs arterial ulcer
- venous are on medial malleolus
- arterial are on toes, lateral feet
what two investigations do you want to do for all leg ulcers
- ABPI
- duplex US
what are four signs of peripheral venous disease (venous ulcers)
- stasis eczema
- atrophie blanche (shiny skin)
- hemosiderin deposition (pigmentation)
- lipodermatosclerosis (champagne bottle hardening)