Cardio Flashcards
What is hypertension?
Hypertension is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure is elevated > 140/90
What is essential hypertension vs secondary?
Primary hypertension = no medical cause is found.
Secondary - other cause
What are the signs and symptoms of hypertension?
Symptoms - usually asymptomatic - headaches - epistaxis - sweating Signs - elevated BP
What are the renal causes of hypertension?
Diabetic nephropathy
Chronic glomerulonephritis
Polycistic kidneys
Renal vascular disease
What drugs can cause hypertension?
NSAIDs
Oral contraceptives
Steroids
Liquorice
What are the endocrine causes of hypertension?
Conn’s syndrome
Phaeochromocytoma
Adrenal hyperplasia
Cushing’s syndrome
What are the risk factors for hypertension?
Lifestyle factors - diet, smoking, obeisty, alcohol, no exercise
age, sex, family history Ethnic group Diabetes Kidney disease High cholesterol
What is the non-pharmacological treatment for hypertension?
Reduce risk factors Lose weight Exercise Reduce salt Stop drinking/smoking
What is the pharmacological treatment for hypertension?
ACI/ARB (first line in under 55s)
CCB/diuretic above (or black/pregnant)
Combination therapy if needed
What are ACEIs?
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors e.g. Ramipril, Captopril • Blocks the conversion of angiotensin 1 into angiotensin 2 which is a potent vasoconstrictor. S/E → Hypotension Dry cough
What are CCBs?
Calcium channel blockers e.g. Amlodipine, nifedipine • Causes arteriole dilatation and reduces the force of heart contractions S/E → Headaches >Sweating >Palpitations >Flushing
What are diuretics (used for hypertension)?
Thiazide type generally used
• Increases water secretion from the body by not absorbing Na therefore Na remains int he filtrate and water follows
S/E → Increases cholesterol levels
>Impaired glucose tolerance
What is malignant hypertension?
Malignant hypertension is a complication of hypertension characterized >very elevated blood pressure that occurs rapidly, >organ damage in the eyes, brain, heart and/or kidneys.
Systolic and diastolic blood pressures are usually greater than 220mmHg and 120mmHg, respectively.
What are the signs of malignant hypertension?
The eyes may show >papilloedema,
>retinal haemorrhage,
>or exudates
• The brain shows
>increased ICP,
• Patients will usually suffer from left ventricular dysfunction
• The kidneys will be affected,
> haematuria,
>proteinuria,
>and acute renal failure.
What is emergency blood pressure control?
Should not bring down the BP too quickly as there is a risk of cerebral, retinal, renal, MI complications
IV Sodium nitroprusside
IV iabetalol
What is angina?
Angina: radiating chest pain caused by insufficient blood flow to an area of the heart.
- STABLE: occurs upon exertion and fades with rest
- UNSTABLE: occurs suddenly and spontaneously with no exertion
What are the signs and symptoms of angina?
Symptoms
- Tight, dull heavy chest discomfort
- Retrosternal or radiating to the left arm, neck, back or jaw
- Breathlessness
- Nausea
- Epigastric discomfort that is not relieved with antacidsSigns
- Usually none!
- Hypercholesterolaemia (xanthalasma, corneal arcus)
- Anaemia (pallor, tachy)
- Thyrotoxicosis (carotid bruits)
- Hypertension
What is the pathogenesis of atheroma?
Increased lipid levels Inflammaotry process - infiltration of macrophages Macrophages form foam cells >Through uptake of mdified LDLs Forms fibrous cap >Reduces blood flow, can rupture
What is the content of atheromatous plaques?
Collagens (produced by smooth muscle cells) in cap provide structural strength
Inflammatory cells (macrophages, lymphocytes, mast cells) reside in fibrous cap: recruited from arterial endothelium
Soft “foamy” macrophages rim (foamy due to uptake)
What are the S&S of major hyperlipidaemia?
Conreal arcus (premature)
Tendon Xanthomata (knuckles, Achilles)
Xanthelasmata (fatty lumps in skin, often in arms)
Risk/premature/family history MI/athermoa
What are the risk factors for atheroma?
Male Smoking Drinking High cholesterol Obesity Diabetes Hypertension
How do you investigate agina?
ECG/exercise ECG
Myocardial perfusion scans
CT coronary angiogram
What drugs are used to manage angina?
Symptomatic - GTN spray
>Max 3 doses before ambulance should be called
Acute
>Long acting nitrates
Long term >Betablockers >Long acting nitrates >CCBs >K+ channel activators
What are the S&S of unstable angina?
Symptoms:
1) Occurs at rest
2) Severe and new onset
3) Crescendo pattern (more severe & prolonged)
Signs:
1) Heart sound
2) Basal crackles
3) Hypotension
4) Murmurs
What investigations should be done into unstable angina?
ECG: May be normal or show ST depression or T wave inversion
Biochem markers: To assess risk of MI
How do you treat unstable angina?
B blockers
Nitrates
CCBs
Aspirin
Heparin
Angiography/stent if needed
What are PQRS?
P→ atrial depolarisation
QRS → ventricular depolarisation
T → ventricular repolarisation
PR interval → time taken for impulse to pass from SA to AV node.
What are the complications of an MI?
Heart failure
Myocardial rupture
VSD – due to infarct in septum
Mitral regurgitation – MI of inferior wall, due to infarct of pappliary muscle
Cardiac arrhythmias- MI of anterior wall
Conduction disturbances – MI of inferior wall presents as heart block
What can cause heart block?
1st/2nd degree >Acute infection >Myocarditis >Ca blocker/b blocker/digoxin 3rd degree >Coronary ischaemia >SLE >Drug induced >endocarditis
What is first degree heart block?
Prolonged PR interval >0.22 sec
Asymptomatic
What is type 1 2nd degree heart block?
Progressive P-R interval elongation until a P wave fails to conduct at all.
This would show that there is a problem with the A-V node
>Light headedness
>Dizziness
>syncope
What is 3rd degree heart block?
no relation between the QRS and P wave i.e. there is no conduction to the ventricles from the atria.
If QRS is narrow = Bundle of His takes over
If QRS is wide = purkinje takes over
What is type 2 2nd degree heart block?
No P-R wave elongation but P wave fails to conduct to QRS sometimes at a rate of 3:1
>Light headedness
>Dizziness
>syncope
How do you manage bradycardia?
If asymptomatic and rate > 40bpm = no treatment
If rate <40bpm or patient symptomatic:
1) atropine
2) Temporary pacing wire
What are the types of supraventricular tachycardias?
Atrial flutter
Atrial fibrillation
What is atrial flutter?
Rhythm is still regular (interval between QRS complexes) but there are P waves at a rate of >250/min. There is no flat baseline between P waves
What is atrial fibrilation?
Absent P waves and increased and irregular heart rate >Palpitations >Chest pain >Dizzy >SOB
What are the causes of atrial flutter?
Re entrant rhythm
CAD
Hypertension
cardiomyopathy
What are the causes of AF?
Ischaemia
Cardiomyopathy
hypertension
What is VF?
Cardiac arrest
Loss of consciousness
There is no QRS complex and ECG is disorganised
What is VT?
Severe hypotension
≥ 3 consecutive ventricular beats in all leads and QRS complexes are broad.
How do you manage AF?
Maintain sinus rhythym with DC cardioversion
Antiarrhytmic drugs (betablockers 1st line)
Reduce heart rate
Blood thinners to prevent stroke
What are the types of antiarrhythmics?
1 - sodium channel blockers (fast, medium, slow for ABC)
2 - B-adrenergic receptor antagonists
3 - prolong refatorinesss
IV - CCBs
What are class 1 antiarrhythmics?
Membrane-stabilizing agents
A - quinidine
B - lidocaine
C - flecainide