cardio Flashcards
what is stable angina?
a symptom which occurs as a consequence of restricted coronary blood flow which causes a mismatch between oxygen demand and supply
what can cause stable angina?
atheroma, anaemia, aortic stenosis, tachyarrythmias, HCM
how does angina present clinically?
- central, crushing chest pain
- comes on with exertion, relieved at rest
- exacerbated by cold, anger, excitement
- radiates to arms and neck
- dyspnoea, nausea, sweating, fitness
what are some differential diagnoses of angina?
- ACS
- pericarditis
- myocarditis
- aortic dissection
- PE
- GORD
How can stable angina be diagnosed?
- ECG- normal- used to differentiate from ACS
- exercise ECG
- coronary angiography
- CT angiography
how is stable angina treated?
- modify risk factors
- low dose aspirin
- clopidogrel
- statins
how can stable angina be managed?
- nitrates- isosorbide, GTN
- beta blockers
- calcium channel blockers
what is ACS?
acute coronary syndromes- covers a spectrum of acute cardiac conditions from unstable angina to varying degrees of evolving MI
what can cause unstable angina?
- rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque
- coronary vasospasm
- drug absue
how does unstable angina present clinically?
- acute central chest pain not relieved by rest
- chest pain with a crescendo pattern
- new onset
- sweating, dyspnoea, palpitations
how is unstable angina treated?
MONA morphine Oxygen Nitrates Aspirin
how does a patent with a STEMI present clinically?
- central crushing chest pain
- occurs at rest, lasts several hours
- sweating, breathlessness, nausea, vomiting, restlessness
- pale and grey appearance
how does a STEMI appear on an ECG?
ST elevation
tall T waves
pathological Q waves
how do you treat a patient with a STEMI?
300mg aspirin morphine oxygen antiemetic- e.g. metoclopramide PCI
what is the aetiology of a NSTEMI?
partial occlusion of the vessel lumen- ischaemia is limited to the subendocardial zone of the myocardium
how does a NSTEMI present on an ECG?
ST depression, T wave inversion
what is heart failure?
A complex clinical syndrome of signs and symptoms that suggest the efficiency of the heart as a pump is impaired
during heart failure, the body tries to compensate to maintain cardiac output- what are the compensatory mechanisms and what are the consequences of these?
- Activation of sympathetic nervous system- increase HR and contractility, however also leads to arteriolar constriction- increasing afterload so decreasing CO
- RAAS- activated due to decreased CO, results in oedema and dyspnoea, angiotensin II causes arteriolar constriction, increasing afterload and the work of the heart
- Ventricular dilatation- failure= reduced volume of blood ejected, so increased vol. remains after systole, stretches fibres, due to Starlings law this restores contractility- in heart failure however compensatory effects are limited- leading to pulmonary and peripheral oedema and increased O2 requirement of myocardium
- Ventricular remodelling- hypertrophy, loss of myocytes, increased interstitial fibrosis
what is systolic heart failure?
inability of ventricles to contract normally- decreased CO, stroke volume is a small fraction of the total filling volume- low ejection fraction (lower than 40%)
what is diastolic heart failure?
inability of ventricle to relax and fill normally, causing increased filling pressures, normal ejection fraction- low preload but a normal stroke volume- so the fraction appears higher
how does left ventricular heart failure present clinically?
presents with poor exercise tolerance, fatigue, pulmonary oedema
what does right heart failure present with clinically?
peripheral oedema, ascites, nausea, raised jugular venous pressure
what is cor pulmonale?
right heart failure secondary to lung disease
what is decompensated heart failure?
occurs when the heart begins to stop responding to compensatory mechanisms as over activation results in a decreased response
what can cause low output heart failure?
pump failure, excessive preload, chronic excessive after load
what can cause high output failure?
anaemia, pregnancy, hyperthyroidism
what can cause heart failure?
- IHD
- Valvular disease- mitral regurgitation, aortic stenosis, tricuspid regurgitation, venricular septal defect
- Pericardial disease- pericarditis, pericardial effusion
- Drugs- alcohol, cocaine, beta blockers
- Myocarditis
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Arrhythmias
- Cardiomyopathies- dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive
- Anaemia
- Pulmonary hypertension
what are the clinical signs of heart failure?
cardiomegaly
3rd heart sound- active filling of the left ventricle
4th heart sound- pathological- heart becomes stiff so vibrates
pleural effusion
elevated JVP
how can heart failure be classified?
I.Class I- no limitation to exercise
II.Mild limitation- exercises produces some mild symptoms
III.Marked limitation- symptoms produced on gentle exercise
IV.Symptoms occur at rest and are exacerbated by any activity
how can heart failure be diagnosed?
- CXR- alveolar oedema, cardiomegaly
- ECG- underlying cause
how can heart failure be treated?
- lifestyle modification
- diuretic
- spironolactone
- ACE inhibitor
- beta blockers
what can cause aortic stenosis?
- Senile calcification
- Rheumatic heart disease
- Compensatory heart failure- LVH- results in increased myocardial oxygen demand, ischaemia of myocardium- angina, arrhythmias and LV failure
- Congenital abnormal valve
how does aortic stenosis present clinically
- asymptomatic
- angina, syncope, dyspnoea
- narrow pulse pressure
systolic ejection murmur
what is the main differential diagnosis of aortic stenos?
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
how can aortic stenosis be diagnosed?
- ECG- P mitrale, LVH, ST depression T wave inversion
- CXR- valvular calcification
how can aortic stenosis be managed?
- dental care
- IE prophylaxis
what can cause mitral regurgitation?
- Backflow through the mitral valve during systole
- Caused by a volume overload
- Compensatory mechanisms- left atrial enlargement, LVH and increased contractility
- Rheumatic heart disease
- Infective endocarditis
- LV dilatation
- Caridomyopathy
how does mitral regurgitation present clinically?
- dyspnoea, fatigue, palpitations
- soft S1
how can mitral regurgitation be diagnosed?
- ECG- AF and P mitrale
- CXR- enlarged LA and LV
what can cause aortic regurgitation?
- Combined pressure and volume overload
- Compensatory mechanism- LV dilation, LVH- progressive dilation leads to heart failure
- Rheumatic fever
- Infective endocarditis
- Dissection of aorta
- Severe hypertension
- Aortic endocarditis
- Aneurysmal change of the aortic annulus- area surrounding the valve widens so the valve cannot fully close
what are the clinical signs of aortic regurgitation?
collapsing pulse
wide pulse pressure
displaced apex beat
how can aortic regurgitation be diagnosed?
- CXR- cardiomegaly
- pulmonary oedema
- ECG- LVH
how can aortic regurgitation be treated?
- ACE inhibitors
- valve replacement
what can cause mitral stenosis?
- Rheumatic heart disease
- Congenital
- Cardial fibroelastosis
- Prosthetic valve
- Infective endocarditis
what are the signs and symptoms of mitral stenosis?
Symptoms: -Exertional dyspnoea -Fatigue -Palpitations -Chest pain -Haemoptysis Signs: -Malar flush on cheeks -Low-volume pulse -Irregular pulse
how can mitral stenosis be diagnosed?
- ECG- AF, P mitrale
- CXR- pulmonary oedema, LVH
what is cardiomyopathy?
A cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease of uncertain cause, which typically have an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance
what can cause HCM?
sarcomeric gene mutations