Cardio Flashcards
What are the risk factors for atherosclerosis (7)
- Increasing age
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Family history
- Obesity
Describe the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis formation
- 1st stage (fatty streaks) - Endothelial damage causes attraction and accumulation of lipid laden macrophages and T-lymphocytes in the vessel wall
- 2nd stage (intermediate lesions) - Layers of lipid laden macrophages and T-lymphocytes in the vessel wall with platelet aggregation and adhesion
- 3rd stage (fibrous plaques) - Dense fibrous cap formed on the lesions with fibrin filling of lesion. Prone to rupture and partially occlude arteries
What is stable angina
- Chest pain or exercise that is a result of reversible myocardial ischaemia
What are the risk factors for stable angina (7)
- Obesity/sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Hypertension
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Family history
- Increasing age
How might stable angina present (3)
- 1) Central crushing chest pain radiates to jaw/right arm
- 2) Brought on by exercise
- 3) Relived by rest/GTN
- 3/3 = typical angina, 2/3 = atypical angina, 1/3 = non-anginal pain
How do you diagnose stable angina (3)
- ECG (may be normal or show ST depression)
- CT Ca scoring (shows up as white)
- Exercise ECG
How do you treat stable angina (7)
- Lifestyle modification
- Beta blockers (reduces HR and contractility by increased filling time hence sec. load on heart)
- GTN spray (dec. afterload by arterial vasodilation and cornary artery vasodilation)
- Aspirin
- Statins (simvastatin)
- CCB (verapamil)
- PCI/revasc./CABG
What are the types of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (3)
- STEMI (complete major coronary artery blockage)
- NSTEMI (partial major or complete minor coronary artery blockage)
- Unstable angina (<24hrs onset, symptoms at rest, worsening of stable)
How might ACS present (6)
- Acute severe central crushing chest pain, radiates to arm/neck/jaw
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations
- Tachycardic and hypotensive
How do you diagnose ACS (3)
- ECG (STE/STD/ tall T)
- Raised troponin/CT-MB
- Trans-thoracic echo
How do you treat ACS acutely (8)
- MOANA
- Morphine
- Oxygen
- Aspirin/clopidogrel
- Nitrates
- Atenolol
- PCI (must be in 120 mins)
- CABG
- Fibrinolysis
How do you manage ACS (7)
- Lifestyle modification
- Statins
- Beta blockers
- ACE inhibitors
- Aspirin
- Warfarin
- CCB
What are the potential complications of ACS (3)
- Arrhythmia
- Pericarditis
- Heart failure
What is the definition of heart failure
- Inability of the heart to deliver sufficient blood, hence oxygen to metabolising tissues
What are the main causes of heart failure (4)
- Ischaemic heart disease (most common)
- Valvular disease
- Cardiomyopathy
- Hypertension
What are the risk factors for heart failure (5)
- Increasing age
- Previous MI
- Male
- Obesity
- African
Describe the pathophysiology of heart failure
- As heart begins to fail various compensatory physiological changes occur
- Sympathetic input increases HR and contractility
- Renin-angiotensin system increases venous return hence increasing contractility
- However as failure progresses the changes become pathophysiological eg. inc. HR and contractility means increased work load causing myocardial ischaemia
- This is known as decompensation
How might heart failure present (5)
- Triad of shortness of breath, fatigue and ankle oedema
- Ascites
- Cold peripheries/cyanosis
- Hypotension/tachycardia
- Bi-basal crackles
How do you classify heart failure symptoms
- New york heart association classification
- Class 1 - asymptomatic
- Class 2 - symptoms on moderate exercise
- Class 3 - symptoms on mild exercise
- Class 4 - symptoms at rest
How do you diagnose heart failure (3)
- CXR (cardiomegaly)
- Brain natriuretic peptide (released by ventricles in response to strain)
- Echo
How do you treat heart failure (6)
- Lifestyle change
- Diuretics (spironalactone (k+ sparing)/ furosemide)
- ACE inhibitors/ angiotensin 2 R.B (canderstan)
- Beta blockers (atenolol)
- Revascularisation
- Transplant in young
What is the epidemiology of hypertension (3)
- More common in men
- Increases with age
- More common in black people
What are the stages of hypertension (3)
- Stage 1 - >140/90 in clinic or >135/85 at home
- Stage 2 - >160/100 in clinic or >150/95 at home
- Severe - >180 syst. and/or >110 dias.
What are the risk factors for hypertension (6)
- Black
- Increasing age
- Male
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- High salt diet
How do you diagnose hypertension (2)
- Clinical examination
- 24 hour ambulatory monitoring
How do you treat hypertension
- Aim for 140/90
- <55 1st line ACE-i or ARB
- > 55 or afro-Caribbean 1st line CCB
- 2nd line ACI-i and CCB
- 3rd line ACE-i and CCB and thiazide diuretic
- 4th line add Beta blocker or spironalactone
What is atrial fibrillation (AF)
- A chaotic irregular atrial rhythm of 300-600 bpm with irregular ventricular response and hence rhythm
What is the epidemiology of AF
- Most common arrhythmia
- More common in males
What are the causes of AF
- CAD
- Cardiomyopathy
- Cardiac surgery
- Hypertension
- Heart failure
- Idiopathic
Describe the pathophysiology of AF
- Rapid irregular depolarisation of the atria with poor contractile response leading to atrial spasm
- Irregular ventricular response
- CO decreases due to poor ventricular filling
- Blood pools in atria and clots causing increased risk of embolism
How might AF present (5)
- Palpitations
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Syncope
How do you diagnose AF
- ECG (absent P waves, irregular, rapid QRS)
How do you treat AF (5)
- Cardioversion (LMW heparin - enoxaparin)
- Warfarin
- Anti-arrhythmic (amoidarone)
- CCB (verapamil) - Blocks AV node
- Beta blockers (atenolol) - Controls HR
What is atrial flutter
- A rapid regular organised atrial rate 250-350 bpm
What is the epidemiology of atrial flutter (3)
- Often associated with AF
- More common in males
- Increases with age
How might atrial flutter present (5)
- Palpitations
- Syncope
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
How do you diagnose atrial flutter
- ECG (sawtooth)
How do you treat atrial flutter (4)
- Cardioversion (LMW heparin - enoxaparin)
- Warfarin
- Anti-arrhythmic (amoidarone)
- Beta blockers (atenolol) - Controls HR
Describe 1st degree AV block
- P-R enlongation without QRS drop
- Caused by AV blocking drugs (CCB/BB) and inferior MI
- Asymptomatic and no treatment
What are the two types of type 2 AV block
- Mobitz I and II
Describe Mobitz I AV block
- Progressive Q-R elongation then QRS drop then reset
- Caused by inferior MI and AVN blocking drugs (CCB/BB)
- Syncope, dizziness, fatigue
- Pacemaker if poorly tolerated
Describe Mobitz II AV block
- P-R interval constant with QRS dropping
- Caused by inferior MI and AVN blocking drugs (CCB/BB)
- Syncope, chest pain, SOB and hypotension
- Pacemaker
Describe type 3 AV block
- No conduction of atrial depolarisation to ventricles
- Complete block at AV node
- Ventricular rhythm sustained by spontaneous depolarisation below AV node
- Syncope, chest pain, SOB and hypotension
- P completely independent of QRS
- Pacemaker insertion
What is the epidemiology of mitral valve stenosis (3)
- Normal = 4-6cm symptoms start at <2cm
- More common in men
- Usually secondary to rheumatic HD
Describe the pathophysiology of mitral valve stenosis
- Narrowing and stiffening of mitral valve causes decreased blood flow from LA-LV
- To maintain CO, LA hypertrophy and dilatation occurs
- This causes secondary PH and PO and PH causes RV hypertrophy/dilatation
How might mitral valve stenosis present (6)
- Progressive shortness of breath/dyspnoea
- RH failure (ankle oedema/fatigue/SOB)
- Haemoptysis due to PH
- Palpitations (AF can occur)
- Malar flush (pink/purple cheek discolouration)
- Heart sounds
How do you diagnose mitral valve stenosis (3)
- CXR (stenosed mv and RV/LA hypertrophy)
- ECG (AF and RV/LA hypertrophy)
- Echo (gold standard)
How do you treat mitral valve stenosis (4)
- Beta blockers
- Diuretics for oedema
- Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy
- Mitral valve replacement
What is the epidemiology of mitral regurgitation (2)
- Due to abnormality in chordae tendinae, LV, leaflets of valve or papillary muscles
- Most commonly due to myxomatous degeneration (weakening of chordae tendinae)
Describe the pathophysiology of mitral regurgitation
- Systolic leak of blood from LV to LA
- Leads to LA dialtation and LV hypertrophy/dilatation in an attempt to maintain CO
- LA dilatation causes PH and RV hypertrophy/dilatation
How might mitral regurgitation present (4)
- Shortness of breath/dyspnoea
- RV failure (oedema/fatigue/SOB)
- Raised SV felt as palpitation
- Heart sounds
How do you diagnose mitral regurgitation (3)
- CXR (LV/LA/RH enlargement)
- ECG (LV/RV hypertrophy)
- Echo.