Cardio- electrical conduction defects

Question 1

What causes premature ventricular contraction?

Answer 1

Electrolyte imbalances
Drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine)
Ischaemic damage (heart attack)
Increased sympathetic activity (anxiety)
Ion channel dysfunction

Question 2

What can premature ventricular contraction cause?

Answer 2

Asymptomatic
Light-headedness
VT/VF

Question 3

What causes a loud S2?

Answer 3

hypertension: systemic (loud A2) or pulmonary (loud P2)
hyperdynamic states
atrial septal defect without pulmonary hypertension

Question 4

What are the causes of a widely split S2?

Answer 4

Deep inspiration
RBBB
pulmonary stenosis
severe mitral regurgitation

Question 5

What are complications following an aortic dissection?

Answer 5

Neurological complaints

AKI- type 1 and 3

Question 6

What causes a LBBB?

Answer 6

Ischaemic heart disease
hypertension
aortic stenosis
cardiomyopathy
rare: idiopathic fibrosis, digoxin toxicity, hyperkalaemia

Question 7

What are the features of hypercalcaemia?

Answer 7

‘bones, stones, groans and psychic moans’
corneal calcification
shortened QT interval on ECG
hypertension

Question 8

What is takotsubo cardiomyopathy?

Answer 8

Broken heart syndrome- severe stressful triggers

Apical ballooning of the myocardium

Question 9

What does a posterior STEMI cause on an ECG?

Answer 9

ST depression
Tall, broad R-waves
Upright T-waves

Question 10

What are the features of coarction of the aorta?

Answer 10

infancy: heart failure
adult: hypertension
radio-femoral delay
mid systolic murmur, maximal over back
apical click from the aortic valve
notching of the inferior border of the ribs (due to collateral vessels) is not seen in young children

Associated with:
Turner's syndrome
bicuspid aortic valve
berry aneurysms
neurofibromatosis