Cardiology Flashcards
How do you investigate and manage a triple A?
Above what size is an elective repair required?
Ultrasound = 1st line
CT Aortogram for ruptured AAA
Incidental finding = elective surgical repair if >5.5cm. Surgery if ruptured.
How do you investigate and manage a cerebral aneurysm?
How would Pcomm vs Acomm compression manifest?
Cerebral angiogram
Endovascular coiling, open surgical clipping
Pcomm = CN 3 palsy Acomm = bitemporal hemianopia
How do you investigate and manage an aortic dissection?
What are some complications of this?
How do you identify a dissection?
CT = 1st line
CXR may also show widened mediastinum
Fluids, O2, analgesia, antihypertensives
MI from RCA dissection, aortic regurgitation, cardiac tamoonade regional ischemia if occlusion of vessels
Acute severe chest/ abdominal pain radiating to back, Unequal BP in both arms, pulse deficit, diastolic murmur
How do you investigate and manage unstable angina
ECG - ST depression
Troponin - normal
Acute = aspirin + P2Y12 inhibitor(prasugrel, ticagrelor, clopidogrel). Consider fondaparinux
(Post stabilisation = beta blocker, GTN, dual antiplatelet therapy)
PCI if estimated 6 month mortality(GRACE) is 3% or greater
How do you investigate and manage an NSTEMI
ECG - ST depression
Troponin - ELEVATED
Management same as unstable angina if clinically stable
How do you manage a STEMI?
What are complications of this?
Initial Management = MONA= morphine, oxygen, nitrates and aspirin(300mg)
Definite management = PCI(primary angioplasty w stent).
If PCI can NOT be performed within 2 hours of presentation = FIBRINOLYSIS e.g with Alteplase
- Dresslers syndrome - triad of pericarditis, fever, pericardial effusion
- Heart block
- Cardiac tamponade - triad of hypotension(cardiogenic shock), distended neck veins, quiet heart sounds
- pulmonary oedema - airspace opacities and “bat wings” on CXR
- Acute mitral regurgitation - SOB, pink frothy sputum. Systolic murmur
What are the classic findings in aortic stenosis? How do you investigate this?
Complications?
Exertional dyspnea, chest pain, and syncope = SAD
Ejection systolic murmur radiating to the neck
Slow rising pulse, narrow pulse pressure
TransTHORACIC echo
Left Heart Failure -> Pulmonary oedema(bibasal crepitations on auscultation) !!
What are the findings in aortic regurgitation and how do you investigate this?
pulmonary oedema and hypotension (dyspneoa, orthopnea)
Early diastolic decrescendo murmur
Collapsing pulse and widened pulse pressure
TransTHORACIC echo
How do you investigate and manage gangrene?
Pain
Oedema or swelling
Diminished pedal pulses and ABPI in ischemic gangrene
Uncommonly: skin discoloration
Dry gangrene - necrosis
Wet gangrene - necrosis + infection
Gas gangrene - clostridial species colonization
What are the findings, investigations and management for acute pericarditis?
Acute sharp pleuritic chest pain
Relieved by sitting up/leaning forward, worse when lying flat.
May radiate to trapezius ridges (phrenic involvement)
Pericardial rub
RFs include viral infection, MI, autoimmune conditions
ECG - concave ST-segment elevation globally with PR depressions in leads with positive QRS
Acute: NSAIDS + PPIs + exercise restriction (+colchicine)
What are the findings, investigations and management for constrictive pericarditis?
Dyspnea
Prominent right Heart Failure signs(elevated JP, hepatomegaly, ascites, pleural effusions, exercise intolerance), Kaussmaul’s sign(increase in JVP with inspiration)- this is absent in tamponade
Pericardial knock (after S2) Radiation to chest is a key RF
CXR and CT- shows pericardial calcification
Pericardiectomy
What are the findings, investigations and management for cardiac tamponade?
Pulsus paradoxus = hallmark
Quiet heart sounds, Hypotension and elevated JVP/ distended neck veins
TransTHORACIC echo- compressed cardiac chambers, pericardial effusion may be seen
hemodynamically stable where BP>110 and pulsus paradoxus< 10 = ibuprofen/colchicine/aspirin + omeprazole
Hemodynamically unstable BP<110 PP>10, Pericardiocentesis
What are the findings, investigations and management for myocarditis?
VIRAL SYNDROME (fever, myalgias, respiratory symptoms, or gastroenteritis in the 2 to 3 weeks preceding)
+ HEART FAILURE
Chestpain
syncope
Serum CK, CK-MB and troponin will be slightly elevated
CXR - frequently reveals bilateral pulmonary infiltrates in the setting of myocarditis-induced CHF. Globular heart
Echo - global and regional left ventricular motion abnormalities and dilatation
Supportive care and heart failure therapy
If autoimmune - treat with methylprednisolone
Complication = DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY
How do you investigate infective enfocarditis. How does it usually present?
What makes up dukes major criteria?
Echo to check for vegetations = 1st line
3 Blood cultures within 24 hours
Fever + new onset murmur
Major criteria
- at least two separate positive blood cultures
- Evidence of endocardial involvement by echocardiography (vegetation on valves, valvular abscess or new valvular regurgitation)
Minor criteria are things like fever, IVDU, predisposing cardiac lesion, embolia phenomena immunologic phenomena eg glomerulonephritis, positive blood culture not meeting above standard eg atypical organism
What are the causative organisms for infective endocarditis? What are the risk factors for acquiring them?
S.aureus is a common cause and causes acute endocarditis - seen in drug users
Streptococcus viridans- dental work RF
Staphylococcus epidermis - Prosthetic heart valves and other prosthetic surfaces e.g dialysis lines, venous lines
Enterococcus faecalis- GI and GU tract - catheter, colonoscopy
Strep bovis - bowel malignancy link
What are the findings, investigations and management for mitral stenosis?
Mid to LATE diastolic murmur preceded by an opening snap
Dyspnea, orthopnea from resulting right HF
Uncommonly:malar flush (mitral facies), irregularly irregular pulse(AF)
Transthoracic echocardiography = hockey stick-shaped mitral deformity
ECG - classic bifid p waves
Valvulotomy
*all patients require warfarin due to Afib risk
What are the findings, investigation and management for mitral regurgitation?
Sudden worsening of HF symptoms
dyspnoea, usually on exertion, palpitations, and/or decreased exercise tolerance, lower extremity edema
HOLOSYSTOLIC murmur
Tranthoracic echo
Asymptomatic chronic = ACE inhibitors + beta blockers
Symptomatic chronic = valve surgery
What are the findings in mitral valve prolapse?
MIDSYSTOLIC CLICK best heard at apex followed by late systolic MUMUMR. Murmur increases with standing valsalva and decreases with squatting (unlike most murmurs)
What are the examination findings in tricuspid regurgitation?
fatigue, Dyspnea and oedema - HF
Systolic murmur that is increased on inspiration
Right HF signs
What are the exmaination findings in tricuspid stenosis?
Prominent a-waves in the jugular venous waveform are a hallmark of tricuspid stenosis in patients who are in sinus rhythm.
diastolic(pre-systolic) murmur at the left lower sternal border
Dyspnea
How do you identify and manage cardiac arrest?
Loss of consicousness
No pulse
Absent/agonal breathing
1 of 4 rhythm disturbances
Continuous cardiac monitoring - shockable rhythm (ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia), or non-shockable rhythm (asystole/pulseless electrical activity)
shockable rhythm = CPR + defibrillation. Given adrenaline with second shock, followed with 5 cycles of CPR. if unsuccessful add on an antiarrythmic (e.g. amiodarone) if still unsuccessful/evidence of torsades de pointes add magnesium sulphate
Non-shockable rhythm = CPR + adrenaline every 3-5 minutes. If heart rate <60 bpm, can add atropine
*if cardiac arrest is secondary to hyperkalemia - give calcium gluconate