Cardiology Flashcards
At what stage in the cardiac cycle do the coronary arteries fill with blood
Diastole
What is Sterling’s law of the heart / Frank-starling
The greater the stretch of the heart muscles = the greater the force pumped from the heart
Where is a collapsing/water hammer pulse heard
Aortic regurgitation
Define pulses alternans
A mix of weak and strong pulses
Define Pulsus bigeminus
A premature ectopic beat following the normal beat
Define Pulsus Bisferiens
a Double pulse
In what condition is Pulsus bisferiens heard in
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and mixed aortic valve disease
What causes S1 sound
Mitral and tricuspid valve closure
What causes S2 sound
Aortic and pulmonary valve closure
What causes an S3 sound
HF
What causes an S4 soundd
Gallop rhythm when the walls harden
Carotid sinus syndrome vs Vasovagal syndrome
CSS affects elderly vs Young people
Define First degree Heart Block
PR INterval >0.22 seconds
Define Mobitz Type I block
Progressive PR interval prolongation til a p wave is skipped
Define Mobitz type II Hear block (HB 2)
All PR intervals are the same but the p wave skips randomly
Define a complete heart block
Ventricular rhythm is sustained but electrical impulses fail to reach to the ventricles at all.
So they both beat at different rhythms to each other
What artery is most commonly affected in MIs
Right coronary artery occlusion
What parts of an ECG indicate inferior wall MIs (right coronary artery occlusion)
STEMIs in II, III and aVF
What condition can cause heart block
Lyme Disease
What medications can cause heart block
beta blockers
CCBs
Adenosine
Amiodarone
Digoxin
What heart block is seen in Lyme Disease
Third degree AV block
Normal QRS complex size
3 boxes - 120 ms
Affects of bundle branch blocks on QRS complexes
Widen them (as delayed time)
What does the pneumonic WiLLiaM MaRRoW show us
LBBB = W in V1, M in V6
RBBB = M in V1, W in V6
Causes of RBBB
Right Ventricular Hypertrophy
RHF
PE
What is characteristic of LBBB in V1 leads
Sloping S waves (google)
Causes of LBBB
Hypertension
Ischaemia (MIs)
What is the most common complication of cardiac surgery
AF (appears 4 days after surgery)
HR in AF
300-600 BPM
Define Paroxysmal AF
Stops after 7 days
Define Persistent AF
> 7 Days
Define permanent
Continuous with no recovery
First Line investigation of AF
ECG
Second Line: 24-hour ECG
Purpose of rate control
Bring back rate to 90 BPM
First line rate control medication
Atenolol or CCB
Second Line: Digoxin
Role of Rhythm control
Brinsg back erratic heart to normal regular rhythm
Intervention for rhythm controlling AF
Cardioversion (IV Adenosine)
In what people is Cardioversion indicated in
- Recent AF
- <65
- Successful treatment of underlying AF cause
- NO other heart abnormality
- Acute HF made worse by AF
Complications of AF
Dilated Cardiomyopathy and strokes
What should be done if CHA3Ds@ vast score >2
Offer DOAC
If a DOAC is contraindicated for CHA2d2vasc, what should be given
Vit K antagonist
When are DOACs often contraindicated for use in AF
<65 with no other risk factors (just sex)
What is the ORBIT bleeding risk score
For those on anti-coagulants with AF
What needs to be investigated before cardio version
ECHO
If cardio version fails, what should be done
Referral to cardiology
management of acute AF flare <48 hours
Offer Flecainide or amiodarone to those with no evidence of structural or IHDs
Alternatively offer only Amiodarone if there is evidence
Management of acute AF flare >48 hours onset
Delay cardio version + offer beta blockers
Flecainide vs Amiodarone
Flecainide = oral
Amiodarone = IV
Define Preload
Amount of blood returning to heart
Define Afterload
Peripheral resistance to ejected blood
Atrial Flutter vs AF
Flutter + regular Heart Rate, just super fast (250-300 BPM)
What causes Atrial Flutter
Electrical impulses circle around the Tricuspid valve and move back to the atria instead of all of the impulses going straight to the AV Node -> Ventricles.
Management of Atrial FLutter
Anticoagulation 3 weeks before and then cardio version
What is Bruggada syndrome
Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation than results in sudden death in South-east asian communities (caused by re-entrant loops)
Management of Prolongued QT intervals
Magnseium Sulphate
What are Class I drugs
Sodium-channel blockers
What are Class II drugs
Prevent the affects of catecholamines on the action potential of the heart
What are Class III drugs
Lengthen the action potential running through the heart
What are Class IV drugs
Reduce the amplitude of the action potential running through the heart
Name a Class I drug
Flecainide and Disopyramide
Name a Class II drug
Atenolol
Name a Class II drug
Amiodarone
IN what condition is catheter ablation first line
WPW syndrome
First line investigation of Heart Failure
NT-ProBNP levels
What should be done if NT-proBNP level >2,000
Urgent referral and ECHO within 2 weeks
Management of those with NT-proBNP levels 400-2,000
Referral to cardiology routinely (within 6 weeks) for ECHO
What are normal levels of NT-proBNP levels
<400
What else can elevate NT-proBNP levels
Tachycardia
eGFR <60
Age over 70
Why is an ECG important in investigating HF
If normal, HF unlikely
Staging of HF
NYHA:
1: No symptoms on ordinary physical activity
2: Slight limitation by symptoms
III: Less than ordinary activity leads to symptoms
IV: At rest
Medical treatment of Heart Failure
ABAL:
ACEI
Beta blocker
Aldosterone antagonist (spironolactone)
Loop Diuretic
Define primary prevention
Patients who have never had a VC disease in the past
Define Secondary prevention
Patient that have had angina, an MI, Tia or stroke in the PAST
What is used to determine if primary prevention is needed for CVD
QRISK 3
What is secondary prevention of CVD
AAAA
Aspirin
Atorvastatin 80mg
Atenolol
AceI
Define tertiary prevention
Treatment aimed at reducing the SEVERITY of disease (improve health outcomes)
while secondary is to stop progression of disease to something irreversible
What is given if QRISK3 is >10 %
Atorvastatin 20mg
Define Prinzmetal’s angina
Angina occurring without provocation (not on exertion)
Investigations for those with typical angina and disease risk of 10-29%
CT Angiography
Investigation of choice for those with angina and disease risk of 30-60%
Stress ECHO and SPECT
Investigation of choice for those with angina and disease risk fo 61-90%
Cardiac Catheterisation
Management of Stable angina
RAMP:
Refer to cardiology routinely if stable or urgently if unstable
Advise about diagnosis, management and when to call an ambulance
Medical treatment
Proceedural or surgical interventions
First line management of angina in patients
NOT surgical, medical first:
GTN - immediate relief
Long term:
Beta blocker or CCB
Second line management of stable angina (long term)
Switch to beta blocker and dihydropyridineor Nicorandil
When should PCI or CAB be considered for angina
After two lines of medications have failed to control symptoms
PCI vs CABG
<65 vs >65 years
Healthy vs Diabetes
Which is more effective PCi or CABG
More revascularisation sessions needed with PCI
Secondary prevention of angina
AAAA
Through which artery is PCI delivered
Femoral Artery
Where is the graft vein taken for CABG
Great saphenous vein
Where are CABG scars seen
Midline sternotomy
Great Saphenous veins
What does the right coronary artery supply
Right atrium
Right ventricle
Inferior left ventricle
What does the circumflex artery supply
Left atrium
What does the left anterior descending supply
LV and septum
What are troponin levels like in unstable angina
Normal
How often should troponin levels be repeated
If negative, they need repeating after 4 Horus
In which patients are silenT MIs common in
Diabetic patients
Signs of NSTEMI on ECG
ST depression
T wave inversion
Q waves
What else can cause troponin levels to increase
Sepsis
PE
CKD
What serum levels show prognosis of ACS
Troponin levels
Management of an acute STEMI
Primary PCI within 2 hours
If a primary PCI is contraindicated for STEMI treatment (>12 hours), what can be done
Thrombolysis
What thrombolysis is used in STEMI treatment
Streptokinase
Management of acute NSTEMI
BATMAN
Betablocker
Aspirin 300mg stat
Ticagrelor
Morphine
Anticoagulant (fondaparinux)
Nitrates
Oxygen only if sats decrease
What is a GRACE score
Assess risk of death from MI
Complications of MI
DREAD:
Death
Rupture of heart septum
Edema (HF)
Arrythmias
Dressler’s syndrome
What is Dressler’s syndrome
Pericarditis from immune response to MI
Signs of Dressler’ ssyndrome
Raised CRP and ESR with ST elevation
Management of Dressler’s syndrome
NSAIDs or steroids
Worst case: Pericardiocentesis as it might come with pericardial effusion
Secondary prevention of ACS
AAAAAA (6As)
Aspirin 75mg
Another antiplatelet (clopidogrel or Tica)
Atorvastatin 80mg
ACEI
Atenolol
Aldosterone antagonist
How to prevent post operative AF
Give Amiodarone or beta blocker
What is always first line for AF
Rate control
When is rate control not first line management for AF
When AF is new onset or has other causes
When should cardioversion (non pharmaceutical) therapy be offered
When AF has been ongoing for more than 48 hours