Cardiology Flashcards
What is an aneurysm?
A permanent and irreversible dilatation of a blood vessel by at least 50% of the normal expected diameter; it is a true aneurysm if it affects all three muscle layers.
What are the key diagnostic factors for an unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm?
PATIENTS WITH AAA ARE USUALLY ASYMPTOMATIC, UNLESS RUPTURE OCCURS
Presence of risk factors
Pulsatile abdominal mass (uncommon)
Abdominal, flank or back pain
What are the risk factors for AAA?
Cigarette smoking
Family history
Increased age
What are the key diagnostic factors for a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm?
Abdominal, flank, or back pain
Hypotension
Loss of consciousness
Pallor
Abdominal distension
Fever (for infectious AAA)
What investigations are required for AAA?
Aortic ultrasound
CT angiography for operative planning
ESR/CRP if infective cause suspected
FBC (possible anaemia if ruptured, leukocytosis if infectious AAA)
Cross match and clotting screen
Blood cultures (infectious AAA)
What is the management plan for unruptured asymptomatic AAA?
<3cm: no further action
3-4.4cm: rescan every 12 months
4.5-5.4cm: rescan every 3 months
>5.5cm: refer within 2 weeks to vascular surgery for probably intervention
What is the management plan for unruptured symptomatic AAA?
Urgent surgical repair
What is the management plan for ruptured AAA?
Urgent surgical repair and resuscitation measures (high mortality)
What are the symptoms and signs of infective endocarditis?
Fever/chills
Cardiac murmur (most common is aortic regurgitation)
Night sweats, malaise, fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, myalgias
Arthralgia
Headache
Shortness of breath
Janeway lesions, Osler’s nodes, Roth spots, splinter haemorrhages
What are the investigations for infective endocarditis?
Blood culture (3 sets from different venepuncture sites)
Echocardiography (trans-thoracic vs trans-oesophageal - mainly TTE)
FBC (normocytic anaemia, leukocytosis)
CRP (elevated)
Serum U&Es, glucose (urea elevated)
LFT
Urinalysis (microscopic haematuria, proteniuria)
ECG
What is used to diagnose IE?
Modified Duke criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis: clinical criteria for definite IE requires two major criteria, one major and three minor criteria, or five minor criteria
What are the major criteria for Duke’s?
Positive blood cultures for IE typical microbe (2x 12 hours apart)
Echocardiogram showing valvular vegetation/endocardial innvolvement
What are the minor criteria for Duke’s?
TIMER acronym
Temperature >38 degrees
Immunological phenomena (Osler’s nodes, Roth spots)
Microbiological evidence (positive blood culture not meeting major criterion)
Embolic phenomenon (conjuctival haemorrhage, Janeway lesions)
Risk factors (congenital heart disease, IV drug users)
How is infective endocarditis treated?
Antibiotic therapy
Consider surgery (to remove infected tissue and repair/replace affected valves)
What organism is the most common cause infective endocarditis?
S. aureus
Differentiate between a STEMI and an NSTEMI
Presentations and symptoms are similar
STEMI is an infarction that extends the entire thickness of the myocardium (complete blockage of artery), whereas NSTEMI is infarction that is limited to the inner layer of the ventricular wall (partial blockage of artery)
Differentiate between an NSTEMI and unstable angina
In NSTEMI, troponin levels are elevated
NSTEMI patients may also be clinically unstable (e.g., low blood pressure, shock, left ventricular failure)
What causes ACS?
Atherosclerotic plaque may become inflamed and rupture, exposing substances that promote coagulation and promoting a blood clot on top of the clot
Coronary artery embolism
Coronary spasm (cocaine use)
Coronary artery dissection
How does myocardial infarction present?
Central crushing chest pain that can radiate to arms, back or jaw
Marked sweating
Nausea and vomiting
Dyspnoea
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Pallor
Syncope
What are the ECG changes in NSTEMI?
ST-depression, T-wave inversion
What are the ECG changes in STEMI?
ST-elevation, with reciprocal ST-depression in electrically opposite leads
Location of infarction can be determined by area of ST-elevation
what medication is given for all people with ACS?
IV morphine if severe pain
oxygen if sats <94%
nitrates - use in caution if patient is hypotensive
aspirin 300mg
How is STEMI treated?
300mg aspirin
PCI if presentation within 12 hours and possible within 120 minutes - with unfractionated heparin
prasugrel if patient not taking anticoagulant - otherwise clopidogre
OTHERWISE, fibrinolysis with antithrombin
How is NSTEMI/unstable treated?
fondaparinux
calculate GRACE score
if low risk (<3%): aspirin, ticagrelor (if bleeding risk low)/clopidogrel (if bleeding risk is high)
if high risk (>3%): coronary angiography within 72 hours, PCI, unfractionated heparin