Cardiology Flashcards
What can an ECG identity?
Arrhythmia
Myocardial ischaemia and infarction
Pericarditis
Chamber hypertrophy
Electrolyte disturbance
Drug toxicity
Risk factors for atherosclerosis?
Increasing age
Male
Family history
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Smoking
Hypertension
Hypercholesterolemia
How are atherosclerotic plaques distributed?
Peripheral and coronary arteries
Focal distribution along length of artery
What are the components of an atherosclerotic plaque?
Lipid
Necrotic core
Connective tissue
Fibrous cap
What is angina?
Chest pain caused by reversible myocardial ischaemia
What is the most common cause of angina?
Atherosclerotic narrowing
Types of angina?
Printzmetal
Stable
Unstable
What are the features of stable angina?
Induced by effort
Relieved by rest
What is unstable angina?
Angina of recent onset
Symptoms at rest, not relieved by rest or GTN spray
Creshendo pattern of increasing severity of symptoms
What is the cause of prinzmetals angina?
Coronary artery spasm
What is the aetiology of angina?
Atherosclerosis
Valvular disease
Arrhythmia
Anaemia
What is the pathophysiology of angina?
Atherosclerotic narrowing reduces blood flow to myocardium
Vessel undergoes adaptation to maximise blood flow to myocardium
Vessel adaptations are exhausted and myocardium is deprived from oxygen causing symptoms of angina
Risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease?
Male
Family history
Increasing age
Hyperlipidaemia
Hypertension
Diabetes mellitus
Lack of exercise
Poor diet
Smoking
Obesity
Illicit drug use
Clinical presentation of angina?
Central crushing chest pain, relieved by rest/ GTN and exacerbated by exertion
Exertional dyspnoea
Perspiration
Fatigue
Investigations performed to diagnose angina?
Resting ECG
Bloods; FBC, lipid profile, troponin, glucose
Exercise ECG
Differentials for angina?
Aortic dissection
Pericarditis
PE
Pneumonia
Pneumothorax
Oesophagitis/ oesophageal spasm
GORD
Peptic ulcer disease
Management for angina?
Lifestyle modification; healthier diet, stop smoking, exercise and optimise risk factors
GTN spray for symptom relief
Antiplatelet and statin therapy based on Q-RISK score
What are the monitoring requirements for angina?
Follow-up every 4-6 months until stable, then convert to annual review
Monitor adherence to lifestyle modification
Complications of angina?
Heart failure
Ischaemic cardiomyopathy
Sudden cardiac death
Myocardial infarction
Stroke
Peripheral arterial disease
Prognosis of angina?
58% of patients will be angina free within a year of starting treatment
Dynamic process, even with therapy there can be declining symptoms and progression of disease
What is ACS?
STEMI
NSTEMI
Unstable angina
What is the difference between MI and unstable angina?
In UA there is no myocardial necrosis and hence no rise in cardiac enzymes and loss of cardiac tissue
What is unstable angina?
Myocardial ischaemia at rest or on minimal exertion in absence of acute cardiac necrosis
Aetiology of unstable angina?
Non occlusive disruption of atherosclerotic plaque
Coronary artery spasm