Cardiology Flashcards
What are the features of acute pericarditis?
Chest pain: may be pleuritic, is often relieved by sitting forwards
Other symptoms include a non-productive cough, dyspnoea and flu-like symptoms
Pericardial rub
What is pericarditis?
A condition referring to inflammation of the pericardial sac, lasting for less than 4-6 weeks
What are the ECG changes of acute pericarditis?
‘Saddle-shaped’ ST elevation
PR depression: most specific ECG marker for pericarditis
What is the management of acute pericarditis?
Can be managed as an outpatient (patients who have high risk features such as >38C or elevated troponin should be managaed as an inpatinet.
Treat underlying cause
Avoid strenuous physical activity
Combination of NSAIDs and Colchicine is now generally used for first line
What are the features of aortic regurgitation?
Early diastolic murmur
Collapsing pulse
Wide pulse pressure
De Musset’s sign
What is the management of aortic regurgitation?
Medical management of any associated heart failure
Surgery for symptomatic patients with severe AR and asymptomatic patients with severe AR who have LV systolic dysfunction.
Describe the murmur of aortic stenosis?
Ejection systolic murmur (ESM) which classically radiates to the carotids which is decreased following the Valsalva manoeuvre
What is arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy?
A form of inherited cardiovascular disease which can present with syncope or sudden cardiac death. It has autosomal dominant pattern with variable expression.
What is the presentation of Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy?
Palpitations
Syncope
Sudden cardiac death
How would a posterior STEMI present on ECG?
Causes ST depression in leads V1-V3
Tall R waves in leaves V1-V3
Inverted T-wave in lead aVR
All other T waves are normally orientated
What can cause a rise in troponin?
A troponin rise may occur in conditions where there is myocardial ischaemia from a supply-demand-mismatch secondary to another primary condition (e.g. sepsis) and not due to plaque rupture.
Ischaemic changes in leads V1-V4 most likely caused by a lesion of?
Left Anterior Descending
Ischaemic changes in leads I, aVL +/- V5-6 would be most likely caused by a lesion of the:
Left circumflex artery
What is First degree heart block?
PR interval >0.2 seconds
Asymptomatic first-degree heart block is relatively common
What is Type 1 Second degree heart-block (Wenckeback, Mobitz 1)?
Progressive prolongation of the PR interval until a dropped beat occurs
What is Type 2 Second degree heart block (Mobitz 2)?
PR interval is constant but the P wave is often not followed by a QRS complex
What is Third degree heart block?
Complete heart block
There is no association between the P waves and the QRS complex
Ischaemic changes in leads II, III, aVF would be most likely caused by a lesion of the:
Right coronary
Inferior
What can cause inverted T waves?
MI
Digoxin toxicity
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
Arrhythmogenic right Ventricular cardiomyopathy
What is the most common organism implicated in Infective endocarditis?
Staphylococcus aureus
What are the ECG changes in pericarditis?
Changes are often widespread as opposed to territorial like in ischaemic events
‘Saddle-shaped’ ST elevation
PR depression: most specific
What are the symptoms of pericarditis?
Chest pain: may be pleuritis. Is often relieved by sitting forwards
Non-productive cough, dyspnoea and flu-like symptoms
Pericardial rub
Causes of left axis deviation?
- Left anterior hemiblock
- Left bundle branch block
- Inferior myocardial infarction
- WPW syndrome - right sided accessory pathway
- Hyperkalaemia
- Congenital: ostium primum ASD, tricuspid atresia
- minor LAD in obese patients
Causes of right axis deviation?
- Right ventricular hypertrophy
- Left posterior hemiblock
- Lateral myocardial infarction
- Chronic lung disease –> Cor Pulmonale
- PE
- Ostium secundum ASD
- WPW syndrome- Left sided accessory pathway
- Normal in infant <1 year old
- Minor RAD in tall people
What is the most common form of cardiomyopathy?
Dilated cardiomyopathy
What is the name of the criteria used in infective endocarditis?
Dukes criteria
Other than splinter haemorrhages, name 3 signs of Infective endocarditis
Janeway lesions – palms and soles
Oslers nodes – painful pulp infarcts on end of fingers.
Roth spots - boat-shaped retinal haemorrhages
What is the 1st line antibiotic treatment in IE for a native valve whilst awaiting culture and sensitivities?
IV amoxicillin. If pen allergy - vancomycin
Name an ECG finding which indicates the need for surgical intervention in IE?
PR prolongation – as this can be secondary to aortic root abscess
What do you give for SVT?
Adenosine
What do you give for VT/VF?
Amiodarone
What do you give for bradycardias?
Atropine
Give three symptoms of severe aortic stenosis?
Syncope
Angina
Dyspnoea
Complications of AS?
LV failure
Sudden cardiac death
List 3 tests to investigate for end-organ damage in hypertension
- Urine dip and albumin:creatinine level
- Blood glucose, lipids and renal function
- Fundoscopy for evidence of hypertensive retinopathy
- ECG: look for evidence of LV hypertrophy
Complications of HTN?
Heart failure
Renal failure
Stroke
CAD, PVD
Which cardiac node is affected in AF?
AV node
Give some non-cardiac causes of AF?
Infection
Dehydration
Hyperthyroidism
PE, pneumonia
Hypokalaemia
Alcohol abuse
Give some cardiac causes of AF?
Myocarditis
Pericarditis
HTN
Ischaemic heart disease
What do you give for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction?
ACEI + BB
What do you give for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction who is not controlled on ACE and BB?
Add a Aldosterone Antagonist
How is typical angina like pain defined?
- Constriction/heavy discomfort to chest that may radiate to the jaw/neck/arm
- Brought on by exertion
- Alleviated by rest (<5 minutes) or GTN spray.
3/3 = Typical angina pain
2/3 = Atypical angina pain
0 or 1/3 = Non-anginal pain
What is the pathophysiology of angina?
Occurs as a result of a mismatch of myocardial oxygen supply and demand.
Most commonly it is due to coronary artery disease.
What are the investigations for angina in primary care?
ECG - to assess for ischaemic changes or previous MI
Bloods - FBC and TFT
Consider cardiovascular risk factors
What are the 1st line investigations for angina in secondary care?
CT Coronary angiogram - indicated if typical/atypical angina pain or if ECG shows ischaemic changes in chest pain with < angina features
What are the causes of high output heart failure?
- Anaemia
- Arteriovenous malformation
- Paget’s disease
- Pregnancy
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Thiamine deficiency
What are the common causes of right sided heart failure?
Cor Pulmonale and pulmonary or tricuspid valve disease
What are the ECG findings in hypokalaemia
- ST depression
- T-wave inversion
- U waves
- Long QT/U interval
What is Atrial flutter?
It is a type of narrow-complex tachycardia
- Characterised by re-entry circuits of distinct lengths to the right atrium
- Saw tooth pattern commonly seen in leads II, III, aVF
What is a Ventricular Tachycardia?
A broad-complex tachycardia which is often monomorphic in nature.
What is Brugada syndrome?
It is a genetic condition characterised by a sodium channelopathy that predisposes individuals to dangerous arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.
What is the epidemiology of Brugada syndrome?
High incidence of the condition in Southeast asian males and a common cause of cardiac death.
Autosomal dominant pattern
What are the Symptoms of Brugada syndrome?
Commonly asymptomatic or can present with the following syndrome:
- Palpitations
- Exertional syncope
- Sudden cardiac death