Cardiology Flashcards
How does a pacemaker work?
Delivers controlled electrical impulses to specific areas of the heart to restore normal electrical activity and improve heart function
How long do pacemakers last?
Battery lasts approx. 5y
What are CI with pacemakers?
Diathermy in surgery, tens machines, mri scans
List indications for a pacemaker
Symptomatic bradycardia, mobitz type 2 av block, 3rd degree heart block (risk of asystole), severe heart failure (use biventricular pacemakers), HCOM
Describe single chamber pacemakers
Leads in a single chamber– In RA if av conduction normal and issue in sino atrial node
-In RV if AV conduction abnormal
Describe dual chamber pacemakers
Leads in RA and RV– Synchronises conduction
Describe biventricular/triple chamber/CRT pacemakers
Leads in RA, RV and LV
Used in HF
Describe ICDs
Continuously monitor heart and can give shock to cardiovert patient if in VF/VT
Describe ECG changes with pacemakers
Pacemaker intervention = Sharp vertical line on all leads on the trace
Line before each P wave = Lead in atria
Line before QRS complex = Lead in ventricles
What is cor pulmonale?
Right sided HF Caused by respiratory disease
What is the pathophysiology of cor pulmonale?
Increased pressure in arteries (pulmonary HTN) results in right heart not pumping blood out of ventricle into PA– Back pressure in RA, vena cava, and systemic venous system
What are the causes of cor pulmonale?
COPD most common, PE, ILD, CF, primary pulmonary HTN
Outline presentation of cor pulmonale
Early– Asymptomatic or SOB
Peripheral oedema, increased breathlessness on exertion, syncope, chest pain
What are the signs of cor pulmonale on examination?
Hypoxia, cyanosis, raised JVP, peripheral oedema, 3rd heart sound, pansystolic murmur (tricuspid regurgitation), hepatomegaly (pulsatile in tricuspid regurgitation)
Outline management of cor pulmonale
Treat symptoms and underlying cause
Long term oxygen therapy
Outline prognosis of cor pulmonale
Poor unless reversible underlying cause
What is an arrhythmia?
Abnormal heart rhythm resulting from interruption to normal electrical signal that coordinate contraction of heart muscle
List the shockable rhythms
Ventricular tachycardia
Ventricular fibrillation
List the non-shockable rhythms
PEA
Asystole
How to manage unstable tachycardia
Consider 3 stacked shocks
Consider amiodarone infusion
What are the types of stable tachycardia?
Narrow complex or broad complex
What is a narrow complex tachycardia?
QRS complex less than 0.12s duration
Af, atrial flutter, SVT
How do you manage AF?
Rate control– BB, CCB (Diltiazam)
Rhythm control
How do you manage atrial flutter?
BB
How do you manage SVT?
Vagal manoeuvres
Adenosine
What is a broad complex tachycardia?
QRS complex greater than 0.12s
How do you manage ventricular tachycardia or a tachycardia trace you are unsure of?
Amiodarone infusion
How do you manage an SVT with bundle branch block?
Vagal manoeuvres and adenosine
What is atrial flutter?
Electrical activity passes through atrial flutter as re-entrant rhythm
Extra electrical pathway in atria
Atrial contraction at 300bpm
Signal goes into ventricles every second lap due to long refractory period of av node causing ventricular contraction of 150bpm
What is the ECG characteristic of atrial flutter?
Sawtooth appearance
P wave after p wave
Which conditions are associated with atrial flutter?
Hypertension
IHD
Cardiomyopathy
Thyrotoxicosis
What is the management of atrial flutter?
Rate control (BB)
Rhythm control (cardioversion)
Anticoagulation using CHA2DS2-VASc
Radio frequency ablation can be a permanent solution
What is a prolonged QT interval?
Start of QRS complex to end of t wave
Men— More than 440ms
Women— More than 460ms
What is the pathophysiology of a prolonged QT interval?
Represents prolonged repolarisation of the myocyte after a contraction
Results in spontaneous depolarisation in some muscle cells= Afterdepolarisations= Spread throughout the ventricles causing contraction before proper repolarisation
Torsades de pointes= When this leads to recurrent contractions without normal repolarisation
What is Torsades de pointes?
Polymorphic VT
Height of QRS complex gets progressively smaller then larger
What is the progression of TdP?
Terminates spontaneously and reverts to sinus rhythm
Or
Progresses to VT and potentially CA
What are the causes of prolonged QT?
Long QT syndrome (inherited)
Meds- Antipsychotics, citalopram, flecainide, sotalol, amiodarone, macrolide ABs
Electrolytes- Hypokalaemia, hypomagnesaemia, hypocalcaemia
Outline management of prolonged QT interval
Stop meds that prolong QT interval
Correct electrolytes
BBs
Pacemakers/implantable cardioverter defibrillators
Outline Acute management of TdP
Correct underlying cause
Magnesium infusion
Defibrillation if VT
What are Ventricular ectopics?
Premature ventricular beats caused by random electrical discharges outside the atria
What is a key characteristic of Ventricular ectopics?
Patients complain of random extra or missed beat
Common at all ages and in healthy patients
More common if pre-existing heart conditions (IHD or HF)
What do Ventricular ectopics look like on ECG?
Isolated, random, abnormal, broad QRS complexes on otherwise normal ECG
What is bigeminy?
When every other beat is a Ventricular ectopic
What does a bigeminy ECG look like?
Normal beat, followed immediately by an ectopic beat, then normal beat, then ectopic, etc…
What is repolarisation?
Recovery period before muscle cells are ready to depolarise again
What is depolarisation?
Electrical process that leads to heart contraction
What is 1st degree heart block?
Delayed conduction through the AV node- Every P wave is followed by a QRS complex
PR interval >0.2s
Outline Mobitz type 1 (Wenckebach phenomenon) heart block
Conduction through AV node takes progressively longer until it finally fails, then resets and starts again
Increasing PR interval until a P wave not followed by QRS complex
PR interval returns to normal, cycle repeats
Outline Mobitz type 2 heart block
Intermittent failure of conduction through AV node, with absence of QRS complex
Absence of QRS complexes following P waves
Set ratio of p waves to QRS complexes
PR interval normal
Risk of asystole
Outline 3rd degree heart block
Complete heart block
No relationship between the P waves and QRS complexes
Significant risk of asystole
List causes of Bradycardia
BBs
Heart block
Sick sinus syndrome
What is sick sinus syndrome?
Conditions that cause dysfunction in sino Atrial node
Caused by- Idiopathic degenerative fibrosis of sinoatrial node
Results in- Sinus bradycardia, sinus arrhythmia, prolonged pauses
What is asystole?
Absence of electrical activity in heart
What increases risk of asystole?
Mobitz type 2
3rd degree heart block
Previous asystole
Ventricular pauses longer than 3s
Outline management of asystole
IV atropine
Inotropes (adrenaline)
Temporary cardiac pacing
Permanent implantable pacemaker
What are the options for temporary cardiac pacing?
Transcutaneous (pads on chest)
Transvenous (catheter through vein to stimulate heart directly)
How does atropine work?
Antimuscarinic
Inhibits parasympathetic nervous system
What are the side effects of antimuscarinic medication?
Pupil dilation
Dry mouth
Urinary retention
Constipation
What is supraventricular tachycardia?
Abnormal electrical signals from above the ventricles cause a fast heart rate
Outline the pathophysiology of SVT
Electrical signals start in sinoatrial node (hearts pacemaker)- Located between SVC and RA
Signal travels through right and left atrium causing atria to contract
Travels through AV node causing ventricles to contract
SVT- Electrical signal re-enters atria from the ventricles
Self-perpetuating electrical loop- Results in narrow complex tachycardia
What is paroxysmal SVT?
SVT reoccurs and remits in same patient over time
List the types of narrow complex tachycardia
Sinus tachycardia
SVT
AF
Atrial flutter
What are the characteristics of AF on an ECG?
Absent p waves
Narrow QRS complex tachycardia
Irregularly irregular ventricular rhythm
What are the ECG characteristics of SVT?
QRS complex followed immediately by a T wave, then a QRS complex, then a T wave, etc
P waves often buried in T waves so can’t see them
Regular rhythm
How do you distinguish SVT from sinus tachycardia?
SVT- Abrupt onset, very regular pattern w/o variability, can have no apparent cause
Sinus tachycardia- Gradual onset, more variability in rate, usually has an explanation (pain or fever)
Which differential is important to consider in patients with tachycardia and wide QRS complexes?
SVT with a bundle branch block
What are the 3 main types of SVT?
Atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia- Re-entrant point is back through AV node (most common)
Atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia- Re-entrant point is accessory pathway between atria and ventricles (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome)
Atrial tachycardia- Electrical signal originates in atria somewhere other than the sino atrial node
What is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome?
Caused by extra electrical pathway connecting atria and ventricles
Pre-excitation syndrome
Additional pathway allows bypassing of AV node
Might not cause symptoms or may cause SVT
What are the ECG changes in Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome?
Short PR interval
Wide QRS complex
Delta wave
What is a delta wave?
Slurred upstroke in QRS complex caused by electricity prematurely entering ventricles through accessory pathway
What is the definitive treatment for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome?
Radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathway
What is a cause of a polymorphic wide complex tachycardia?
Combination of AF/Atrial flutter with WPW
Chaotic atrial electrical activity can pass through accessory pathway into ventricles
LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY- HR can raise >200bpm and progress to VF and cardiac arrest
What can increase the risk of VF and cardiac arrest in polymorphic wide complex tachycardia?
Anti-arrhythmic meds- BBs, CCBs, digoxin, adenosine)- Reduce conduction through AV node and promote conduction through accessory pathway- CI in WPW that develop AF or flutter
Outline Acute management of tachycardia without life-threatening features
Continuous ECG monitoring
1. Vagal manoeuvres
2. Adenosine
3. Verapamil or beta blocker
4. Synchronised DC cardioversion
What are the life-threatening features of tachycardia?
Loss of consciousness (syncope)
Heart muscle ischaemia (chest pain)
Shock or severe HF
Outline treatment of life-threatening tachycardia
Synchronised DC cardioversion under sedation or general anaesthesia
IV amiodarone added if initial DC shocks unsuccessful
What is the management of WPWs with atrial arrhythmias?
Procainamide or electrical cardioversion if unstable
Why should adenosine, verapamil and BBs not be used to treat WPWs with atrial arrhythmias?
Blocks the AV node, promoting conduction of atrial rhythm through accessory pathway into ventricles, causing potentially life threatening ventricular rhythms
Outline vagal manoeuvres
Used to treat tachycardias
Stimulate vagus nerve, increasing activity in parasympathetic nervous system
Slows conduction of electrical activity in heart, terminating SVT
How does the valsalva manoeuvre work?
Treat SVT
Increases intrathoracic pressure
Patients blows hard against resistance
How does a carotid sinus massage work?
Treats SVT
Stimulate baroreceptors in carotid sinus
Avoid in patients with carotid artery stenosis
What is the diving reflex?
Used to treat SVT
Briefly submerge patient’s face in cold water
Outline the MoA of adenosine
Slows cardiac conduction, primarily through AV node
Interrupts AV node or accessory pathway during SVT And resets it to sinus rhythm
How should you give adenosine for SVT?
Rapid bolus to ensure it reaches the heart with enough impact to interrupt the pathway for a short period
Often causes brief asystole/bradycardia
Short half life so metabolises quickly and stops having effect
Which patients should adenosine not be given to?
Asthma
COPD
HF
Heart block
Severe hypotension
Potential atrial arrhythmia with underlying pre-excitation
Outline synchronised DC cardioversion
Used for SVT
Electric shock applied to heart to restore normal sinus rhythm
Synchronised with ventricular contraction at R wave
Used in patients with a pulse to avoid shocking the T wave which can result in VF and cardiac arrest
Outline management of paroxysmal SVT
Long term BBs, CCBs, or amiodarone
Radiofrequency ablation
What is Radiofrequency ablation?
Catheter ablation in a Cath lab
General anaesthetic or sedation
Catheter inserted into femoral vein and fed through venous system under xray guidance to heart
Catheter tests electrical signals in different areas of the heart and identifies abnormal patterns
Radiofrequency ablation burns abnormal areas and leaves scar tissue that doesn’t conduct electrical activity
What are the effects of AF?
Irregularly irregular ventricular contractions
Tachycardia
HF due to impaired filling of ventricles during diastole
Increased risk of stroke
Outline pathophysiology of AF
Sinoatrial node produces disorganised electrical activity
Causes contraction of atria to become uncoordinated, rapid and irregular
Chaotic electrical activity overrides regular activity from SA node
Passes through ventricles causing irregularly irregular ventricular contraction
How can AF increase risk of a stroke?
Uncoordinated atrial activity can cause blood to stagnate in atria, forming a thrombus
Thrombus in LA May travel to Brian NS cause Ischaemic stroke
What are the most common causes of AF?
S-epsis
M-itral valve pathology (stenosis or regurgitation)
I-schaemic heart disease
T-hyrotoxicosis
H-TN
Alcohol and caffeine
Outline presentation of AF
Asymptomatic
Palpitations
SOB
Dizziness or syncope
Symptoms of associated conditions- Stroke, sepsis, thyrotoxicosis
What are the differential diagnoses for an irregularly irregular pulse and how can you differentiate between them?
Atrial fibrillation
Ventricular ectopics- Disappear when HR above a certain threshold
Which investigations are done for AF?
ECG
Echo- Valvular heart disease, HF, planned cardioversion
What is paroxysmal AF and how is it managed?
AF that reoccurs and spontaneously resolves back to sinus rhythm
If normal ECG- 24h ambulatory ECG, cardiac event recorder lasting 1-2 wks
What is valvular AF?
AF with significant mitral stenosis or a mechanical heart valve
Outline rate control for AF
Aims to get the heart rate <100bpm and extend time during diastole for ventricles to fill with blood
When is rhythm control offered to patients?
Reversible cause
New onset AF (within last 48h)
HF caused by AF
Symptoms despite being affective key rate controlled
Which drugs are given for rate control in AF?
BBs (atenolol or bisoprolol)
CCB (Diltiazem or verapamil)- Not preferable in HF
Digoxin- Only in sedentary people with persistent AF, requires monitoring and risk of toxicity
What are the options for rhythm control of AF?
Cardioversion
Long-term rhythm control using medications
When is immediate cardioversion used?
If AF is either:
Present for <48h or causing life-threatening haemodynamic instability
What are the 2 options for immediate cardioversion?
Pharmacological- Flecainide, amiodarone
Electrical- Defib
When is delayed cardioversion used?
If AF has been present for >48h and they are stable
Patient should be anticoagulated for >3wks before delayed cardioversion
Outline long term rhythm control
1st line- BBs
2nd line- Dronedarone
Amiodarone if HF or left ventricular dysfunction
Outline management of paroxysmal AF
‘Pill in the pocket’- Flecainide
Must have infrequent episodes w/o structural heart disease
Increased risk of converting AF into atrial flutter
What are the ablation options for AF?
Left atrial ablation
Atrioventricular node ablation and a permanent pacemaker
Which anticoagulation should be offered to AF patients?
DOACs
Warfarin
What is the MoA of apixaban, edoxaban and rivaroxaban?
Direct factor Xa inhibitor
What is the MoA of dabigatran?
Direct thrombin inhibitor
What is the antidote to apixaban and rivaroxaban?
Andexanet alfa
What is the antidote to dabigatran?
Idarucizumab
What is the MoA of warfarin?
Vitamin K antagonist
Vit K is important for functioning of several clotting factors
Warfarin blocks Vit K and prolongs prothrombin time= Longer clotting time
What does INR measure?
Assesses how anticoagulated the patient is by warfarin
Calculates patient’s prothrombin time compared with PTT of average healthy adult
How do you interpret INR?
1= Normal PTT
2= PTT twice that of an average healthy adult
What is the target INR for an AF patient on warfarin?
2-3
What is the TTR in regards to INR?
Time in Therapeutic Range
Percentage of time that INR is in the target range
If too low- Increased stroke risk
If too high- Increased bleeding risk
What does INR stand for?
International normalised ratio