Cardiology Flashcards
What are the cardiac differentials for chest pain?
- ACS
- Stable angina
- Aortic dissection
- Pericarditis
- Myocarditis
- Cardiac tamponade
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Aortic stenosis
- Arrhythmias
What investigations do you want to do for chest pain?
- Vital signs
- ECG
- Bloods = FBC, U&E, LFT, clotting screen, troponin ± D dimer, cholesterol, glucose/HbA1c
- CXR
- ABG if hypoxic/PE suspected
What are the risk factors for cardiovascular disease?
- Race
- Family history
- Overweight/obese and sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia
- Stress
Male
What are the secondary causes of hypertension?
o Renal disease (CKD) from Diabetes
o Pregnancy/pre-eclampsia
o Endocrine causes = Cushing’s, Conn’s, Pheochromocytoma, acromegaly
o Drug therapy = Corticosteroids, cyclosporin, erythropoietin, contraceptive pill, Alcohol, amphetamines, ecstasy and cocaine
o Coarctation of aorta
How does hypertension present?
- Often asymptomatic = found on screening
- Symptomatic if BP very high = Headaches, Visual disturbance, Seizures
What is the Gold Standard investigation to diagnose hypertension?
24 hour ambulatory BP monitoring
What is the conservative management for hypertension?
- Change diet = more fruit and veg, low fat, low salt
- Regular physical exercise
- Reduce alcohol intake
- Lose weight
- Stop smoking
- Stress management
What is the first line pharmacological management for hypertension?
If under 55 or diabetic = ACEi
If over 55 or black = CCB
If diabetic and black = ARB
What is the second line management of hypertension?
Add ACEi/ARB or CCB or thiazide-like diuretic (indapamide)
How will potassium levels affect the third line treatment of hypertension?
- If K+ <4.5 add low-dose spironolactone
- If K+ >4.5 add alpha or beta blocker
What are the possible complications of hypertension?
- Cardiac = CVD/IHD, MI, CCF, aortic and mitral regurg
- Aortic = aneurysm, dissection
- Renal = proteinuria, chronic renal failure
- Neurological = ischaemic CVA, haemorrhagic CVA, vascular dementia, encephalopathy
- Atherosclerosis = Premature + peripheral vascular disease
- GIT = N+V
- Eyes = retinopathy
- Malignant hypertension
What are the subtypes of acute coronary syndrome?
- STEMI = Complete occlusion of major coronary artery previously affected by atherosclerosis
- Unstable angina = Angina of recent onset or cardiac chest pain with crescendo pattern
- NSTEMI = Developing complete occlusion of minor or partial occlusion of major coronary artery previously affected by atherosclerosis. No raised troponin
How can ACS present?
- Acute central chest pain lasting >20 mins May radiate to jaw or left arm
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dyspnoea
- Fatigue
- Palpitations
- Distress and anxiety
- Pallor
- Reduced BP
- Tachy/bradycardia
What investigations should you do in ACS?
ECG
Troponin (T+I) = Serum levels increase within 3-12 hours from onset of chest pain and peak at 24-48 hours
o If raised repeat in 3h
o If not raised can rule out MI unless pain was <6hrs ago
o If not raised could be unstable angina
What will an ECG show in ACS
ST elevation/depression + T wave inversion/ Hyperacute (tall) T waves
Initial management of ACS
Morphine (IV) given if needed but can delay absorption of antiplatelets
Oxygen if sats below 94%
Nitrate unless hypotensive
Aspirin 300mg STAT
What is the definitive management of a STEMI?
PCI Within 120 mins
- Give praugrel
Fibrinolysis within 12 hrs of symptom onset if primary PCI cannot be delivered within 120min
What is the definitive management of a NSTEMI/ unstable angina?
Fondaparinux if no immediate PCI planned
Estimate 6-month mortality with GRACE score
Low risk = give ticagrelor
High risk = PCI within 72 hrs if stable or immediate if unstable. Give prasugrel/ticagrelor + unfractioned heparin
What is the secondary prevention of ACS?
- Dual antiplatelet therapy: aspirin + Ticagrelor (clopidogrel 2nd line) for 1 year
- Statins (atorvastatin) lifelong
- Beta blockers (Atenolol)
- ACE inhibitors (ramipril)/ ARB
- Diuretic (furosemide) = Heart failure
- Risk factor modification Stop smoking, Lose weight, exercise daily, Healthy diet
- Cardiac rehabilitation programme
- Don’t drive for 1 week if PCI or 4 weeks if no PCI
- 6 weeks off work
What are the complications of ACS?
- Sudden death (few hours) = ventricular fibrillation
- Arrhythmias (first few days) = VF, AV block
- Persistent pain (12 hrs-few days)
- Heart failure
- Mitral incompetence (few days-later)
- Pericarditis within 48 hrs, Dressler’s syndrome 2-6wks
- Cardiac rupture
- Ventricular aneurysm
- Left ventricular free wall rupture
- Ventricular septal defect
If there are ECG changes in leads V1-V4 what artery is affected?
Left anterior descending
If there are ECG changes in leads II, III, aVF what artery is affected?
Right coronary
If there are ECG changes in leads I, V5-6 what artery is affected?
Left circumflex
How does stable angina present?
Central chest pain or discomfort = tightness or heaviness
o Provoked by exertion, esp after meal or in cold windy weather or by anger/excitement
o Relieved by rest or GTN spray
o Pain may radiate to one or both arms, neck, jaw or teeth
Nausea, sweatiness
Dyspnoea
Palpitations
Syncope
What investigations can be done for angina?
- CT Coronary Angiography
- 12 lead ECG = ST depression?, flat/inverted T waves, past MI
- Treadmill test/Exercise tolerance test + ECG
o If ST depression = sign of late-stage ischaemia
What is the management of stable angina?
Modify RF = Stop smoking, Encourage exercise, Weight loss
All patients should take Aspirin and statin
ST symptomatic relief = GTN spray
LT symptomatic relief = Betablockers (bisoprolol) or CCB
Verapamil or diltiazem if CCB monotherapy
Amlodipine or MR nifedipine if combination
Revascularisation = PCI or CABG if failed in 2 antianginals
What are the causes of heart failure?
- Ischaemic Heart disease
- Cardiomyopathy
- Hypertension
- Valvular heart disease
- Cor pulmonale (COPD)
- Alcohol excess
- Endocardial and pericardial cases
- Any factor that increases myocardial work = anaemia, arrhythmias, hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, obesity
How does heart failure present?
- Dyspnoea when lying flat = orthopnoea
- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
- Cough with pink/white frothy sputum Worse at night
- Cardiac wheeze
- Cardiac cachexia (weight loss)
- Bibasal coarse crackles
- Fatigue
- Ankle oedema
- Cold peripheries
- Raised JVP
- Hepatomegaly
- Pansystolic murmur mitral regurg
What investigations can be done for heart failure?
- BNP raised
- CXR
- Echocardiography = regional wall motion abnormalities, valvular disease, cardiomyopathies, sign of MI, cardiac chamber distension
- ECG = ischaemia, LV hypertrophy in hypertension or arrhythmia as underlying causes
What is shown on a chest XR of someone with heart failure
Alveolar oedema, curly B lines, Cardiomegaly, Dilated upper lobe vessels of lungs, pleural Effusions
What classification can be used to stage heart failure?
New York heart classification
1. no symptoms, no limitation
2. mild symptoms, slight limit of physical activity
3. moderate symptoms, marked limitation of physical activity
4. severe symptoms, unable to carry out physical activity without discomfort
What vaccines does someone with heart failure need?
Annual influenza vaccine and one off pneumococcal vaccine
Pharmacological treatment of heart failure
Take all 4 of: ACEi, BB, spironolactone, SGLT-2 inhibitor
All patients on aspirin and statin if ischaemic
What surgical options for heart failure are there?
o Cardiac resynchronisation therapy +/- defibrillator
o Revascularisation = PCI stenting
o Repair surgery = aortic/mitral valve repair/replace, LV re-modelling
o Heart transplant
What are the complications of heart failure?
- Renal dysfunction
- Rhythm disturbances = AF, AfI, VT, VF, LBBB, bradycardia
- Systemic thromboembolism DVT and PEs
- Hepatic dysfunction
- Neurological and psychological complications
What is acute pericarditis?
Acute inflammation of pericardium with or without effusion lasting less than 4-6 wks
What are the possible causes of pericarditis?
- Viral = EBV, adenoviruses, mumps, varicella, HIV, echovirus
- Bacterial = TB, lyme disease, pneumonia, rheumatic fever
- Fungal = histoplasma. Spp
- Autoimmune = Sjogren’s syndrome, RA, SLE
- Neoplastic = secondary metastatic tumours (lung/breast, lymphoma), Dressler’s syndrome
- Metabolic = uraemia, myxoedema, hypothyroidism, anorexia nervosa
- Traumatic/iatrogenic = pericardial injury syndromes
- Drugs = procainamide, hydralazine, penicillin, chemo
- Other = amyloidosis, aortic dissection, malignancy, MI, radiotherapy
How does acute pericarditis present?
- Sudden pleuritic chest pain, Worse on inspiration or lying flat = relieved by sitting forward, Radiates to arm
- Dyspnoea
- Non-productive Cough
- Fever
- Hiccups = phrenic involvement
- Skin rash
- Joint pain
- Eye Symptoms
- Weight loss
- Flu-like symptoms
What can be heard on auscultation in acute pericarditis?
Pericardial friction rub
What is beck’s triad?
Hypotension
Elevated JVP
Quiet heart sounds
What can be seen on an ECG in acute pericarditis?
Widespread concave-upwards (Saddle-shaped ST elevation)
PR depression
What investigation must be done in suspected acute pericarditis?
Transthoracic echo
What is the management of acute pericarditis?
Can be managed as outpatient but if temp >38 or elevated trop then admit
Restrict physical activity until resolution of symptoms and see improvement in ECG and CRP
Acute idiopathic or viral pericarditis give NSAID and colchicine
What is a pericardial effusion?
Collection of fluid within potential space of serous pericardial sac (10-50ml)
What can cause a pericardial effusion?
- Pericarditis
- Myocardial rupture
- Aortic dissection
- Pericardium filling with pus
- Malignancy
How does a pericardial effusion present?
- Dyspnoea
- Chest pain
- Hiccups = compressed phrenic nerve
- Nausea = compressed diaphragm
- Soft and distant heart sounds
- Apex beat obscured
- Raised JVP
- Ewart’s sign = bronchial breathing at left base due to compressed L lower lobe
What are the investigations for pericardial effusion?
- CXR = Large globular heart if effusion >300ml
- ECG = Low-voltage QRS complexes, Sinus tachycardia
- Echocardiogram = Echo-free zone surrounding heart
- Pericardial fluid = culture and cytology, ZN stain/TB culture
What is the management for a pericardial effusion?
- Find and treat underlying cause if possible
- Most pericardial effusions resolve spontaneously
- May re-accumulate most often due to malignancy
- Require pericardial fenestration = window in pericardium created to allow slow release of fluid into surrounding tissues