Cardiology Flashcards
What is the HR for tachyarrhithmia?
> 100
What is the HR for bradyarrhythmia?
<60
Roughly, how do you manage tachyarrhythmia?
Give amiodarine (CCB)
If SVT, give adenosine instead
If haemodynamically unstable then DC cardioversion
How might you categorise tachyarrhythmia?
SVT
Ventricular arrhythmias
Hereditary channelopathies
Name 6 types of SVT
SAN tachy
AF
Atrial flutter
Multifocal atrial tachycardia
Paroxysmal SVT
WPWS
What are the features of AF on ECG?
Irregularly irregular rate and rhythm
No discrete p waves
How would you manage AF?
Rate - CCB
Rhythm - DC cardioversion, amiodarone, flecainide
Definitive - pulmonary vein ostia ablation
Anticoagulation
What are the features of Multifocal atrial tachycardia on ECG?
Irregularly irregular rate + rhythm
at least 3 distint p wave morphologies (multiple atrial foci)
What causes atrial flutter?
Activity from re-entry circuit around tricuspid annulus in the RA
What causes AF?
Activity from automatic foci near pulmonary vein ostia in LA
SMITH
Sepsis
Mitral valvulopathy
IHD
Thyrotoxicosis
HTN
What causes paroxysmal SVT?
Re-entrant tract between A and V, most commonly in AVN
How does Paroxysmal SVT present?
Sudden palpitations
Syncope
Diaphoresis
What is the cause of WPWS?
Bundle of Kent accessory conduction pathway bypasses rate-slowing AVN
What are the signs of WPWS on ECG?
Delta wave
Shortened PR
How do you treat WPWS?
procainamide
What is another name for ventricular arrhythmias?
Wide-complex tachycardia
What are the management principles of ventricular arrhythmias?
syncope/ischaemia/HF - DC cardioversion
Not - amoidarone
Polymoprhic - magnesium sulphate
What are the 3 causes of ventricular tachycardia?
Ventricular tachycardia
Torsades de points
VF
What causes ventricular tachycardia?
structural heart disease
e.g. cardiomyopathy, scarring post MI
What might cause Torsades de Pointes?
Drugs
Hypokalaemia
Hypocalcaeima
Hypomagnesia
SAH
How do you manage Torsdaes de Pointes?
Stable - Magnesium sulphate
Unstable - defibrillation
How do you manage VF?
IMMEDIATE CPR AND DEFIBRILLATION
Name 2 hereditary channelopathies
Brugada syndrome
Congenital long-QT syndrome
How is Brugada syndrome inherited?
AD
What is the ECG pattern in Brugada syndrome?
Pseudo-RBBB
STE V1-V2
What channel is affected in Brugada syndrome?
Na+ channels
What channel is affected in Congenital long QT syndrome?
K+ channels
What are the 2 sub-types of Congenital long-QT syndrome?
How are the inherited, and how might you differentiate them?
Romano-Ward syndrome - AD, purely cardiac
Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome - AR, sensorineural deafness
What are the 2 types of bradycardic arrhythmias?
Conduction blocks
Premature beats
What are the 5 types of conduction blocks?
1st degree AV block
(the rest are 2nd degree)
Mobitz type 1 (Wenckebach)
Mobitz type 2
3rd degree (complete) AV block
BBB
How will a 1st degree AV block present on ECG?
How would you treat it?
Prolonged PR (>200msec)
No treatment required
How would a Mobitz type 1 (Wenckebach) present on ECG?
How would you treat it?
Progressive lengthening of PR until a beat is ‘dropped’
No treatment required
How would a Mobitz type 2 present on ECG?
How would you treat it?
Dropped beats that are not preceded by a change in PR interval
Pacemaker
How would a 3rd degree (complete) AV block present on ECG?
How would you treat it?
P and QRS dissociated
A and V beat independently of each other
A rate > V rate
Pacemaker
What disease may cause 3rd degree (complete) AV block?
Lyme disease
What causes a BBB?
Interruption of conduction, affected V depolarises slowly
How do you treat a new LBBB?
Treat as if it were an MI
Name 2 types of premature beats
Premature A contraction
Premature V contraction
How would premature A contraction present on ECG?
Extra beats from ectopic foci
Narrow QRS w/ p wave
What may cause premature A contraction?
Secondary to ^ adrenergic drive (e.g. caffeine)
benign
How would premature V contraction present on ECG?
Wide QRS, no preceding P wave
What is paroxysmal AF?
episodes of AF which resolve back to sinus rhythm
How is Paroxysmal AF managed?
Flecainide PRN
What risk is associated with Flecainide?
turns AF to flutter, with 1:1 conduction to V, so very high ventricular rate
What score is used to assess if a patient with AF needs anticoagulation?
CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc
0 - none
1 - consider in men (women automatically score 1)
2 - offer
What is used to asess the risk of major bleeding in patients with AF taking anticoagulation?
ORBIT score
How do you manage SVT acutely?
Non-life threatening (try each step then move on)
1 - vagal manoeuvres
2 - adenosine
3 - verapamil or BB
4 - synchronised DC cardioversion
Life-threatening
- Synchronised DC cardioversion under sedation / GA
- if unsuccessful - IV amiodarone
What doses of adenosine are used in acute SVT?
1 - 6mg
2 - 12mg
3 - 18mg
How does adenosine work?
slows conduction through AVN
Resets to ‘sinus rhythm’
What are the 4 types of IHD?
MI
Angina pectoris
Chronic IHD
Sudden cardiac death
What is the difference between angina and MI?
MI - cell death ^trops + CK
When does troponin peak post-MI?
7-10 days
When does CK peak post-MI?
3 days
How soon after an MI do troponins and CK rise?
4-8 hours
What is the main cause for IHD?
Atherosclerosis of coronary arteries
What factors affect the risk of disease progression?
Number of vessels involved
Distribution - proximal LAD, proximal LCX, whole RCA
Degree of narrowing - 75% critical stenosis
Stable vs unstable plaque
What are the most dangerous types of atherosclerotic plaques?
50-75% stenosis
Lipid-rich core and minimal fibrous cap
What is the difference between a Transmural Mi and a Subendocardial MI?
Transmural - full thickness
Subendocardial - inner 1/3 to 1/2 of myocariumWh
When are histological changes of MI seen?
4 hours post symptom onset
macroscopic changes 12 hours post symptom onset
What is a stunned myocardium?
Reperfusion injury following thrombolysis in MI
What is protective for stunned myocardium?
Repetitive, short lived ischaemia
‘preconditioning mechanism’
What do pathological Q waves suggest?
Transmural infarction
6 or more hours after symptom onset
What are the ECG findings of a STEMI?
STE
New LBBB
What are the ECG findings of an NSTEMI?
ST depresion
T wave inversion
How do you diagnose STEMI?
ECG findings
How do you diagnose NSTEMI?
^troponins
+ either
Normal ECG
Pathological ECG
How do you diagnose Unstable angina?
ACS symptoms, normal troponin
+ either
Normal ECG
ECG changes
What is the initial management of ACS?
CPAIN
Call and ambulance
Perform an ECG
Aspirin 300mg
IV morphine
Nitrate (GTN)
How would you manage a STEMI?
if within 12 hours of onset then
PCI (if available within 2 hours)
Thrombolysis (if PCI not available in 2 hours)
Name 3 examples of thrombolytic agents
Alteplase
Tenecteplase
Streptokinase
How do you manage NSTEMI?
BATMAN
Base decision about angiography and PCI on GRACE score
Aspirin 300mg STAT
Ticagrelor 180mg STAT
Morphine
Antithrombin therapy (fondaparinux)
Nitrate (GTN)
Grace score 3-4% -> coronary angiography within 72 hours
Grace score
When treating an NSTEMI, when would you not use Ticagrelor?
Bleeding risk - use clopidogrel
Angiography - use prasugrel
When treating an NSTEMI, when would you not use Fondaparinux?
Bleeding risk or imediate angiography
What is use to assess 6 month probability of death after NSTEMI?
GRACE score
3% or less - low risk
> 3% - medium to high risk (early angiography + PCI within 72 hours)
What secondary prevention is offered for cases of ACS?
6 A’s
Aspirin 75mg
Another Antipletelet for 12 months
Atorvastatin 80mg OD
ACEi
Atenolol
Aldosterone agonist (if w/ clinical HF)
What aldosterone agonist might be used as secondary prevention for ACS?
Eplerenone 50mg OD
What are the complications of ACS?
DREAD
Death
Rupture (septum / papillary muscles)
oEdema (HF)
Arrythmia / aneurysm
Dressler’s syndrome
What is another name for Dressler’s syndrome?
When does it occur?
Post-MI syndrome
2-3 weeks post MI
What causes Dressler’s syndrome?
Pericardial inflammation
How does Dressler’s syndrome present?
pleuritic chest pain
low grade fever
pericardial rub
How do you diagnose Dressler’s syndrome?
ECG - global STE + T wave inversion
Echo - pericardial effusion
^inflammatory markers
What are the management options for Dressler’s syndrome?
NSAIDs
Steroids
Pericardiocentesis
What is stable angina?
symptoms come on only with exertion and are always relieved by rest or GTN
Name 3 special tests for stable angina
Cardiac stress testing
CT coronary angiography
Invasive coronary angiography
How do you use GTN for stable angina?
Take when symptoms start, then every 5 minutes if symptoms remain.
If still there after 15 mins take again and call and ambulance
What does GTN do?
vasodilation
Name 2 SEs of GTN
Headaches
Dizziness
What ar the 2 options for long term symptomatic relief of stable angina
BB
CCB
What 4 other drugs might be conidered by a specialist when managing stable angina?
Long acting nitrates (e.g. isosorbide mononitrate)
Ivabradine
Nicorandil
Ranolazine
What secondary prevention methods might be used for stable angina?
4 As
Aspirin 75mg OD
Atorvastatin 80mg OD
ACEi
Already on a BB for symptoms
How much exercise do NICE reccomend for preventing cardiovascular disease?
Aerobic activity - 150 mins moderate intensity or 75 mins vigorous intensity per week
Strength - 2x weekly
What score is used to assess the percentage risk that a patient will have a stroke or MI in the next 10 years?
QRISK
> 10% -> statin
Atorvastatin 20mg at night
Atorvastatin is offered as a primary prevention to all patients with…?
CKD
T1DM >10 years or are over 40 years
How do statins work?
reduce cholesterol production in the liver by inhibiting HMG CoA reductase
How do you monitor patients on statins?
Check lipids 3 months after starting statins (aim for >40% reduction in non-HDL cholesterol)
Check LFTs within 3 months of starting statin, again at 12 months
Why do LFTs need to be check with patients on statins?
may cause transient and mild ^ALT/AST in first few weeks
Don’t bother stopping if the rise is less than 3 times the upper limit of normal
What needs to be checked before increasing the dose of statins?
Adherence to current regime
What are the SEs to be aware of with statins?
Myopathy
Rhabdomyolysis
T2DM
Hamorrhagic stroke
What drug interaction do you need to be wary of in patients on statins?
Macrolides (clarithromycin, erythromycin)
Name 3 cholesterol lowering drugs
statins
Ezetimibe
PCSK9 inhibitors
What dual antipletelet therapy is offered post-MI?
Aspirin 75mg OD (indefinitely)
Clopidogrel / ticagrelor (12 months)
What is the antiplatelet of choice in PAD following ischaemic stroke?
Clopidogrel
How is Familial Hypercholesterolaemia inherited?
AD