Cardiology Flashcards
What are the inferior leads and supplying coronary artery?
II, III, aVF: right coronary artery
What are the anteroseptal leads and supplying coronary artery?
V1-4: left anterior descending artery
What are the lateral leads and supplying coronary artery?
I, aVL, V5-6: circumflex artery
Which territory of the heard is most likely in an MI with bradycardia?
inferior - right coronary artery supplies SAN and AVN (also RA, RV, inferior portion LV and posterior septum)
Which 3 medications should be avoided in HOCM?
- ACE inhibitors
- inotropes
- nitrates
What are 3 findings on ECHO in HOCM?
MR SAM ASH
1. mitral regurgitation
2. systolic anterior motion of the anterior mitral valve leaflet
3. asymmetric hypertrophy
What is the treatment approach to HOCM?
A-E
Amiodarone
Beta-blockers or verapamil for symptoms
Cardioverter defibrillator
Dual chamber pacemaker
Endocarditis prophylaxis
Which 2 medications do all patients with ACS receive?
aspirin 300mg + nitrates
What are the ECG criteria for a STEMI?
- clinical symptoms >20 min
- persistent (>20 min) ECG features in 2 consective leads of:
- >2.5mm STE in V2-V3 in men under 40y or >2mm STE in V2-V3 in men >40y
- >1.5mm STE in V2-V3 in women
- 1mm STE in other leads
- new LBBB
What are the 2 branches of the management of STEMI?
is PCI available within 120 minutes (2 hours) [of when fibrinolysis can be given]?
* if yes: give prasugrel, give UFH + bailout glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, perform PCI preferably with drug-eluting stent
* if no: give antithrombin (e.g. fondaparinux) at the same time as fibrinolysis. afterwards give ticagrelor
How should antiplatelets be managed in STEMI with bleeding risk?
if bleeding risk give ticagrelor instead of prasugrel, or clopidogrel instead of ticagrelor
if patients on anticoagulants swap prasugrel for clopidogrel
If patients with STEMI present after 12 hours how should they be managed?
consider PCI if ongoing myocardial ischaemia
What should be done if a patient’s ECG shows ongoing ST elevation following fibrinolysis?
transfer to centre for PCI
What medical treatments are given before and alongside PCI in STEMI?
- before: DAPT - aspirin + prasugrel (or clopidogrel if on anticoagulation)
- during: UFH + bailout glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor. if femoral access - bivalirudin
What medications should be given alongside fibrinolysis for STEMI?
antithrombin e.g. fondaparinux
What should be done after fibrinolysis for STEMI?
ECG at 60-90 minutes; if ongoing STE -> transfer for PCI
What are 7 signs of severe aortic stenosis?
- Narrow pulse pressure
- Slow rising pulse
- Delayed ESM
- Soft/ absent S2
- S4
- Left ventricular hypertrophy or failure
- Thrill
What are 5 causes of aortic stenosis?
- Degenerative calcification (commonest >65y)
- Bicuspid valve (commonest <65y)
- Williams syndrome (supravalvular)
- Rheumatic heart disease
- HOCM - subvalvular
What is the main indication for valve replacement in aortic stenosis?
Symptomatic
When should surgery be considered for aortic stenosis?
If pressure gradient is >40mmHg and presence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction
What are 2 options for surgical management of aortic stenosis?
- Replacement - surgical AVR or transcatheter AVR (TAVR)
- Balloon valvuloplasty
When is surgical AVR the treatment of choice for aortic stenosis?
Young, low/medium operative risk patients
When is TAVR the procedure of choice for aortic stenosis?
High operative risk patients
What are 2 situations when balloon valvuloplasty is the treatment of choice for aortic stenosis?
- children with no aortic valve calcification
- adults with critical aortic stenosis who aren’t fit for valve replacement
When does atrioventricular heart block require treatment and how?
requires treatment if patient symptomatic (syncope/ pre-syncope/ hypotension/ bradycardia) - trancutaneous pacing
What is the management for isolated systolic hypertension (diastolic BP normal)?
NICE recommends same as standard hypertension
What is the management of SVT (stepwise, 3 aspects)?
- vagal manouevres (carotid massage, blowing into empty plastic syringe)
- IV adenosine
- electrical cardioversion (indicated if shock i.e. hypotensive; only if pulse is present)
What doses of adenosine are given in SVT?
- 6mg IV
- if unsuccessful 12mg
- if unsuccessful further 18mg
If IV adenosine doesn’t work to arrest SVT what can be tried next?
electrical cardioversion
When is adenosine contraindicated for SVT and what can be given instead?
asthma - verapamil
What are 2 things that can be used for prevention of paroxysmal SVT episodes?
- beta blockers
- radio-frequency ablation
What are 5 aspects of the management of acute heart failure?
- high flow O2 and sit upright
- morphine if CP / severe distress
- IV furosemide
- IV GTN (if SBP >90)
- CPAP or NIV if acidotic / not responding to above
What are 3 haemodynamic findings in acute cardiac failure?
- increased right an dleft-sided ventricular filling pressures
- reduced cardiac index
- reduced cardiac output
What happens to the RAS in heart failure?
- activation of RAS
- salt and water retention
What are 3 aspects of the management of heart failure once the acute phase has been stabilised?
- ACEi
- beta blockers
- aldosterone antagonist e.g. spironolactone
What forms first line therapy for heart failure?
ACEi and beta blocker
What is second line therapy in heart failure already on ACEi and beta blocker?
Mineralocorticoid antagonists e.g. eplerenone, spironolactone
What drug has increasing evidence to support its use in heart failure (reduce hospitalisation and cardiovascular death) and therefore can be used as add on therapy?
SGLT2 inhibitors e.g dapagliflozin
What can be used as an add on to optimised care in heart failure, with evidence of reducing hospitalisation and cardiovascular death?
SGLT2 inhibitors
What are 5 options for third line therapy in heart failure?
- Ivabradine
- Digoxin
- Sacubitril-Valsartan
- Hydralazine + nitrate
- Cardiac resynchronisation therapy
What are 2 criteria for starting ivabradine as third line treatment for heart failure?
- HR > 75bpm
- LVEF < 35%
What is the criteria for sacubitril-valsartan for third line heart failure treatment?
LVEF <35%
When can sacubitril-valsartan be started in Heart failure treatment?
After ACEi/ARB washout period
Does digoxin improve mortality in heart failure?
No but can improve symptoms
When is digoxin strongly indicated for heart failure treatment?
Coexistence AF
When is hydralazine with a nitrate particularly indicated in heart failure?
African Caribbean patients
When is CRT indicated in heart failure?
patients with widened QRS E.g. LBBB
What are 5 drugs prescribed first line in stable angina?
- Aspirin
- Statin
- GTN
- beta blocker OR rate limiting CCB (verapamil / diltiazem)
What is the next step after first line therapy for angina?
- if on beta blocker - add longer acting dihydropyridine CCB E.g. amlodipine
- if on CCB add beta blocker (avoid verapamil + beta blocker -> heart block)
If a patient with angina is on monotherapy (beta blocker or CCB) what are 4 alternative medications to add if CCB/beta blocker not tolerated?
- Long-acting nitrate e.g. IMN
- Ivabradine
- Nicarondil
- Ranolazine
Which anti-anginal drug needs asymmetric dosing?
STANDARD release ISMN - need 10-14 hour drug free window (due to tolerance - don’t have same issue with MR form)
What is first line line treatment for T2DM if metformin (inc MR) is not tolerated in
a) normal QRISK
b) QRISK >10
a) sulphonylurea or DPP4 inhibitor or glitazone
b) SGLT2 inhibitor
What is the definition of prolonged QT interval?
Males >450ms
Females >460ms
What is Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome?
congenital accessory conducting pathway between atria and ventricles, leading to atrioventricular re-entry tachycardia (AVRT)
What are 4 ECG features in WPW syndrome?
- short PR interval
- slurred upstroke at start of QRS complex - delta wave
- wide QRS complexes
- left axis deviation if R sided pathway, RAD if L sided pathway
What are types A and B WPW syndrome?
- type A: L sided pathway - dominant R wave in V1
- type B: R sided pathway - no dominant R waves in V1
What are 5 associations of WPW?
- HOCM
- mitral valve prolapse
- Ebstein’s anomaly
- thyrotoxicosis
- secundum ASD
What is the definitive management of WPW syndrome?
radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathway
What are 3 options for medical therapy of WPW?
- sotalol
- amiodarone
- flecainide
Which of the options for medical therapy for WPW should be avoided in certain circumstances & when?
- sotalol - avoid in co-existent AF - prolonging refractory period at AV node may increase rate of transmission through accessory pathway, increasing ventricular rate and potentially deteriorating into VF
What 5 drugs for secondary prevention should patients who have had ACS be commenced on?
- aspirin - indefinitely
- clopidogrel - 12 months
- ACE inhibitor
- beta blocker
- statin
How long should beta blockers be continued as secondary prevention after ACS?
- if reduced LVEF - indefinitely
- if normal - may discontinue >12 months
- diltiazem or verapamil may be alternative in aptients wihtout pulmonary congestion / reduced LVEF
What are 3 options for the treatment of acute heart failure with hypotension <85 mmHg / cardiogenic shock?
- inotropic agents e.g. dobutamine (esp. severe LV dysfunction)
- vasopressor agents e.g. norepinephrine (if insufficient response to inotropes, end-organ hypoperfusion)
- mechanical circulatory assistance e.g. intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation, ventricular assist devices
What is synchronised cardioversion vs. desynchronised?
- synchronised used for unstable AF, atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia, SVTs
- unsynchronised = defibrillation, indicated for pulseless VT/VF, unstable polymorphic VT
What is the recommended rate control approach for management of AF?
- beta blocker or rate limiting calcium channel blocker (e.g. diltiazem/verapamil) first line
- if monotherapy not sufficient - add beta blocker, diltiazem, digoxin
How is the CHADSVasc score calculated?
- C = congestive cardiac failure
- H = hypertension
- A = age; 1 point for 65-74, 2 points >75
- D = diabetes mellitus
- S = prior stroke/ TIA / VTE = 2 points
- Vasc = ischaemic heart disease or peripheral arterial disease
- S = sex (female)
What dods the CHADSVascS score translate to in terms of management?
- 0 = no treatment
- 1 = males - consider anticoag; females = no treatment (just for being female)
- 2 = offer anticoag
Why is balloon valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis reserved for patients who cannot undergo surgical intervention?
efficacy lasts for approximately 6-12 months
What is the first line antiplatelet treatment for medically-managed ACS?
aspirin lifelong, ticagrelor 12 months
What is first line antiplatelet treatment for ACS managed with PCI?
Aspirin lifelong, prasugrel or ticagrelor 12 months
Why is it very important to recognise long QT syndrome?
can lead to ventricular tachycardia/torsade de pointes - can cause collapse/sudden death
What causes the most common variants of LQTS?
LQT1 and LQT2: defects in alpha subunit of slow delayed rectifier potassium channel
What are 2 congenital causes of prolonged QT interval?
- Jervell-Lange-Nielsen syndrome (includes deafness + due to abnormal K+ channel)
- Romano-Ward syndrome (no deafness)
What are 10 drugs that can cause long QT syndrome?
- amiodarone
- sotalol
- TCAs
- SSRIs
- methadone
- chloroquine
- terfenadine
- erythromycin
- haloperidol
- ondansetron
What are 3 electrolyte abnormalities that can cause long QT syndrome?
- hypokalaemia
- hypocalcaemia
- hypomagnesaemia
Other than electrolyte abnormalities and drugs, what are 4 acquired causes of long QT syndrome?
- acute MI
- myocarditis
- hypothermia
- subarachnoid haemorrhage
What clinical features differentiate long QT1/QT2/QT3?
- QT1: exertional syncope, swimming
- QT2: syncope from emotional stress, exercise or auditory stimuli
- QT3: events occur at night/rest
What are 3 aspects of the management of long QT syndrome?
- avoid drugs which prolong QT + other precipitants e.g. strenuous exercise
- beta blockers (NOT sotalol)
- implantable cardioverter defibrillators in high risk cases
What are 5 ECG findings in hypokalaemia?
- u waves
- small or absent T waves (occasionally inverted)
- prolonged PR interval
- ST depression
- long QT
Which artery supplies the inferior heart (leads II, III, aVF)?
Right coronary artery
Which artery supplies the anterolateral heart (leads I, V1-V6, aVL)?
Proximal left anterior descending artery
Which artery supplies the lateral heart (I, aVL, +- V5-6)?
Left circumflex
What ECG changed will be seen in a posterior STEMI?
- changes in V1-3
- horizontal ST depression
- tall, broad R waves
- upright T waves
- dominant R wave in V2
Which arteries supply the posterior heart?
L circumflex and R coronary