Cardiology 2 Flashcards
What is angina?
The result of myocardial ischaemia, where blood supply < metabolic demand
Describe stable angina
- Chest pain precipitated by exposure to cold/exercise- Lasts 1-5 minutes- Relieved by rest/GTN
Describe unstable angina
- Chest pain at rest- Prolonged, lasts longer than 20 minutes- No relief by rest/GTN spray- No significant rise in troponin levels
Give 7 features of a myocardial infarction
- Cardiac chest pain2. Unremitting3. Occur at rest4. Associated with sweating, breathlessness, nausea and/or vomiting5. One third occur in bed at night6. Non-Q-wave or Q-wave MI7. NSTEMI or STEMI
What will most likely lead to pathological Q-wave formation, heart failure or death?
STEMI or MI associated with LBBB as they are associated with larger infarcts unless effectively treated
Describe NSTEMI
- Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction- Increase in troponin, myoglobin and creatine kinase levels- Retrospective diagnosis - no ST elevations on ECG (nearly complete blockage)
Describe STEMI
- ST-elevation myocardial infarction- Increase in troponin, myoglobin and creatine kinase levels- Diagnosis at presentation - ST elevations on ECG (complete blockage)
Describe Prinzmetal’s angina
- Caused by coronary artery spasms- Occur at rest/night
Describe initial management of ACS
- Call 999/get to hospital quickly- Take aspirin 300mg immediately- Take pain relief if required
Describe hospital management of ACS
- Confirm/make diagnosis
- Oxygen therapy
- Pain relief (opiates/nitrates)
- Aspirin +/- P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel) (dual antiplatelet therapy)
- Antianginal therapy (beta blockers, nitrates, calcium antagonists)
- PPCI if STEMI (fibrinolytic therapy if not available)
- Revascularisation
- Cardiac monitoring for arrhythmias
What is required to confirm/make a diagnosis of ACS?
- History- ECG- Troponin levels (potentially also myoglobin and CK levels)- Sometimes coronary angiography
When should you give oxygen therapy in ACS?
If the patient is hypoxic
Why might you choose to use opiates over nitrates and vice versa?
- Opiates my delay the absorption of P2Y12 inhibitors- Nitrates used for unstable angina/coronary vasospasm but may be ineffective for MI
What might you use in addition to dual antiplatelet therapy?
An anticoagulant e.g. fondaparinux or heparin
Describe PPCI
- Primary percutaneous coronary intervention- Treatment choice for STEMI- Predilate occluded coronary artery- Position stent- Deploy stent- Repeat angiogram 3 months later
Describe CABG
- Coronary artery bypass graft surgery- Used in about 10% of patients with NSTE ACS
What are reasons for patients not having obstructive coronary artery disease?
- The actual diagnosis is not ACS
- Plaque rupture occurs without significant stenosis and obstructed thrombus is resolve by time of angiography
- Stress induced (Tako-Tsubo) cardiomyopathy without obstructive CAD
What are acute coronary syndromes?
- Unstable angina- NSTEMI- STEMI
What are 11 predisposing factors for IHD (ischaemic heart disease)?
- Age2. Smoking3. Family history4. Diabetes mellitus5. Being Male6. Hyperlipidaemia7. Hypertension8. Kidney disease9. Obesity10. Physical inactivity11. Stress
What are 4 pros and 4 cons of PCI?
Pros - less invasive, convenient, repeatable and acceptableCons - risk stent thrombosis, risk restenosis, can’t deal with complex disease, dual antiplatelet therapy
What are 2 pros and 6 cons of CABG?
Pros - better prognosis, deals with complex diseaseCons - invasive, risk of stroke/bleeding, can’t do if frail/comorbid, one time treatment, length of stay, time for recovery
What is acute pericarditis?
An inflammatory pericardial syndrome with or without effusion
What are infectious causes of pericarditis?
- Viral (enteroviruses (coxsackie), adenoviruses etc.)
- Bacterial (mycobacterium tuberculosis)
- Fungal (histoplasma spp)
What are 5 non infectious causes of pericarditis?
- Trauma/iatrogenic
- Uraemia
- MI
- Secondary metastatic tumour
- Autoimmune (rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus)