Cardiology Flashcards
What is the MOA of Sacubitril?
- Neprilysin inhibition
- Neprilysin is an enzyme that degrades atrial and brain natriuretic peptides (ANP, BNP), bradykinin and adrenomedullin which are endogenous vasodilating peptides.
- Sacubitril therefore increases the levels of these peptides.
- Antihypertensive effect:
1. reduce blood volume
2. increased sodium excretion
Sacubitril-valsartan improves outcomes in HFREF (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction) compared to Enalapril. What are these outcomes (3)?
- Reduced cardiac death and hospitalisation for HF
- Reduced overall mortality
- Reduced symptoms and improved function
Summary: improved morbidity, mortality and symptoms
Combining ACEi and Neprolysin inhibition (sacubutril) leads to what serious complication?
Serious angioedema - therefore sacubitril is combined with ARB.
T/F: continuous infusion of epoprostenol (Flolan) improves the survival of patient with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
True.
What is epoprostanol?
- drug version of Prostacyclin (aka Prostaglandin I2)
- potent vasodilator and inhibits platelet activation
Post ACS, addition of which drug to statin therapy improves cardiovascular outcomes?
Ezetimibe
T/F: Obesity is an independent risk factor for AF
True
What ECG signs are suggestive of dextrocardia?
- Tall R-wave in V1
2. Absent R-wave in V6
Patient has ECG findings suggestive of dextrocardia and reports being infertile, what is the diagnosis
Dextrocardia + Infertility = Kartagner’s syndrome
Infertility is due to ciliary dyskinesia
Transmission of which pathogen is peculiar to cardiac transplant from the donor heart compared to other solid organ transplants?
Toxoplasma gondii.
What % of patients with HFREF have central sleep apnoea?
15%
How is ‘severe’ aortic stenosis defined according to the following parameters:
- VA: Valve area (cm^2) - also, what is considered ‘critical’?
- PV: Maximum aortic velocity - aka peak velocity (m/s)
- MPG: Mean pressure gradient (mmHg)
- VA less than 1 (critical is less than 0.6) cm^2
- PV more than 4 m/s
- MPG more than 40 mmHg
In the medical treatment of HOCM, what drugs are recommended and which should be avoided?
Name 2 of each.
Recommended:
1st line - beta blockers
2nd line - verapamil (non-dihydropyridine CCB)
Avoid (may worsen LVOT obstruction):
- GTN (vasodilators)
- Frusemide (diuretics)
T/F: Most cardiac tumours are benign.
True (75% benign)
What is the most common type of cardiac tumour?
Where is it usually located?
- Myxomas (mesenchyme origin) that are capable for neural and endothelial differentiation.
- 80% found in the left atrium, the rest in the right atrium.
What is the clinical significance of a positive parasternal heave?
Suggests RV-hypertrophy, rarely left atrial enlargement pushing RV forward.
What are the 2 clinical pre-cordial findings of pulmonary HTN?
- Parasternal heave - RV-hypertrophy
2. Palpable P2 (i.e. P2 tap) - closure of PV
In the Stress ECG test, which of the following is more specific for myocardial ischaemia:
- Upsloping ST depression
- Horizontal ST depression
- Downsloping ST depression
Horizontal and downsloping is more specific
What specific ECG finding on a Stress ECG test is considered ‘positive’ for myocardial ischaemia?
Great than or equal to 1 mm horizontal/downsloping ST depression in one or more leads that persists at 80 milliseconds after the J point.
What are 6 ECG end-points on a Stress ECG test that should prompt termination of the test?
Ischaemia:
1. Marked ST depression
Arrhythmias:
- New BBB
- VT or VF
- Increasing ventricular ectopy
- SVT
- HB (Mobitz II or CHB)
What are 3 types of ventricular ectopy?
- Premature beats
- Couplets
- NSVT
What mechanism creates the ‘ultra’ sound in the ultrasound probe?
- Striking of piezo-electrical crystals with an electric pulse.
- Crystals release sound waves
With ultrasonography, what is the relationship of the frequency of the ultrasound and resolution and tissue penetration?
Increased frequency leads to INCREASED resolution but DECREASED tissue penetration.
For the E/A ratio of cardiac ultrasound (pulse-wave doppler across the MV), what is the significance of the E-wave and A-wave?
Is the ratio positive or negative under normal conditions?
E-wave (early wave) = passive filling of the ventricle
A-wave (atrial wave) = active filling with atrial systole
Normally, E-wave is slightly greater than A-wave, therefore E/A ratio is usually POSITIVE.