Cardiology Flashcards
DDX for palpitations
Hypomagnesemia Hyperkalemia Anxiety Alcohol withdrawal Anemia Atrial septal defect Acute coronary syndrome Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Mitral valve prolapse Hyperthyroidism Thyroid storm Hypoglycemia
DDX for DOE
Coarctation of the aorta
Mitral regurgitation
CHF
DDX for orthopnea
CHF (left)
Constrictive pericarditis
DDX for edema
CHF (right) Pericardial tamponade Dilated cardiomyopathy Restrictive cardiomyopathy Peripheral venous disease Chronic venous insufficiency
DDX for syncope
Hypocalcemia Anemia Ventricular septal defect Atrial septal defect Coarctation of the aorta Long QT syndrome Myocarditis Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Aortic stenosis Mitral valve prolapse Abdominal aortic aneurysm Aortic dissection Pulmonary embolism
A new left bundle branch block should be treated as an _________
Infarction
Q waves are specific for ___________ but are a late finding
Necrosis
Cardiac enzymes
Myoglobin
CK-MB
Troponins (preferred)
Most pts with negative enzymes can have an MI excluded by _________, but for high risk pts, should continue serial labs for _________ hours
8 hours
12-24 hours
Reinfarction is diagnosed if troponin increases over ____%
20
Unstable angina will not have an elevation in:
Cardiac enzymes
Long PR interval > 0.2 seconds
Treatment?
First degree heart block
No treatment
PR progressively lengthens until it fails to produce a QRS complex.
Treatment?
Mobitz I / Wenckebach
No tx until pt is symptomatic.
Place pacemaker if symptoms are present.
Atropine if unstable
Patient will have continuously dropped QRS complex, however there won’t be lengthening of the PR interval.
Treatment?
Mobitz II
Pacemaker to prevent progression 3rd degree
Signal from atria does not reach ventricle. P waves are independent from QRS complex.
Treatment?
Third degree heart block
Pacemaker - may be fatal
Wide QRS, RSR pattern in leads V1/V2/V3, S wave wider than R wave in leads 1 and V6.
Treatment?
Right Bundle Branch Block
Asymptomatic does not need tx
Symptomatic: pacemaker
Wide QRS, notched R wave in leads I/aVL/V5/V6.
Treatment?
Left Bundle Branch Block
Must be treated as an MI if new
Patients will present with abrupt onset of palpitations and the EKG will show complex tachycardia.
QRS absorbs p waves.
Treatment?
Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia
If hemodynamic instability exists: cardiovert
If stable: vagal maneuvers - valsalva or carotid massage
If this does not work: adenosine - then CCB or BB
Wide complex QRS without P waves. Following wide complex QRS, will usually be a compensatory pause. Pts may present with palpitations
Treatment?
Premature ventricular contraction
Asymptomatic: no tx
Symptomatic: BB
P wave before expected and p wave morphology will differ
Treatment?
Premature atrial contraction
Asymptomatic: no tx
Symptomatic: BB
Treatment for wide complex tachycardia
Unstable: cardiovert
Stable: amiodarone, lidocaine or procainamide
If medication does not convert to sinus, cardiovert
Treatment for torsades de pointes
Magnesium sulfate is med of choice
Cardiac pacing if ineffective
Sawtooth waves at 250-300 bpm (no p waves)
Treatment?
Atrial flutter Stable: vagal, BB or CCB Unstable: synchronized cardioversion Definitive management: radiofrequency ablation Anticoagulation similar to AFib
Irregularly irregular rhythm with narrow QRS usually
Atrial fibrillation
Management of atrial fibrillation if stable
- Rate control: BB, CCB, digoxin
2. Rhythm control - cardioversion, radiofrequency ablation
Management of atrial fibrillation if unstable
Direct current (synchronized) cardioversion
Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation
CHA2DS2-VASc score 2 - anticoagulants recommended Congestive heart failure Hypertension Age > 75 Diabetes mellitus Stroke, TIA, thrombus Vascular disease Age 65-74 Sex (female)
Increased BP + acute end organ damage
Hypertensive emergencies
Hypertensive emergencies are usually seen with systolic blood pressure > ______ and/or diastolic BP > _______
180
120
though, no specific threshold
4 types of damage seen with hypertensive emergencies
- Neurological damage
- Cardiac damage
- Renal damage
- Retinal damage
Ruling out neurological damage with hypertensive emergency
Neurological exam
May need CT to r/o stroke
Ruling out cardiac damage with hypertensive emergency
ECG
CXR to r/o dissection, look for pulmonary edema
CK-MB / troponin
Ruling out renal damage with hypertensive emergency
UA - proteinuria and/or hematuria
May need chemistries to look for increased BUN/Cr
Ruling out retinal damage with hypertensive emergency
Malignant HTN/Grade IV - papilledema
may present with blurred vision
Management of hypertensive emergency
Decrease BP by no more than 25% within the first hour and an additional 5-15% over the next 23 hours using IV agents
Signs/symptoms of shock (cardiogenic or hypovolemic)
Generally acutely ill AMS Decreased peripheral pulses Tachycardia Skin usually cool and mottled
Laboratory tests for shock (cardiogenic or hypovolemic)
- CBC
- BMP
- Lactate
- Coag studies
- Cultures (looking for sepsis)
- ABG
Etiologies of hypovolemic shock (hemorrhagic)
GI bleed, AAA rupture, massive hemoptysis, trauma, ectopic pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage
Etiologies of hypovolemic shock (non-hemorrhagic)
Vomiting, bowel obstruction, pancreatitis, severe burns, diabetic ketoacidosis
Diagnosis of hypovolemic shock
Vasoconstriction (High SVR) Hypotension Low CO Decreased pulmonary capillary pressure CBC: high hgb, hct
Management of hypovolemic shock
- ABCDE’s - 2 large IV lines or central
- Volume resuscitation
- Control source of hemorrhage, +/- packed RBCs
- Prevention of hypothermia, treat any coagulopathies
Etiologies of cardiogenic shock
Cardiac disease - myocardial infarction, myocarditis, valve dysfunction, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias
Management of cardiogenic shock
- Oxygen, isotonic fluids (not large amounts of fluid)
- Inotropic support - dobutamine, amrinone, intra aortic balloon pump
- Treat underlying cause
Most common cause of systolic congestive heart failure
Coronary artery disease
Most common cause of diastolic congestive heart failure
HTN
In diastolic dysfunction, ejection fracture is _________. In systolic dysfunction, ejection fraction is __________
Normal
< 50%
Fatigue, SOB, orthopnea, PND, chronic cough, pedal edema, JVD, S3 gallop, S4 gallop
Congestive heart failure
S3 gallop is seen with _______ heart failure
Systolic
S4 gallop is seen with _________ heart failure
Diastolic
Crackles, orthopnea, and PND are seen more with __________ heart dysfunction
Left sided
JvD, hepatojugular reflux, pedal edema, ascites are seen more with ________ heart dysfunction
Right sided
Diagnosis of congestive heart failure
- Clinical
- Echo with ejection fracture
- ECG
- CXR
- Stress testing
Treatment for diastolic dysfunction
Manage sx and treat comorbid conditions. No medications proven
Treatment for systolic dysfunction
ACEI/ARBs
BB
Never give _____ during an acute exacerbation of CHF and also be careful with _____
BB
CCB
Most acute exacerbations of CHF present with:;
Acute pulmonary edema
Treatment of acute exacerbation of CHF
LMNOP Loop diuretic Morphine Nitrates Oxygen Position (head up)
Substernal chest pain that is usually brought on by exertion (due to decreased supply and increased demand) - 4 different classes of severity
Angina pectoris
Levine’s sign
Clenched fist over chest
Diagnosis of angina pectoris
- ECG initial test
- Angiography gold standard
- Stress testing
- Stress echocardiogram