Cardiology Flashcards
Define heart failure.
failure to pump blood at a rate sufficient to meet the metabolic requirements of the tissues
characterised by haemodynamic changes e.g. systemic vasoconstriction and neurohumeral changes
List some causes of heart failure.
coronary heart disease, hypertension, toxins, genetics, sepsis, tamponade, valve disease, infections
Describe the signs and symptoms of heart failure.
- symptoms: dyspnoea, orthopnoea, PND, cough, ankle swelling, fatigue, tiredness
- signs: peripheral oedema, elevated JVP, third heart sound, displaced apex beat, pulmonary oedema, pleural effusion
Discuss 4 main types of heart failure.
- HF-REF (systolic HF): young, male, coronary
- HF-PEF (diastolic HF): older, female, hypertension
- Chronic (congestive): present of a period of time
- Acute (decompensated): usually admitted to hospital, worsening of chronic, new onset
Briefly describe the pathophysiology of heart failure.
- MI leads to left ventricular systolic dysfunction
- perceived reduction in circulating volume and pressure
- neurohumeral activation: SNS, RAAS, ET, AVP, natriuretic peptides
- systemic vasoconstriction: renal Na+ and H20 retention
Discuss the NYHA classification of heart failure.
- no symptoms or limitations in ordinary activity
- mild SOB/angina, slight limitation
- marked limitation in activity due to symptoms even during less-than-activity, only comfortable at rest
- severe limitations, symptoms even at rest, mostly bedbound
What investigations would you carry out if you suspected heart failure?
ECG, CXR, echo, blood chemistry, natriuretic peptides (BNP raised)
What is the management plan in heart failure according to SIGN guidelines?
- Beta blocker + ACEi (or ARB if ACEi intolerant)
- If symptoms ongoing: + MRA
- Need specialised advice: + sacubitril/valsartan (ARNi) stop ACEi/ARB
- ICD or CRT-P/D, ivabradine (if sinus rhythm HR > 75)
- Digoxin (if renal dysfunction, hyperkalaemia etc)
- Consider referral for transplant
What is different about the management of HF-PEF according to ACCF/AHA guidelines?
give aldosterone receptor antagonists if:
- EF > 45%
- elevated BNP levels
- eGFR > 30 ml/min
- creatinine < 2.5 mg/dL
- potassium < 5.0 mEq/L
Discuss classification and subsequent treatment of acute heart failure.
- identify haemodynamic profile
1. wet + warm = congestion + high systolic BP = vasodilator, diuretic and ultrafiltration if fluid accumulation rather than distribution
2. wet + cold = congestion: - systolic BP < 90: inotropic agent, vasopressor, diuretic
- systolic BP > 90: vasodilators, diuretic, inotropic agents
3. dry + warm = adequately perfused, compensated: adjust oral therapy
4. dry + cold = hypoperfused, hypovoloemic: consider fluid challenge, inotropic agent
What does PCWP stand for and what does it indirectly estimate?
Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
left atrial pressure
Discuss the CXR features of congestive heart failure.
A - alveolar oedema B - kerley B lines C - cardiomegaly D - dilated upper lobe vessels E - pleural effusion
What are Kerley B lines? What causes them?
- horizontal lines of about 2cm commonly found in lung bases
- fluid leakage into interlobular septa
- interstitial pulmonary oedema
What is a subpulmonic effusion? How is it seen on CXR?
- pleural effusion that collects at the base of the lung, in the space between the pleura and diaphragm
- upper edge mimics diaphragm contour so often difficult to detect
- principal sign: apparent elevation of diaphragm, lateral peak of hemidiaphragm, costophrenic angle ill-defined
Give a definition of endocarditis.
infection of endocardium, formation of a vegetation, results in damage to cusp of valves (commonly mitral)
What pathogens cause endocarditis?
- fungi: Candida
- gram+ve: rods, strep, staph
- gram-ve: HACEK organisms, pseudomonas aeruginiosa, enterobacterials e.g. E. coli
- coxiella burnetti (Q fever)
Give 3 classes of endocarditis.
- Native valve endocarditis
- Endocarditis in IVDUs
- Prosthetic valve endocarditis
What are some risk factors for NVE?
aortic stenosis (age related calcification, congenital, RF arising from sleep Strep. pyogenes) mitral prolapse
Why is endocarditis more common on the right side in IVDU?
- particulate-induced endothelial damage to right sided valves
- increased bacterial load in these patients
- deficient immune response caused by IVDU
Differentiate between acute and subacute clinical features of endocarditis.
- acute: toxic presentation, developing in days/weeks, commonly S. aureus, progressive value destruction and metastatic infection
- subacute: mild toxicity, longer presentation, S. viridians, enterococcus
What are the early manifestations of endocarditis?
- fever and murmur = IE until proven otherwise
- fatigue and malaise
Describe how embolic events present in endocarditis.
- small emboli: splinter haemorrhage, conjunctival petechaie, haematuria
- large: CVA, renal infarction
- right sided endocarditis = septic pulmonary emboli
Discuss the longer term clinical manifestations of endocarditis.
- Osler’s nodes: painful, palpable lesions on hands and feet
- splenomegaly, nephritis, vasculitic lesions of skin and eyes, clubbing
- tissue damage: valve destruction and abscess
How would you make a diagnosis of endocarditis?
DUKE CRITERIA
Major Criteria
- presence of new onset murmur
- sustained bacteriaemia with a typical organism - blood cultures
- echocardiogram consistent with endocarditis
Minor Criteria: predisposition e.g. heart condition or IV drug use, fever, vascular phenomena, immunologic phenomena, microbiological evidence
How do you manage endocarditis?
- antibiotics
- surgical intervention: if HF, uncontrollable infection, prevention of embolism
How does rheumatic fever cause valvular damage? What are other clinical features?
- antibody cross reactivity affecting connective tissue
- recurrent inflammation and fibrinous repair and scarring
- painful joints, fever, rash
What causes mitral valve stenosis?
rheumatic fever, calcification, pressure overload, dilated LA, AF, pulmonary hypertension
What are the symptoms of mitral valve stenosis?
SOB, palpitation, chest pain, haemoptysis, right HF symptoms
Which type of heart murmur is best heard at apex with the patient laying on their left hand side?
mitral stenosis
Describe when each of the four main heart murmurs are found in the cardiac cycle.
- mitral stenosis: diastolic
- mitral regurgitation: systolic (ventricle contracts, blood flows back into atria as valve is incompetent)
- aortic stenosis: ejection systolic
- aortic regurgitation: diastolic
What are the symptoms of mitral regurgitation?
those consistent with congestive HF = SOB, pulmonary oedema, orthopnoea, and PND
What causes mitral regurgitation?
valve prolapse, volume overload, LV and LA dilatation, pulmonary hypertension
Describe the causes of aortic valve stenosis.
degeneration, congenital bicuspid (rather than tricuspid) valve, calcification
Where is an aortic valve stenosis best heard?
aortic area radiating to the neck
Discuss the symptoms of aortic stenosis and briefly describe how they develop.
- chest pain, breathlessness, sweating, clammy (consistent with ischaemia - too much pressure leads to left ventricular hypertrophy and increased vascular demand)
- syncope on exertion: increased CO demand
- HF - increased atrial pressure, increased pulmonary pressure, pulmonary oedema
List causes of aortic regurgitation.
degeneration, aortic root dissection, endocarditis, Marfan’s, ankylosing spondylitis, SLE
How would you best heard an aortic regurg murmur?
ask patient to sit up and breath out, left sternal edge
How does LV dilatation develop in aortic regurg and how does this manifest clinically?
- volume overload as valve is incompetent so blood flows back from aorta
- exertion dyspnoea, orthopnoea, PND
- may have apex displacement
Describe the investigation of valvular heart disease.
ECG (LVH), echo (valves and LV dimensions), doppler US (flow), coronary angiography
Discuss the treatment of valvular heart disease.
- Medications: control of fluid, AF, hypertension, diabetes, rate
- Valve replacement
- metallic/mechanical: need warfarin, longer lasting
- tissue: no anticoag, shorter lasting - Procedural interventions
- transcatheter aortic valve intervention TAVI: non operative candidates, expensive, not common
- valvuloplasty: in mitral valve disease, opens up tight valve in young rheumatic patients
- mitraclip
Describe how peri-operative adverse cardiac effect risk is calculated.
high risk surgery = 1 ischaemic HD = 1 history of HF = 1 CVD = 1 insulin therapy = 1 creatinine > 177 umol/L = 1 0 = 0.4%, 1 = 0.9%, 2 = 6.6%, >3 = 11.1%
What is the clinical importance of the difference between a STEMI and an NSTEMI?
- STEMI: complete occlusion (thrombosis/embolism) of coronary artery
- NSTEMI: variable, transient/near complete occlusion of coronary artery or acute factor that deprives myocardium of oxygen
List the symptoms and signs of MI.
- chest pain radiating to jaw and down left arm, SOB, cold, clammy, sweating, indigestion
- tachycardia, distressed patient, HF (crackles, increased JVP), shock, arrhythmia
What is troponin and what does its presence indicated?
- part of cardiac myocyte
- release into blood marker of cardiac necrosis
What are some non-cardiac causes of troponin elevation?
CHF, tachyarrhythmias, PE, sepsis
List causes of chronically increased levels of troponin.
renal failure, chronic HF, infiltrative cardiomyopathies e.g. amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, haemochromatosis
What is unstable angina?
an acute coronary event without a rise in troponin i.e. clinical presentation of an MI and ECG changes or tight narrowings on coronary angiography
Discuss the five types of MI.
- Spontaneous MI due to a primary coronary event e.g. coronary plaque rupture and formation of thrombus
- Increased oxygen demand or decreased oxygen supply e.g. HF, sepsis, anaemia, hyper/hypotension
- Sudden cardiac death
- MI ass. with percutaneous coronary intervention
- MI ass. with CABG
What are the ECG patterns seen in a STEMI?
- ST elevation reflects occlusion of coronary artery, occurs in regional patterns
- exception: posterior infarct = STE not seen
- LBBB: QRS > 3 little blocks, new = infarction, old = obscure ST elevation in infarct
Discuss the anatomical significance of ST elevation in the ECG leads.
- anterior elevation (V1-4) + reciprocal depression in inferior (II, III, aVF) = LAD
- high lateral elevation (I, aVL) + reciprocal depression in inferior = LCx
- inferior elevation + high lateral depression = RCA or LCx
How would you detect a posterior wall infarct on ECG? And infarction of which arteries would cause it?
- no ECG leads look directly at posterior wall
- anterior leads opposite so posterior STE = anterior ST depression
- LCx or RCA - often ass. with inferior or lateral STE
What are the characteristics of left bundle branch block?
broad QRS complex > 120 m/s
dominant S in V1 (QRS mostly down)
broad R wave in V6
Describe the immediate management of a STEMI.
- ABCD
- Ambulance attached to defibrillator
- Aspirin 300mg PO
- Unfractionated heparin 5000U IV
- Morphine 5-10 mg IV
- Anti-emetics
- Clopidogrel (in ambulance) = antiplatelet
- 600mg if for PPCI
- 300mg if for thrombolysis - Ticogrelor 180mg = antiplatelet
- Activate PPCI team at GJNH