Cardiology Flashcards
What is bicuspid aortic valve?
Congenital heart condition where aortic valve has 2 instead of 3 leaflets
Bicuspid aortic valve - 2 Complications
Aortic stenosis (Narrowing aorta) Aortic regurgitation (Backflow blood from aorta to ventricle)
What activity would make the complications of bicuspid aortic valve appear faster?
Exercise
Bicuspid aortic valve - Treatment
Valve replacement
What is an ASD (Atrial septal defect) ?
Congenital heart condition which causes a left to right shunt (hole in heart)
Primum - presents earlier
Secundum - asymptomatic until adulthood
By age 40 what 2 issues can ASD lead to?
Heart failure
SOB
What can reverse shunt lead to in ASD?
Pulmonary hypertension - Cyanosis and organ damage
What is VSD (Ventricular septal defect) ?
Congenital heart defect which causes a left to right shunt (hole in heart)
No cyanosis
Size of holes in heart and their symptoms
Large holes - symptoms during infancy
Small holes - asymptomatic but increased risk of infective endocarditis
ASD//VSD - Treatment
Medically treated at first as may close naturally
Otherwise, surgery required
What is coarctation of the aorta?
Aorta is narrowed at the site of the ductus arteriosus
Coarctation of aorta - Complications (mild and severe)
Mild - Raised BP
Severe - Blocked aorta, heart failure, IE
Coarctation of aorta - Treatment
Surgery
Stent
What is cyanosis?
Blue-ish discolouration of skin etc, due to excessive concentration
What is the most common cyanotic cardiac disorder?
Tetralogy of fallot (TOF)
Tetralogy of fallot (TOF) - 4 features
VSD
Pulmonary stenosis
RV hypertrophy
Overriding aorta
Tetralogy of fallot (TOF) - Treatment
Surgery
ECG - PQRST
P wave - Atria depolarise
PR interval - Delay of AV node to allow ventricle filling
QRS complex - Ventricles depolarise
ST segment - Beginning of ventricle repolarisation
T wave - Ventricles repolarise
Myocardial ischaemia - 2 Causes
Reduced blood flow to heart muscle due to clot/atheroma
Reduced O2 carrying capacity (Anaemia) or availability (Hypoxia)
Ischemic heart disease - Risk factors
Modifiable - Smoking, obesity, exercise, diet
Clinical - Hypertension, diabetes
Non-modifiable - Age, genetics, gender (m>f)
Psychosocial - High stress jobs, low social interaction and support
Which tool predicts risk of cardiovascular disease in next 10 years?
QRISK2 score
Angina pectoris - Presentation
Chest pain on exertion but rapidly resolves with rest May radiate to arms, jaw and neck Dyspnoea Palpitations Syncope (fainting)
Angina pectoris - 4 Investigations (BECA)
ECG - ST depression, T wave inversion
Bloods - Anaemia
CXR - Heart size and pulmonary vessels
Angiogram - Luminal narrowing
Angina pectoris - Treatment
Lifestyle - Diet, exercise, stop smoking
Medical - Control hypertension and diabetes
Drugs - GTN spray (chest pain), B-blocker, aspirin, ACE-inhibitor, ivabradine (HR lowering)
PCTA - Stenting (ballooning) the narrowing
CABG is another option
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) - Pathology
Plaque rupture leads to thrombosis and inflammation
Necrosis and myocyte death
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) - ECG changes
STEMI (ST elevation MI) - ST elevation
NSTEMI (Non STEMI) - ST depression, T inversion
Ischaemia - ST depression, T wave flat
Q waves - indicate previous infarctions
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) myocardial infarction (MI) localisation and affected artery
Anterior/septal MI - LAD Lateral - LCX Inferior - RCA/RCX Posterior - RCX Right ventricle/atrial - RCA
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) - Investigations (EBC)
ECG (acute) - ST elevation
ECG (days) - T wave inversion, Q waves
Bloods - FBC, U&E
Cardiac enzymes - Raised troponin, CK (Creatine kinase), myoglobin
Which angina is stable?
Angina pectoris
Unstable angina - Investigations
FBC - Anaemia
Cardiac enzymes
ECG - ST depression
Coronary angiography
Myocardial infarction (MI) - Pathology
Plaque rupture leads to a clot which occludes a coronary artery causing myocardial cell death and inflammation
Myocardial infarction - Signs and symptoms
Signs - Pale, pansystolic murmur, peripheral oedema
Symptoms - Acute central chest pain radiating to jaw/shoulder, lasting over 20 mins, SOB, palpitations
Which tends to be more dangerous STEMI or NSTEMI?
STEMI>NSTEMI
STEMI - Acute management
1) 12-lead ECG
2) Oxygen
3) Establish IV access
4) Aspirin
5) Morphine and anti-emetic
6) B-blocker and ACE-inhibitor
7) Refer for PCI (Stent) or thrombolysis ASAP
STEMI - Chronic management (ABAS)
Aspirin B-blocker (Verapamil) ACE-inhibitor Statin (lower cholesterol) Address modifiable risk factors (exercise)
Name 2 life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias
Ventricular tachycardia
Ventricular fibrillation
Differential diagnosis of chest pain
Cardiac - ACS
Resp - PE, pneumonia
MSK - Rib fracture/chest trauma
GI - GORD
Peripheral arterial disease - Signs and symptoms
Signs - Absent pulses, ulcers
Symptoms - Cramping pain in calves, thighs and buttocks relieved by rest
Peripheral arterial disease - 6 Ps of limb ischaemia
Pain Pallor (pale) Pulselessness Paraesthesis (pins and needles sensation) Paralysis Perishing cold
Peripheral arterial disease - Investigations
Colour duplex US (ultrasound) - Blood vessels flow
CT angiography - Stenoses/vessel quality
Blood tests - Raised CK due to muscle damage
Peripheral arterial disease - Management
Risk factor modification - stop smoking, diet (lower fat/chol), exercise
Medication - Anti-platelet (Clopidogrel)
PTA (stent) /surgery - correct stenosis
Critical limb ischemia - Symptoms (6Ps)
Pain Pallor (pale) Pulselessness Paraesthesis (pins and needles sensation) Paralysis Perishing cold
Critical limb ischemia - Causes
Thrombosis
Emboli
Trauma
Graft occlusion
Critical limb ischemia - Management
Surgical embolectomy
Local thrombolysis with t-PA
If not revascularised within 6 hrs then amputation last resort
What is heart failure?
Symptomatic condition where breathlessness, fluid retention and fatigue are associated with a cardiac abnormality that reduces cardiac output
Heart failure - 2 Types
Systolic - Failure to contract (IHD, MI)
Diastolic - Inability to relax (Hypertension, cardiac tamponade, constrictive pericarditis)
Heart failure - 2 Types of output
Low output HF - Decreased cardiac output which fails to increase with exertion (due to pump failure)
High output HF - Anaemia, pregnancy, hyperthyroidism
Heart failure - 3 Compensatory changes to increase preload/afterload
Sympathetic stimulation (peripheral vasoconstriction) RAAS (salt/water retention, vasoconstriction) Cardiac changes (Myocyte hypertrophy)
Heart failure - 4 Mechanisms
1) Increased preload
2) Increased afterload
3) Salt and water retention
4) Myocardial remodelling
Left-sided HF - Signs and symptoms
Signs - Cardiomegaly, reduced BP, tachycardia, heart murmur, 3rd/4th heart sounds
Symptoms - Dyspnoea, fatigue, nocturnal cough (pink, frothy sputum)
Right-sided HF - Causes
Left ventricular failure (LVF)
Pulmonary stenosis
Lung disease
Right-sided HF - Signs and symptoms
Signs - Raised JVP (jugular venous pressure), hepatomegaly, pitting oedema, weight gain (fluid), ascites (fluid in abdomen)
Symptoms - Peripheral oedema, ascites, nausea, anorexia
Heart failure - Investigations
Bloods - FBC, U&E, LFT Cardiac enzymes - Creatinine kinase (CK), troponin CXR ECG Echo (TTE)
Heart failure - Management
Lifestyle - SED (Quit smoking, exercise, diet) Loop diuretics ACEi B-blockers Aldosterone antagonists
Heart failure - Treatment
Acute - Oxygen, GTN, diamorphine, furosemide (IV where poss)
Chronic - Ramipril (ACEi), atenolol (B-blocker), amlodipine (vasodilator), furosemide (loop diuretic)
Cardiac dysrhythmias - 2 Types
Bradycardia - <60bpm
Tachycardia - >100bpm