Cardiology Chest Pain Flashcards
A 76-year-old woman is brought into A&E with central crushing chest pain that radiates to her jaw and left arm. An ECG is performed, which shows ST elevation in leads ll, lll and aVF. Her SaO2 is 89%. Before she is sent to the cathlab for percutaneous coronary intervention, she is started on a combination of drugs. Which of the following should not be given? A Morphine B Oxygen C Aspirin D Clopidogrel E Warfarin
E Warfarin
IMPORTANT: warfarin causes an initial pro-thrombotic phase because it blocks protein C and protein S. Therefore, heparin must be co-administered with warfarin to begin with, until the INR stabilises (between 2-3).
A 54-year-old man has been brought into A&E with a suspected acute coronary syndrome. An ECG is performed, which reveals ST elevation in leads I, aVL, V5 and V6. Which coronary artery has been occluded?
A Left main stem
B Left anterior descending coronary artery
C Left circumflex coronary artery
D Right coronary artery
E Posterior descending artery
C Left circumflex coronary artery
What is decubitus angina
When symptoms occur when lying down
What is prinzmetal angina
When symptoms are cause by coronary vasospasm
What is coronary syndrome X
When patients have symptoms of angina but with normal exercise tolerance and normal coronary angiograms
What is the conservative management of stable angina
stop smoking
lose weight
exercise
Alongside conservative management for stable angina what else should you give
Anti-platelet therapy:
aspirin 75-150mg orally once daily
or/and
clopidogrel 75mg orally once a day
Alongside conservative management for stable angina what else should you give
Anti-platelet therapy:
aspirin 75-150mg orally once daily
and/or
clopidogrel 75mg orally once a day
What is the medical management for stable angina
anti-anginal therapy
BB (metoprolol 50-200mg orally twice daily, propranolol 20-60mg orally twice daily)
and/or
CCB (nifedipine 30-90mg orally once daily, amlodipine 5-10mg orally once daily)
and/or
GTN for symptomatic control
What are the three main features of angina
- constricting discomfort in the chest or neck, shoulders, jaw and arms
- precipitated by exercise
- relieved by rest or GTN within 5 minutes
If a patient have all 3 features of angina, this is known as …
typical angina
If a patient has 2/3 features of angina, this is known as …
atypical angina
If a patients has 1/3 features of angina, this is known is …
likely to be non-anginal pain
Stable angina is a clinical diagnosis but what other investigation can be used to diagnose angina
Exercise ECG
Looking for ST-segment depression to identify ischaemia
In stable angina, what can be done if medical treatment in ineffective
PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) such as a stent
CABG
Define acute coronary Syndrome
A constellation of symptoms caused by sudden reduced blood flow to the heart muscle
What are the 3 conditions that encompass acute coronary syndrome
- Unstable angina pectoris - chest pain at rest due to ischaemia without cardiac injury
- Non-ST elevation MI
- ST-elevation MI
How do you distinguish between ACS:
unstable angina
NSTEMI
STEMI
- Clinical history
- ECG changes
YES: STEMI
NO: elevated troponin
YES: NSTEMI
NO: unstable angina
What are the signs and symptoms of acute coronary syndrome
acute-onset central, crushing chest pain
radiates to arms/neck/jaw
pallor
sweating
Note: silent infarts in elderly and diabetics
What are the ECG changes in a STEMI
hyperacute T waves, ST elevation, new onset LBBB
What are the ECG changes in an unstable angina/NSTEMI
ST depression, T wave inversion
What features on an ECG suggests an old infarct
pathological Q waves
Troponins are elevated in
both STEMI and NSTEMI suggesting myocardial injury
ST depression/elevation in leads II, III and aVF suggest an infarct where
inferior (right coronary artery)
An inferior infarction has ST elevation in which leads
Leads II, III, aVF
ST depression/elevation in leads V1-5 suggest an infarct where
Anterior (left anterior descending)
ST depression/elevation in leads I, avL, V5-6 suggest an infarct where
lateral (left circumflex)
Tall R waves and ST depression in V1-3 suggests an infarct in which part of the heart
posterior (posterior descending)
What coronary arteries supply the: inferior: anterior: lateral: posterior: portion of the heart
Inferior: RCA (right coronary artery)
Anterior: LAD (left anterior descending)
lateral: left circumflex
posterior: posterior descending
The posterior descending coronary artery is a branch of what coronary artery
RCA (right coronary artery)
in 70% of cases