Cardiology - DPD Flashcards
List three important investigations to carry out in the acute setting when a patient presents with chest pain.
ECG
Troponins
Echocardiogram
What is the next step in the management of a patient whose troponins are: Negative
Exercise tolerance test
What is the next step in the management of a patient whose troponins are:Positive
Coronary angiography
List possible causes of chest pain from each of the following systems:
Cardiac
Respiratory
Gastro
Musculoskeletal
Cardiac Ischaemic heart disease Pericarditis Aortic dissection Respiratory PE Pneumonia Pneumothorax GI Oesophageal spasm Oesophagitis/Gastritis Musculoskeletal Costochondritis
List the symptoms, associated symptoms and risk factors of ischaemic heart disease.
Symptoms: Central, crushing chest pain Associated Symptoms: Nausea Sweating Risk Factors: Smoking Diabetes mellitus Hypertension
List the symptoms and associated symptoms of pericarditis.
Symptoms:
Pleuritic pain (worse on inspiration), which is better when leaning forward
Associated Symptoms:
Preceding flu-like symptoms
List the symptoms, associated symptoms and risk factors of aortic dissection.
Symptoms: Tearing pain between the shoulder blades Associated Symptoms: Based on where blood supply is being lost (e.g. if dissection spread up the carotid arteries it can cause stroke) Risk Factors: Hypertension Marfan’s Syndrome Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
List some specific respiratory symptoms that you should ask a patient about when taking a history.
Wheeze Breathlessness Haemoptysis Cough Weight loss
What is a common and major risk factor for gastritis?
Excessive alcohol
Which upper GI infection are immunocompromised patients at risk of developing?
Oral candidiasis
Following ECG, describe the management of a patient with a:
STEMI
NSTEMI
STEMI:
Go to cathlab immediately for percutaneous coronary intervention
Give aspirin + clopidogrel
NSTEMI
Go to cathlab within 24 hours
Give aspirin + clopidogrel + fondaprinux
State the artery affected and the ECG leads showing ST elevation in myocardial infarction affecting the following parts of the heart:
Anterior
Lateral
Inferior
Anterior Left Anterior Descending V1-V4 Inferior Right Coronary Artery II, III, aVF Lateral Left Circumflex I, aVL, V5/V6
Which common artery do the left circumflex and left anterior descending coronary arteries originate from?
Left Main Stem
How long after an MI does the troponin level peak?
24-48 hours
How long after an MI does the troponin level return to normal?
5-14 days
Describe how collapse caused by a cardiac condition is different from collapse caused by a neurological condition.
The sequence of events before, during and after the collapse is important
Before:
Cardiac – no warning
Neurological – there may be an aura
During:
Cardiac – no tongue biting
Neurological – there may be tongue biting
After:
Cardiac – the patient will not be confused
Neurological – patients tend to be confused
What are the three main cardiac causes of collapse?
Arrhythmia
Outflow Obstruction
Postural Hypotension
List the main causes of collapse.
Hypoglycaemia (DO NOT EVER FORGET GLUCOSE)
Cardiac
Vasovagal syncope (increased vagal discharge leads to bradycardia and collapse – it can be precipitated by certain conditions)
Arrhythmia
Outflow obstruction
Postural hypotension
Neurological - seizure
List some features of seizures.
Tongue biting
Aura
Wetting themselves
Being confused after the seizure
Define syncope.
Collapse caused by hypoperfusion of the brain
List some investigations for arrhythmias.
ECG
24 hr tape
Cardiac monitor
State two causes of left-ventricular outflow obstruction.
Aortic stenosis
Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM)
List two signs of aortic stenosis.
Slow-rising pulse
Ejection-systolic murmur
What is the main investigation for outflow obstruction?
Echocardiogram
What is the main investigation for postural hypotension?
Lying/standing blood pressure
List some causes of Long QT Syndrome.
Congenital (mutations of K+ channels)
Hypomagnesaemia
Hypokalaemia
Drugs
List three causes of pan-systolic murmur.
Mitral regurgitation
Tricuspid regurgitation
Ventricular septal defect
How do you differentiate between left-sided murmurs and right-sided murmurs?
Left-sided murmurs are louder on EXPIRATION
Right-sided murmurs are louder on INSIPRATION
State an important non-cardiac feature of tricuspid regurgitation.
Hepatomegaly – due to backpressure causing hepatic congestion
List three causes of a raised JVP.
Tricuspid regurgitation
Right heart failure
Constrictive pericarditis