Cardioresp differentials Flashcards
What is a key question to ask in a palpitations history and what are the red flags?
Presenting complaint: palpitations (1) essential to establish a timeline! - has the patient kept a record? NB: also if the patient is having palpitations in the consultation: ask them to tap it out on the table Red Flags: (2) chest pain? (3) collapse? (4) FHx of sudden cardiac death
What conditions should be considered as Ddx for palpitations?
1) ventricular tachycardia
2) Atrial fibrillation
3) Supraventricular tachycardia
4) ventricular ectopics
5) Anxiety
6) Thyrotoxicosis
7) Phaeochromacytoma
What are the S&Sx and HPC associated with ventricular tachycardia?
"Ventricular Tachy: • Dizziness/ sweating/ pain • Paroxysmal noct dyspnoea • Symptoms of acute HF/ shock/ chest pain/ syncope may be a medical emergency → A to E assessment and CPR (however, less likely as OSCE) • Broad QRS complex ECG"
What are the risk factors and Ddx associated with ventricular tachycardia?
• Recent MI • Any ischaemic changes to the heart • Normal cardiac RFs Ddx: • Any other palpitation
What investigations should be done if palpitations are suspected?
"• Bedside: full exam and hx, basic obs, ECG, BM • Labs: FBC, U+E, Lipid screen, Mg2+, Ca2+, TSH • Imaging: consider 24hr ECG, consider ECHO for structural changes "
What would the signs and symptoms/HPC of AF be?
"AF • Irregularly irregular • Consider type (first episode, paroxysmal, persistent, permanent) • Dizziness/ faintness • Consider in a HF pt"
What are the risk factors and DDx for AF?
"• Normal cardiac RF • Cardiac: HF, mitral stenosis, HTN • Infectious: pneumonia • Metabolic: hyperthyroidism • Stimulants: alcohol, caffeine" DDx= any other palpitation
What investigations should be done in palpitations?
“• Bedside: full exam and hx, basic obs, ECG, BM
• Labs: FBC, U+E, Lipid screen, Mg2+, Ca2+, TSH
• Imaging: consider 24hr ECG, consider ECHO for structural changes “
What are the S/Sx and HPC associated with supraventricular tachycardia?
“SVT
• Paroxysmal palpitations
• Possible syncope
• Dizziness/ sweating”
What are the risk factors for SVT?
what is the DDx?
“• Recent MI
• Any ischaemic changes to the heart
• Normal cardiac RF”
ddx: any other palpitation
What are the S/Sx associated with ventricular ectopics?
“Ventricular ectopics
• Pts feel a skipped beat then an uncomfortable lurch in their chest
• Associated sympathetic actvity (sweating, dizziness)
• Positional association: laying down
• On ECG the QRS complexes are wide”
What are the RF for ventricular ectopics?
What DDx are there for ventricular ectopics?
“• Recent MI
• Any ischaemic changes to the heart
• Normal cardiac RF”
Ddx: any other palpitation
What are the S/Sx and HPC of Anxiety?
“Anxiety
• Associated with a trigger
• Paroxysmal
• Tingling around lips, tingling in fingertips
• Make a big point of talking about social Hx for this one
• Associated nausea/ sweating/ dry mouth
What are the risk factors associated with anxiety?
What Ddx are there for anxiety?
RF:
• Make a point about SHx
DDx:
• Any of palpitations
• Anxiety precipitated by hyperthyroidism
[do HAD10 score]
What are S/Sx and HPC for thyrotoxicosis?
Thyrotoxicosis
• Classic thyroid symptoms
• ?Thyroid storm (delerium/ diarhhoea/ nausea/ vomiting with possible precipitating factors ie. recent illness/ stress/ trauma)
What are the RF and ddx for thyrotoxicosis?
RF: FHx
DDx: Anxiety [do anxiety screen e.g. HAD10 score] & AF
What are the S/Sx and HPC for phaeochromacytoma?
5 P’s
Pain, pallor, pressure (raised BP), pain (headache), perspiration
These Sx will occur in episodes and at the same time
What are the RF and DDx for phaeochromacytoma?
RF: Fhx
DDx: any of palpitations
What are the DDx for dyspnoea as a PC?
Dyspnoea Acute: • Asthma • Pneumonia • Acute pulmonary oedema • ACS • PE • Tension pneumothorax
Chronic • Lung malignancy • COPD (excluding IECOPD) • Pulmonary fibrosis • HF"
What are the red flags for a dyspnoea PC?
• Chest pain (MI) • Haemoptysis (PE/ lung ca) • Weightloss (lung ca/ COPD/ pulmonary fibrosis) • Heavy smoking history (lung ca/ COPD) • Asbestos (lung cancer> mesothelioma) • Unilateral leg swelling (PE)
What are the S/Sx & HPC for asthma?
"Asthma • Wheezing and breathlessness • Trigger (cold air/ exercise/ aspirin) • Night time worst • Consider background eczema/ allergy"
What are the RF and DDx for asthma?
RF: "• Atopic triad • Triggers • Care for aspirin induced" DDx: "• Acute pulmonary oedema • Foreign body obstruction"
What investigations should be done for a PC ?asthma in a Hx of dyspnoea?
- Bedside: full exam and Hx, peak flow, basic obs
- Labs: FBC, U+E, CRP, ESR, ABG
- Imaging: consider CXR (especially to rule out a foreign body obstruction)
- Special: spirometry, methacholine reversal test”
What are the S/Sx & HPC for pneumonia?
“Pneumonia
• Cough with green sputum (maybe haemoptysis)
• Fevers
• Pleuritc chest pain
• Possible background of COPD (H.Influenzae)
• It is essential to determine whether community/ hospital acquired”
e.g. have they been in hospital recently
What are the RF and Ddx for pneumonia
RF: "• Immunocompromised patients • HAP: care home/ hospital stay • ""Is anyone else around you experiencing similar symptoms)" DDx: "• Flu • Infective exac COPD (in smokers) • Asthma"
What investigations should be done for dyspnoea?
“• Bedside: full exam and Hx, peak flow, basic obs
• Labs: FBC, U+E, CRP, ESR, ABG, sputum culture, from results you would like to assess CURB65
• Imaging: CXR
• Special: spirometry, methacholine reversal test
What are the S/Sx of acute pulmonary oedema?
"Acute pulmonary oedema • Severe breathlesness • On background of ACS/ arrhythmia/ HF/ CRF • Orthopnoea and PND • ""Pink frothy sputum"" • ?silent MI in elderly pt"
What are the RF & Ddx for acute pulmonary oedema?
RF:
• Recent: HF/ MI/ ChronicRenalFailure/ liver failure
Ddx:
• Asthma
• COPD
• Pneumonia
What investigations should be done for ?acute pulmonary oedema in dyspnoea hx?
- A to E assessment but keeping the patient as up right as possible
- Investigate possible causes
What are the S/Sx & HPC for MI?
MI
• Central crushing chest pain >20mins
• Radiates
• N+V, sweating associated
Unstable angina
• Pain <5 minutes
• Relieved by GTN
What are the RF and Ddx for MI?
• Classic cardiac risk factors
ddx:
• The other ACSs that you don’t think it is
What investigations should be done for ?MI in dyspnoea hx?
- A to E assessment
- Bedside: ECG, BM, start ACS protocol
- Labs: FBC, U+E, troponin I (for SGUL), CK-MB, lipid profile
- Imaging: ECG