Cardiovascular Flashcards
What are the signs of stable angina?
hypoxia, tachycardia, S3 (heart sound) and mitral regurgitation murmur
What does an ECG look like in stable angina?
usually normal, can show ST depression, flat or inverted T waves
What is the gold standard investigation for stable angina?
CT coronary angiography
perfusion MRI (non-invasive)
What is the 1st line management for stable angina?
PRN pain relief, GTN (glyceryl trinitrate) spray
lifestyle modifications
what is the 2nd line treatment for stable angina?
beta blocker (propranolol) and or CCB (amlodipine)
What are some revascularisation treatments for stable angina?
PCI or CABG
What are the investigations for unstable angina?
ECG - may be normal, transient T wave election, T wave changes
high sensitivity troponin - no dynamic elevation (rule out MI)
What is the initial management for acute unstable angina?
aspirin and fondaparinux
Give an example of a P2Y12 inhibitor
clopidogrel, ticlopidine
What medication are used for secondary prevention of cardiac events?
ACEi
BB
dual antiplatelet (aspiprin + fondaparinux)
statin
What is prinzmetal angina?
angina due to coronary artery spasm
What are the key presentations of STEMI?
central chest pain, squeezing, dyspnoea, pallor
What are the gold standard investigations for STEMI?
ECG - ST elevation
cardiac troponin- elevated
What does an ECG look like in STEMI?
ST elevation
What is the initial treatment for all MIs?
(MONAC)
Morphine
Oxygen
Nitrates (nitroglycerin)
Aspirin
Clopidogrel
What is assessed initially in STEMI patient?
eligibility for reperfusion therapy
What reperfusion therapies are used for STEMI?
PCI
fibrinolysis (dalteparin)
What is the 1st line medicinal management of STEMI if reperfusion is not possible?
Aspirin, anti-platelet therapy (clopidogrel/ticagrelor)
What
PCI, p2y12 inhibitor, aspirin
How do women present with NSTEMI?
middle/upper back pain or dyspnoea
What do ECGs look like in NSTEMI?
St depression and/or T wave inversion, pathological Q wave
What is the initial medicinal treatment for NSTEMI?
fondaparinux
Aspirin (300mg)
What is the drug treatment for secondary prevention of MI? (5A’s)
Aspirin - 75mg once daily
Another anti-platelet (on top of aspirin) - clopidogrel
Atorvastatin - 80mg once daily
ACEi
Atenolol
Give an example of an ACEi
ramipril, enalapril
Give an example of a CCB
amlodipine, diltiazem
Give an example of an ARB
azilsartan, candesartan
What is a side effect of ACEi?
coughing
What anit-hypertensive medications should not be given during pregnancy?
ACEi and ARBs as they cause fetotoxicity
Give an example of a P2Y12 inhibitor
ticagrelor, clopidogrel
Give and example of an aldosterone antagonist
spironolactone, eplerenone
What are the complications of MI?
(DARTH VADER)
death
arrhythmia
rupture
tamponade
heart failure
valve disease
aneurysm
Dresslers syndrome
embolism
recurrence/regurgitation
What score is used to assess the 6 month risk of recurrent MI/death?
GRACE score
What is dresslers syndrome?
a localised immune response that causes pericarditis 2-3 weeks post MI
How is Dressler’s syndrome treated
NSAIDS
in severe cases steroids (prednisolone)
how do you differentiate angina and NSTEMI?
unstable angina has no troponin rise
What is the ejection fraction in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction?
<40%
What is the ejection fraction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction?
> 50%
What is the pathophysiology of heart failure with CAD?
blocked arteries- reduced perfusion to heart- BP increases - harder to expel blood from LV - LV hypertrophy - loss of elasticity - decreased ejection fraction
What are the key presentations of left sided heart failure?
pulmonary oedema, dyspnoea, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, bibasal fine crackles, pink frothy sputum
What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea?
waking up in the night short of breath
What are the gold standard investigations for heart failure?
ECG - shows AF/any abnormality
B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)- elevated
echo - EF
X-ray/echocardiography- cardiomegaly
What is the 1st line medical treatment for heart failure?
furosemide
What is the 1st line medicinal treatment for heart failure with rEF?
ACEi, beta blocker
What is given if symptoms continue in heart failure with rEF?
Aldosterone antagonist (spironolactone)
What is the management for heart failure with pEF?
manage complications - hypertension, AF
cardiac rehab
What is digoxin and what does it do?
its a cardiac glycoside, its used to treat irregular heart beats (is sometimes used to treat heart failure)
What are the most common causes of right sided heart failure?
pulmonary hypertension
cor pulmonale
Why does pulmonary hypertension cause right sided heart failure?
pulmonary artery hypertension causes right sided hypertrophy
What are the key presentations of right sided heart failure?
peripheral oedema, raised oedema, hepatomegaly, weight gain (fluid retention), weight loss (cardiac cachexia)
What are the key presentations of acute heart failure?
dyspnoea, peripheral oedema, reduced exercise tolerance, fatigue, cold extremities, elevated JVP
How does acute heart failure effect the physiology of the body?
Activation of SNS - tachycardia, increased contractility, peripheral vasoconstriction, activation of RAAS
What are the investigations for acute heart failure?
ECG, natriuretic peptides - elevated
echocardiography
What is the treatment for acute heart failure?
(Pour SOD)
Pour away (stop) their IV fluids
Sit up
Oxygen
Diuretics (furosemide 40mg)
What BP is considered hypertension?
> 140/90 with no secondary cause
Apart from idiopathic, what can causes hypertension? (ROPE)
R - renal disease
O - obesity
P - pregnancy
E - endocrine
What are the key presentations of hypertension?
asymptomatic
raised BP
retinopathy
What is the gold standard test for hypertension?
24hr ambulatory BP monitoring
What is the treatment for hypertensive patients <55 or non black?
ACEi (ramipril) or ARB (candesartan)
What is the treatment for hypertensive patients >55 or black or African?
CCB (amlodipine)
What is the 2nd line treatment for hypertension in patients <55 or non-black?
ACEi or ARB + CCB OR +thiazide-like diuretic (indapamide).
What is the 2nd line treatment for >55 or black hypertensive patients?
CCB + ACEi or ARB or thiazide like diuretic
What is the 3rd line treatment for hypertension in all patients?
ACEi or ARB + CCB + thiazide like diuretic
What is an example of a thiazide-like diuretic?
indapamide
What else can be prescribed in resistant hypertension?
if K+ <4.5 - potassium sparing diuretic (sprinolactone)
if K+ >4.5 - alpha blocker (doxazosin) or beta blocker (atenolol)
What is a complication of hypertension treatment?
postural hypotension
What is Virchows triad?
Vrichows triad - vascular injury, venous stasis and hypercoagulability
What are the key presentations of DVT?
calf swelling, localised pain, Dilation or distension of superficial veins, redness and warmth, sometime asymptomatic
What is the 1st line investigation for DVT?
quantitative D-dimer level - shows that body is forming and breaking down clots (doesnt confirm diagnosis)
What is the gold standard investigation for DVT?
compression ultrasound
What is VTE prophylaxis?
venous thromboembolism prophylaxis - prevention of clot with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) (dalteparin/fondaparinux)
or DOAC
What do you do if DVT is suspected?
immediate DOAC - apixaban or rivaroxiban
What are the long term treatments for DVT?
DOAC, LMWH (1st line in pregnancy) or VKA (warfarin)
What are the complications of DVT?
PE, complications associated with anticaogs
What are the key presentations of PE?
dyspnoea, pleuritic chest pain, hypoxaemia
What are the main investigations for PE?
D-dimer - elvated
CTPA - computed tomography pulmonary angiography - will show occlusion
What can be done to stop PEs from happening?
VTE prophylaxis, hyrdation, mobilisation, compression stockings
What are the treatments for PE?
supportive care->resp support,O2
initially use LMWH
swap to long term anticoag
What is peripheral arterial disease?
a range of symptoms caused by atherosclerotic obstruction of lower-extremity arteries
What are the key presentations of peripheral arterial disease? (6P’s)
Pain
Pulselessness
pallor
perishingly cold
paraesthesia
paralysis
What is the 1st line investigation for peripheral arterial disease?
ankle brachial index (ABI) ratio of ankle to brachial systolic BP <0.9
What is the gold standard investigation for peripheral arterial disease?
CTA/MRA - to see where occlusions are
What is the 1st line treatment for acute limb ischaemia?
assessment for revascularisation or amputation + anti-platelet (aspirin/ticagrelor) + analgesia + anticoag (warfarin, DOACS, heparin)
What is the treatment for ongoing claudication (pain in arms/legs while walking/running)?
anti- platelet therapy, exercise, risk factor mod
what is the treatment for chronic severe limb ischaemia?
assessment for revasc + anti-platelet therapy + risk factor mod
What is infective endocarditis?
infection of the endocardial surface of the heart (valves, chordae tendinae)
What is the most common cause of infective endocarditis?
bacterial infection - S. viridans
What are the other causes of infective endocarditis?
fungi (candida), lupus, malignancy
What are the key presentations of infective endocarditis?
fever/malaise/fatigue/weight loss
finger clubbing, splinter haemorrhages, janeway lesions, osler nodes, roth spots
What are splinter haemorrhages?
longitudinal red brown haemorrhage under nail
What are janeway lesions?
irregular non tender haemorrhagic macules on the palms and plantar surfaces of feet
What is the gold standard investigation for IE?
blood cultures - Dukes criteria
transoesophageal echocardiogram
How do you manage IE?
antibiotics (6 weeks), 2 weeks IV 4 weeks oral
surgery
Abx prophylaxis if high risk
What are the complications of IE?
acute heart failure, system embolisation, AKI
What are the causes of pericarditis?
idiopathic (80-90%)
viruses, autoimmune, malignancy, neoplasm
What are the key presentations of pericarditis?
severe, sharp chest pain, exacerbated by lying down, relieved by sitting forward
What does and ECG look like in pericarditis?
ECG upwards concave ST segment elvation, PR depressions
What is the criteria for pericarditis diagnosis?
2 of…
chest pain
friction rub
ECG changes
pericardial effusion (build up of fluid of pericardium)
What can be prescribed to manage pericarditis?
NSAIDS + PPI (omeprazole) + colchicine (3 weeks)
What non medicine treatments are there for pericarditis?
pericardiectomy - in restrictive pericarditis
What are the complications of pericarditis?
cardiac tamponade, pericardial effusion
chronic constructive pericarditis
What is pericardial effusion?
fluid in the pericardial space exceeding 50mL
What is cardiac tamponade?
a medical emergency where pericardial effusion is enough to raise pericardial pressure
What are the key presentations of pericardial effusion?
distant heart sounds, pulsus paradoxus, dyspnoea, elevated JVP, hypotension, tachycardia
What is the gold standard investigation for pericardial effusion?
transthoracic echocardiography
What is the treatment for stable pericardial effusion (pre tamponade)?
anti inflammatory treatment + gastroprotection + observation (treatment of pericarditis)
What is the treatment for unstable pericardial effusion (tamponade)?
pericardiocentesis or surgical drainage