Cardiovascular Flashcards
What is stable angina?
chest pain that is predictable, relieved by rest and/or nitroglycerine
What is unstable angina?
previously stable and predictable symptoms of angina that are more frequent, increasing or present at rest
What is prinzmetal variant angina?
coronary artery vasospasm causing ST-segmetn elevations, not associated with clot
What are premature beats?
- PVC: early wide bizarre QRS, no p wave seen
- PAC: abnormally shaped P wav
- PJC: Narrow QRS complex, no p wave or inverted p wave
What is paroxysmal supra ventricular tachycardia?
narrow, complex tachycardia, no discernible P waves
What is atrial fibrillation/flutter?
- A-fib: irregularly irregular rhythm with disorganized and irregular atrial activations and an absence of P waves
- A-flutter: regular, sawtooth pattern and narrow QRS complex
What is sick sinus syndrome?
- Brady-tachy: arrhythmia in which bradycardia alternated with tachycardia
- Sinus arrest: prolonged absence of sinus node activity (absent P waves) > 3 seconds
What is sinus arrhythmia?
normal, minimal variations in the SA node’s pacing rate in associated with the phases of respiration
-heart rate frequently increases with inspiration, decreased with expiration
What is premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)?
early wide “bizarre” QRS, no p wave seen
What is ventricular tachycardia?
three or more consecutive VPBs, displaying a broad QRS complex tachyarrhythmia
What is ventricular fibrillation?
erratic rhythm with no discernable waves (P, QRS or T waves)
What is Torsades de pointes?
polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that appears o be twisting around a baseline
What is a NSTEMI?
ECG changes such as ST-segment depression, T-wave inversion, or both may be present, cardiac markers will be elevated
What is a STEMI?
myocardial necrosis (evidenced by cardiac markers in the blood; troponin I or troponin T and CK will be elevated) WITH acute ST-segmetn elevation or Q waves
What is pericarditis?
chest pain that is relieved by sitting and/or leaning forward
What is aortic dissection?
severe, tearing (ripping, knife-like) chest pain radiating to the back
What is pulmonary embolism?
dyspnea (most common) and pleuritic chest pain
-spiral CT is the best initial test
What is pulmonary hypertension?
dyspnea on exertion, fatigue, chest pain, edema, and syncope
- loud P2, systolic ejection click, parasternal lift
- right heart catheterization confirms the diagnosis
- mean pulmonary artery pressure is >25 mmHg at rest (8-20 mmHg at rest is considered normal)
What is carditis?
(eg rheumatic fever): migratory joint pains, especially in the knees, ankles, and elbows, chest pain/discomfort
- Jones criteria 2 major or 1 major and 1 minor
- increased antistreptolysin O (ASO) titers
What is costochondritis?
pain with palpation or movement of the arm
What are the most common causes of congestive heart failure?
CAD, HTN, MI, DM, - LV remodeling: dilation, thinning, mitral valve incompetent, RV remodeling
What are the characteristics of congestive heart failure?
- exertional dyspnea (SOB), then with rest
- chronic nonproductive cough, worse in a recumbent position
- fatigue
- orthopnea (late), night cough, relieved by sitting up or sleeping with additional pillows
- paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
- nocturia
What are the signs of congestive heart failure?
- Cheyne-stokes breathing: periodic, cyclic respiration
- Edema: ankles, pretrial (cardinal)
- rales (crackles)
- S4 = diastolic HF (ejection fraction is usually normal)
- S3= systolic HF (reduced EF) with volume overload - tachycardia, tachypnea, (rapid ventricular filling during early diastole is the mechanism responsible for the S3)
- jugular venous pressure: >8 cm
- cold extremities, cyanosis
- hepatomegaly ascites, jaundice, peripheral edema
What are the laboratories for congestive heart failure?
- CBC, CMP, U/A, +/- glucose, lipids, TSH (occult hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism)
- Serum BNP: increases with age and renal impairment, low in obese, elevated in HF differentiates SOB in HF from non cardiac issues
- 12-lead EKG
- CXR: Kerley B lines
- echocardiogram (BEST TEST): diagnose, evaluate, manage most useful, differentiates HF +/- preserved LV diastolic function
What is the New York Heart failure classification?
- Class I (<5%) without any limitation of physical activity
- Class II (10-15%): patients with slight limitation of physical activity, they are comfortable at rest
- Class III (20-25%): patients with marked limitation of physical activity they are comfortable at rest
- Class IV (35-40%): patients who are not only unable to carry on any physical activity without discomfort but who also have symptoms of heart failure or anginas syndrome even at rest
What is the tx of systolic left heart failure?
ace inhibitor + beta blocker + loop diuretic
What is the tx of diastolic heart failure?
ace inhibitor + beta blocker or CCB (do not use diuretics in stable chronic diastolic failure)
- lasix - for diuresis
- morphine - reduces preload
- nitrates (NTG) - reduce preload O2
- ACE inhibitor + diuretic (unless contraindicated)
- CCB in diastolic HF
- poor prognosis factors: chronic kidney disease, diabetes, lower LVEF, severe symptoms, old age
- 5-y mortality: 50%
What is primary cause of ischemic heart disease?
atherosclerotic occlusion of the coronary arteries
What are the major risk factors for coronary artery disease?
- diabetes mellitus (most important and considered a CAD equivalent)
- smoking (#1 preventable factor - cuts risk by 50%)
- hypertension
- high cholesterol/hyperlipidemia (total cholesterol - HDL ratio <5.0)
- family history
- age >45 men, >55 women
- minor risk factors include: obesity, lack of estrogens, homocystinuria, cocaine use, amphetamine use
What are the systems of coronary artery disease?
range form asymptomatic (particularly in older women and diabetes) to substernal tightness and/or pain and shortness of breath
What are the characteristics of stable angina?
- predictable; presents with a consistent amount of exertion
- the patient can achieve relief with rest or nitroglycerin
- indicative of a stable, flow-limiting plaque
What is unstable angina?
- unpredictable; often presents with rest
- defined as any new angina or rapidly worsening stable angina
- limited improvement with nitroglycerin, and usually recurs soon afterward
- indicative of a ruptured plaque with subsequent clot formation in the vessel lumen
What is the physical exam findings of coronary artery disease?
- mitral regurgitation murmur and/or S4 during episodes
- may also include signs of CHF from prior MI including elevated JVD, lower extremity edema, and crackles
- other signs of vascular disease including bruits, ischemic ulcers, and diminished pulses
How is coronary artery disease dx?
- cardiac catheterization for definitive diagnosis: locate and assess the severity of the lesion (s)
- CXR: to rule out aortic dissection
- Elevated cardiac biomarkers: troponin, CK, and/or CK-MB may be present
- EKG shows ST elevation or depression depending on the severity of ischemia and Q waves
- stress-testing to evaluate simultaneously with EKG, echo, and radionuclide perfusion studies
What is the tx for acute coronary syndrome?
- morphine
- oxygen
- nitroglycerin
- aspirin
- ACEIs
- may also use beta-blockers, GPIIb/IIIa antagonists, angioplasty
What are the drugs that improve post-MI mortality rates?
- aspirin
- beta-blockers
- ACEIs
- ARBs
- and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
- NOT calcium channel blockers
What is the prognosis, prevention, and complications of coronary artery disease?
- must control diabetes - considered a CAD equivalent causing MI to often present atypically in these patients
- manage hypertension (<140/90 mmHg)
- manage cholesterol levels (LDL <70 mg/dL)
- encourage smoking cessation and alcohol abstention
- MI prevention with aspirin or clopidogrel (for ASA sensitivities)
- angina prevention with beta-blockers to lower HR, increase myocardial perfusion time and decrease cardiac workload
- nitrates + calcium channel blockers in severe or recurring cases
Who should routinely get aspirin?
USPSTF recommendations
- adults aged 50 to 59 years with >10% 10-year CVD risk (grade B)
- adults aged 60 to 69 years with >10% 10-year CVD risk (grade C)
- persons in this age group who are not at increased risk of bleeding, have a life expectancy of at least 10 years, and are willing to take low-dose aspirin daily for at least 10 years are more likely to benefit
What is endocarditis?
inflammation of the lining or valves of the heart caused by the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream, typically introduced via dental or medical procedures in the mouth, intestinal tract or urinary tract
What are the symptoms of endocarditis?
fever and a new-onset heart murmur
What is acute bacterial endocarditis?
infection of normal valves with a virulent organism (S. aureus)
What is subacute bacterial endocarditis?
indolent infection of abnormal valves with less virulent organisms (S. viridians)