Cardiovascular Flashcards
What is stable angina?
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 vasospasms causing transient ST-segment elevations, not associated with clot
What are premature beats?
- PVC: early wide bizarre QRS, no p wave seen
- PAC: abnormally shaped P wave
- PJC: narrow QRS complex, no p wave or inverted p wave
What is paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia?
narrow, complex tachycardia, no discernible P waves
What is a-fib?
irregularly irregular rhythm with disorganized and irregular atrial activations and an absence of P wavws
What is a-flutter?
regular, sawtooth pattern, and narrow QRS complex
What is sick sinus syndrome?
- Brady-tachy: arrhythmia in which bradycardia alternates with tachycardia
- Sinus arrest: prolonged absence of sinus node activity (absent P waves) > 3 seconds
What is sinus arrhythmia?
normal, minimal variations in SA node’s pacing rate in association 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 to be twisting around a baseline
What is dilated cardiomyopathy?
MC type; an index event or process (MI) damages myocardium, wakening heart muscle a decreased ventricular contraction strength + dilation left ventricle; systolic heart failure
What are the characteristics of dilated cardiomyopathy?
- reduced contraction strength; large heart; caused by ischemia (CAD, MI, arrhythmia)
- PE: dyspnea, S3 gallop, rales, JVD
- Tx: no alcohol!!!; ACE-I, diuretic
What is hypertrophic obstructive (HOCM)?
hypertrophic portion of septum; LV outflow tract narrowed - worse with
-diastolic heart failure
-young athletes with positive family history sudden death of syncopal episode; inherited; SCREEN FAMILY
-
What is the PE of HOCM?
sustained PMI, bifid pulse, S4 gallop; high pitched mid-systolic murmur at LLSB increased with Valsalva and standing (less blood in the chamber); decreased with squatting
What is the tx of HOCM?
refrain from physical activity; BB or CCB; surgical or alcohol ablation of hypertrophied septum and defibrillator insertion
What is restrictive cardiomyopathy?
right heart failure; a history of infiltrative process; diastolic heart failure; still heart muscle
amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, hemochromatosis, scleroderma, fibrosis, cancer
What is the PE of restrictive cardiomyopathy?
pulmonary HTN; normal EF, normal heart size, large atria, normal LV wall, early diastolic filling
What is the tx of restrictive cardiomyopathy?
non-specific; diuretics, ACE-I, CCB
What are the MC cause of congestive heart failure?
CAD, HTN, MI, DM - LV remodeling = dilation, thinning, mitral valve incompetence, RV remodeling
What are the sx and signs of congestive heart failure?
sx: exertional dyspnea = rest, chronic nonproductive cough, fatigue, orthopnea, nocturnal dyspnea, nocturia
signs: Cheyne-stokes breathing, edema, rales, S4 (diastolic HF, preserved EF); S3 (systolic; reduced EF); JVC >8 cm, cyanosis, hepatomegaly, jaundice
What is the NY heart failure classification?
- Class 1: no limitation of physical activity
- Class 2: slight limitation physical activity; comfortable at rest
- Class 3: marked physical limitation; comfortable at rest
- Class 4: can’t carry on physical activity; anginal syndrome at rest
How is congestive heart failure dx?
BNP, EKG, CXR (Kerley B lines); echo = gold (best to assess size and function of chambers)
What is the tx of congestive heart failure?
- Systolic: ACE-I + B-blocker + loop diuretic
- Diastolic: ACE-I + B-blocker or CCB
What is coronary vascular disease?
CAD is #1 killer in the USA and worldwide = Death rates decreased yearly since 1968 = MC cause of cardiovascular death and disability
-coronary artery disease can be due to either vasospastic disease (Prinzmetal angina) or atherosclerotic disease when a coronary artery narrows due to the build-up of atherosclerotic plaque - characterized by a type of chest pain called angina pectoris - it can be further divided into stable angina, unstable angina, and myocardial infarction
What are the risk factors of coronary vascular disease?
smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia (increase LDL, decease HDL), hypertension, family hx, men >55, women >65
How is coronary vascular disease dx?
high-sensitivity, high CRP, lipids, triglycerides, carotid U/S
What is the tx of coronary vascular disease?
smoking cessation, lifestyle (BP, LDL/HDL, obesity)
- primary prevention = platelet inhibitors (aspirin, etc.) = cornerstone
- secondary prevention = aspirin, Beta-blockers, ACE-I/ARB, statins; nitro if symptomatic
What is the MOA of atherosclerotic disease?
- foam cells are macrophages that gobble up lipids in the wall; it then dies off and stays there and becomes a foam cell; when it dies it releases cytokines that attract more macrophages to the area = plaque clot
- fibrous plaque forms over lipid core: complete clot - ST -elevation MI; incomplete clot - unstable angina/NSTEMI
- vulnerable plaque is easy to rupture; thick plaque is stable
- adhesion, activation, aggregation, propagation of clot, platelet adherence
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 characteristics of endocarditis?
fever and a new-onset heart murmur
- acute bacterial endocarditis: infection of normal valves with a virulent organism (S. aureus)
- subacute bacterial endocarditis: indolent infection of abnormal valves with less virulent organisms (S. viridans)
- Endocarditis with intravenous drug users - staphylococcus aureus
- Endocarditis with prosthetic valve - staphylococcus epidermidis
What is Duke’s Criteria?
-Definite: 2 major criteria, or 1 major and 3 minor criteria, or 5 minor criteria
-Possible: 1 major and 1 minor criterion, or 3 minor criteria
Major:
-Blood cultures: S. aureus, S. viridans, S. bovis or other typical species x 2, 12 hours apart
-drug users: staphylococcus, non-drug users: streptococcus
-echocardiogram: vegetations are seen (tricuspid-IV drug users, mitral-non drug users)
-New regurgitant murmur
Minor:
-Risk factors, fever 100.5, vascular phenomena (splinter hemorrhages, Janeway lesions: painless, palms and soles), immunologic phenomena (Osler node: raised painful tender; Roth spots: exudative lesions on the retina)
What are the classic signs of infective endocarditis?
- Osler’s nodes - tender “ouchy” nodules
- Janeway lesions - painless macules
- Roth spots on the retina
- Splinter hemorrhages on the nail bed
- Clubbing
What is the tx of endocarditis?
- empiric treatment: IV vancomycin or ampicillin/sulbactam PLUS aminoglycoside
- Prosthetic valve: add rifampin
- high-risk patients prophylaxis for procedures: Amoxicillin - 2 g 30-60 minutes before the procedures
What is aortic stenosis?
harsh systolic ejection crescendo-decrescendo at the right upper sternal border with radiation to neck and apex
- dyspnea, angina, syncope with exertion; squatting increases intensity; split S2
- increased BNP, helmet cells (schistocytes); cardiomegaly
What is aortic regurgitation?
soft high pitched, blowing, crescendo-decrescendo along left sternal border; loud leaning forward/squatting
- leaflets of aorta don’t close during diastole - blood regurgitates from the aorta into left ventricle - volume overload left ventricle
- S3 or S4 with severe; water-hammer pulse (arterial pulse large and bounding)
What is mitral stenosis?
diastolic low pitched decrescendo rumbling with an opening snap heart best at the apex with pt. lying lateral decubitus position
- leaflets of the mitral valve thicken, stiffen from rheumatic fever - valve doesn’t open well in diastolic; cause = rheumatic heart
- left atrial hypertrophy, may also have mitral regurge
What is mitral regurgitation?
blowing holosystolic murmur at the apex with split S2 radiating to the left axilla
- mitral valve doesn’t close fully in systole - blood regurge from LV to LA - murmur
- caused by: CAD, HTN, MVP, rheumatic, heart valve infection; apical S3 = volume overload on the ventricle
What is mitral valve prolapse?
midsystolic ejection click heard best at the apex
-abnormal systolic ballooning in part of the mitral valve into the left atrium
What is tricuspid stenosis?
mid-diastolic rumbling murmur at LLSB with opening snap
-RARE! Leaflets of tricuspid valve = stiff/immobile - impaired RV filling from decreased tricuspid valve orifice = increased RA pressure - right and left heart failure
What is tricuspid regurgitation?
high pitched holosystolic murmur at LLSB radiates to the sternum and increases with inspiration
-tricuspid fails to close fully in systole, blood regurgitates from RV - RA = murmur
What is pulmonary stenosis?
harsh, loud, medium pitched systolic murmur heard best at 2nd/3rd left intercostal space that may increase inspiration
- stenosis of pulmonic valve impairs flow across the valve; increases afterload on the ventricle
- widely split S2, early pulmonic ejection sound; RVH
What is pulmonary regurgitation?
high pitched early diastolic decrescendo murmur at LUSB that increases with inspiration
-blood leaks abnormally backward from pulmonary artery though pulmonic valve - RV (RHF)
What are the screening guidelines for hyperlipidemia?
- USPSTF recommends screening for patients with NO evidence of CVD and NO other risk factors should begin at 35 years of age
- NCEP recommends screening all adults at age 20 years regardless of risk factors
What are the four groups that are most likely to benefit from statin therapy?
- Patients with any form of clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)
- patients with primary LDL-C levels of 190 mg per dL or greater
- patients WITH diabetes mellitus, 40 to 75 years of age, with LDL-C levels of 70 to 189 mg per dL
- patients WITHOUT diabetes, 40 to 75 years of age, with an estimated 10-year ASCVD risk >7.5%
Risk assessment for 10-year and lifetime risk is recommended using an updated ASCVD risk calculator
What are the treatment targets of hyperlipidemia?
there are no recommendations for or against specific target levels for LDL-C or non-HDL-C in the primary or secondary prevention of ASCVD
What are the lipid goals of LDL?
<100 optimal
- 100-129 near-optimal
- 130-159 borderline high
- 160-189 high