Chest Pain Flashcards
Where do you feel pain for lungs and pleura?
Lateral chest which increases on inspiration
What is affected if the chest pain is in the centre?
Heart and great vessels
What can cause pain in the lung and pleura?
Pneumonia
Pneumothorax
Pulmonary embolism
What can cause GI pain?
Gastro-oesophageal reflux
GB disease
Peptic ulcer
What can cause pain in heart and great vessels?
Ischaemic heart disease
Pericarditis
Aortic dissection
When does myocardial ischaemia occur?
When the supply of blood cannot reach the demand of the muscles
What does myocardial oxygen supply depend on?
Coronary blood flow
-perfusion diastolic pressure and coronary artery resistance
Oxygen carrying capacity of the blood
What does myocardial oxygen demand depend on?
Heart rate Contractility Wall tension -preload -afterload
When does coronary flow occur?
During diastole
In which direction is coronary flow? What does this mean?
From the epicardium to endocardium. Sub endocardial muscles is the most vulnerable to ischaemia.
What can decrease myocardial oxygen supply?
Severe anaemia
Severe hypotension
What can increase myocardial oxygen demand?
Tachycardias
Thyrotoxicosis
Aortic stenosis
Non-modifiable risk factors for coronary artery disease?
Increased age
Male gender - females catch up after menopause
Family history
Important modifiable risk factors for coronary artery disease?
Hyperlipidaemia
Smoking
Hypertension
Diabetes mellitus
Lack of exercise
Obesity
Stress
Structure of a stable plaque?
Small necrotic core
Thick fibrous cap which is less likely to fissure or rupture
Structure of vulnerable plaque?
Large necrotic core
Thin fibrous cap which is more likely to fissure or rupture
How can an unstable plaque lead to thrombus formation?
Fibrous cal can erode or fissure
Exposes blood to thrombogenic material in the necrotic core
Platelet clot followed by fibrin thrombus
What effects does stable plaque have?
Moderate reduction in blood flow
Transient ischaemia during periods of increased oxygen demand
May progress gradually over time to severe fixed narrowing causing ischaemia with less demand
Describe the pain in stable angina
Mild to moderate central crushing pain with typical radiation to left/right/both arms or shoulders, neck, jaw, back, epigastrium
What can cheat pain in stable angina be brought on by?
Exertion
Emotional stress
What can stable angina pain be relieved by?
Rest or nitrates
What signs and symptoms can people who have stable angina present with?
Signs related to risk factors such as raised BP, corneal arcus, absent pulses, LV dysfunction
How is the diagnosis of stable angina confirmed?
Exercise stress rest.
Graded exercise in a treadmill until target heart rate is reached or chest pain occurs or ECG changes or there are other problems such as arrhythmias or drop in BP