Chest pain: A guide to investigation and Managements for GPs Flashcards
What are features that make chest pain more likely to be cardiac in origin
- Age above 50 years
- Presence of risk factors for ischaemic heart disease
- Hypertension
- Hyperlipidaemia
- Diabetes mellitus
- Smoking history
- Family history (first degree relative)
- Previous ischaemic heart disease or strokes
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Exacerbation with exertion
what should you do if a clinical assessment indicates typical or atypical angina
- diagnostic testing should be offered
What should a patient who has angina be offered
- CT coronary angiography
what diagnostic tests should someone with coronary artery disease be offered
- non-invasive functional testing
- exercise ECG if there is uncertainty about whether the chest pain is caused by MI
How do you describe anginas pain
- Constricting discomfort in the front of the chest, or in the neck, shoulders, jaw, or arms
- Precipitated by physical exertion
- Relieved by rest or glyceryl trinitrate within about five minutes.
what is the difference between typical angina and atypical angina
Typical angina is all three of these:
- Constricting discomfort in the front of the chest, or in the neck, shoulders, jaw, or arms
- Precipitated by physical exertion
- Relieved by rest or glyceryl trinitrate within about five minutes.
Atypical angina is 2 out of 3 of these features
when is a CT coronary angiography offered to patients
Offered if clinical assessment indicates typical or atypical angina, or non-anginal chest pain is indicated but 12-lead ECG shows ST-T changes or Q waves
when is non invasive functional testing offered to patients
Offered for myocardial ischaemia if patient has confirmed CAD (eg from previous MI) and there is uncertainty about cause of chest pain, or if CT coronary angiography shows CAD of uncertain significance or is non-diagnostic.
when should invasive coronary angiography be offered
Offered as a third line test when non-invasive functional testing is inconclusive.
when is a diagnostic of stable angina confirmed
A diagnosis of stable angina is confirmed when significant CAD (≥70% diameter stenosis of at least one major epicardial artery segment or ≥50% diameter stenosis in left main coronary artery) during CT or invasive coronary angiography is found, or reversible myocardial ischaemia is found during non-invasive functional testing.
angioplasty carries..
no prognostic benefit for patients with stable angina and non high risk patterns of coronary artery disease when compared to medical therapy alone
how is aspirin used in secondary prevention
Aspirin 75 mg once daily is proved to reduce the risk of ischaemic events in secondary prevention
when is aspirin not recommended
Aspirin is not recommended for people at low cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk who are not hypertensive, as the modest reduction in CVD risk for these patients is balanced by a modest increase in the risk of serious bleeding
what treatments are used for angina
- Beta blockers are effective first line treatment for symptoms of exertional angina.
- A calcium channel blocker may be offered instead as first line treatment for stable angina.
- short acting nitrates may be used for prevention of chest pain in patients with stable angina if used immediately before planned exertion
- Consider angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for people with stable angina and diabetes
what are the side effects of nitrates
- flushing
- headache
- lightheadedness
Who should get statin therapy
Statin therapy is recommended for all adults with clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, and should be offered as soon as possible for secondary prevention of morbidity and mortality
How do you grade the severity of anginal symptoms
Canadian cardiovascular society classification (CCS)
List the grades and levels of symptoms for the Canadian cardiovascular society classification (CCS) of anginas symptoms
CCS Class I
- ordinary activity does not cause angina, angina occurs with strenuous or rapid or prolonged exertion only
CCS Class II
- Slight limitation of ordinary activity Angina on walking or climbing stairs rapidly, walking uphill, or exertion after meals, in cold weather, when under emotional stress, or only during the first few hours after awakening
CCS Class III
- Marked limitation of ordinary physical activity Angina on walking one or two blocks on the level or one flight of stairs at a normal pace under normal conditions (equivalent to 100 to 200 m)
CCS Class IV
- inanity to carry out any physical activity without discomfort or angina at rest
when can people with angina drive
Drivers with angina may continue to drive provided that symptoms do not occur at rest, with emotion or at the wheel
- drivers with acute coronary syndrome must not drive but can resume driving one week after ACS if
- percutaneous coronary intervention is successful
- no revascularisation is planned within the next 4 weeks
- the LV ejection fraction is at least 40%
when can drivers with ACS carry on driving
- percutaneous coronary intervention is successful
- no revascularisation is planned within the next 4 weeks
- the LV ejection fraction is at least 40%