Coronary Artery Disease and Stable Angina Flashcards
How does myocardial ischaemia occur?
When there is an imbalance between supply of oxygen, and demand of oxygen by the heart.
Broad categories of causes of myocardial ischaemia.
Mechanical obstruction
Decrease in the flow of oxygenated blood
Increased demand.
Examples of myocardial ischaemia due to mechanical obstruction.
Atheroma
Thrombosis
Spasm
Embolus
Coronary ostial stenosis
Coronary arteritis
Give exampes of myocardial ischaemia due to decrease in the flow of oxygenated blood to myocardium.
Anaemia
Carboxyhaemoglobulinaemia
Hypotension
Examples of myocardial ischaemia due to higher demand of oxygen.
Thyrotoxicosis
Myocardial hypertrophy
Aortic stenosis
Hypertension
Most common cause of myocardial ischaemia.
Obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in the form of coronary atherosclerosis.
Risk factors of CAD.
Age
Gender
Race
FH
Hyperlipidaemia
Diabetes
Smoking
Hypertension
Investigations of CAD.
Full lipid profile
QRISK assessment
CT Coronary Angiography is the Gold Standard diagnostic investigation. This involves injecting contrast and taking CT images timed with the heart beat to give a detailed view of the coronary arteries, highlighting any narrowing.

Lifestyle modifications in CAD.
Reduced fat intake
More fruits
Less sugars
More fish and unsalted nuts, seeds and legumes.
BMI below 25 kg/m2
No more than 14 units per week.
Statin therapy in CAD.
20 mg atorvastatin as primary prevention if QRISK > 10%.
Atorvastatin 80 mg if there is already established cardiovascular disease.
Different types of angina.
Classical angina or typical angina
Atypical angina
Non-angina chest pain
Stable angina
Unstable angina
Refractory angina
Vasospastic or variant (Prinzmetal’s) angina
Microvascular angina
Characteristic of classical angina or typical angina.
Heavy, tight, or grippin central or retrosternal pain that may radiate to the jaw and/or arms (usually only throat tightness or arm heaviness).
Pain occurs with exercise or emotional stress
Pain eases rapidly upon rest or with GTN.
Diabetics and/or hypertensives might also be dyspnoeic.
If it is very severe autonomic features such as fear, sweating and nausea might also be present.
Characteristic of atypical angina.
Chest pain with 2 out of 3 of the following…
Heavy, tight, or grippin central or retrosternal pain that may radiate to the jaw and/or arms.
Pain occurs with exercise or emotional stress
Pain eases rapidly upon rest or with GTN.
Characteristics of non-angina chest pain.
Chest pain with 1 out of 3 of the following…
Heavy, tight, or grippin central or retrosternal pain that may radiate to the jaw and/or arms.
Pain occurs with exercise or emotional stress
Pain eases rapidly upon rest or with GTN.
Characteristics of unstable angina.
Angina of recent onset (< 24 h) or deterioration in previous stable angina with symptoms occuring at rest.
Characteristics of refractory angina.
Patients with severe coronary disease in whom revascularisation is not possible and angina is not controlled by medical therapy.
What is vasospastic or variant (Prinzmetal’s) angina?
Angina that occurs without provocation usually at rest, as a result of coronary artery spasm.
It occurs more frequently in women.
Usually ST segment elevation on the ECG during the pain.
What is microvascular angina?
Exercise induced angina but normal or unobstructed coronary arteries.
Intracoronary acetylcholine may cause coronary spasm.
They are often highly symptomatic and difficult to treat however the prognosis is good.
Canadian Cardiovascular Society functional classification of angina.
I - No angina with ordinary activity, only with strenous.
II - Angina during ordinary activity, e.g. walking up hills, walking rapidly upstairs, mild limitation of activities.
III - Angina with low levels of activity, 50-100 m walk on the flat, walking up one flight of stairs.
IV - Angina at rest
Which differentials can mimic stable angina closely?
GORD
MSK discomfort
Pulmonary disease
Angina usually reflects coronary artery disease (CAD).
What other disease may cause typical symptoms in absence of CAD?
Aortic stenosis
Hypertensive heart disease
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
A good taken history of stable angina.
Precipitants to anginal attacks
Relieving factors
Stability of symptoms
Risk factors
Occupation
Assessment of intensity, length and regularity of exercise
Basic dietary assessment
Alcohol intake
Drug history
Family history
When is stable angina unlikely?
If the pain is continuous, very prolonged, unrelated to activity, brought on by breathing or associated with other symptoms such as dizziness and dysphagia.
Examination for stable angina.
Usually no abnormal findings.
Check weight and height to establish BMI
BP
Presence of murmurs, especially to rule out aortic stenosis
Evidence of hyperlipidaemia (lipid arcus, xanthelasma, tendon xanthoma)
Check for anaemia
Check for thyrotoxicosis
Check for peripheral vascular dsiease and carotid bruits.

