⭐️ Coronary Incident Flashcards
What is it
A sudden event caused by reduced blood flow to the heart, often due to atherosclerosis, leading to conditions like myocardial infarction (MI) or unstable angina.
Clinical Features
Chest pain: Sudden, severe, may radiate to arm/jaw
Dyspnea: Shortness of breath
Diaphoresis: Excessive sweating
Nausea/vomiting
Palpitations
Syncope (fainting) or dizziness
Silent ischemia: Common in diabetics/elderly, presents as fatigue or confusion
6 P’s - pain, paralysis, parathesia, pullessness, pallor, perishing cold
Epidemiology
Leading cause of death worldwide
Men > Women (until menopause, then risk equalizes)
Higher prevalence in developed countries due to lifestyle factors
Mortality reduced with early intervention (PCI, thrombolysis, medications)
Age Groups Affected
Mostly affects adults > 45 years
Women often present later (50s-60s) due to hormonal protection before menopause
Young adults affected if major risk factors present (e.g., smoking, hyperlipidemia, cocaine use)
Risk Factors
Modifiable:
Smoking 🚬
Hypertension 💉
High cholesterol 🍳
Diabetes mellitus 🍬
Obesity ⚖️
Sedentary lifestyle 🛋️
Excessive alcohol 🍷
Chronic stress 😟
Non-Modifiable:
Age ⏳
Male gender 🚹
Family history 👨👩👦
Ethnicity (higher in South Asians & African Americans)
Clinical Presentation
Stable Angina: Predictable chest pain with exertion, relieved by rest
🔹 Unstable Angina: Unpredictable, occurs at rest, high risk of MI
🔹 Myocardial Infarction (STEMI/NSTEMI):
Severe, prolonged chest pain
ECG changes (ST elevation in STEMI, ST depression in NSTEMI)
Elevated cardiac biomarkers (Troponin I/T, CK-MB)
🔹 Sudden Cardiac Arrest: Can occur due to arrhythmias
Prognosis
Depends on:
Time to treatment ⏳
Extent of myocardial damage 💔
Presence of complications (e.g., heart failure, arrhythmias)
🔹 Better prognosis with:
Early reperfusion therapy
Medications (aspirin, beta-blockers, statins)
Lifestyle modifications (diet, exercise, smoking cessation)
