CPC 4 Chest pain and hypertension Flashcards
Atypical presentations of myocardial infarction
Back, shoulder or jaw pain. Sweating Nausea Lightheaded/dizzy, fatigued Breathless Anxiety ALL THESE ARE MORE COMMON IN WOMEN.
Differential diagnoses of chest pain, by anatomy: Pleura Lung GIT Aorta Musculoskeletal Heart.
Pleura: effusion, pneumothorax, malignancy Lung: infection, tumour, infarct, PE. GIT: stomach, perforation, oesophagitis. Aorta: aneurysm, dissection Musculoskeletal Heart.
Differential diagnoses of chest pain, by anatomy - anatomical areas.
Pleura Lung GIT Aorta Musculoskeletal Heart.
Cause of interscapula pain
Aortic dissection
Cause of pleuritic pain
Pulmonary embolus
Cause of positional pain
Pericarditis
Signs of aortic dissection
Unequal BP L/R UL, absent pulse
Signs of congestive heart failure
Raised JVP, gallop S3, Pulmonary oedema
How to establish the diagnosis of an MI
a rise or fall in cTn between first assessment and repeat 3-6hr later, coupled with a strong pre-test likelihood.
What are D-dimers?
Fibrin degradation products released from thrombi by
fibrinolysis
When are D-dimers raised
PE, DVT, pregnancy, after surgery, inflammation or
malignancy etc
Used to rule out PE as high negative predictive value.
Where do fibrofatty plaques occur?
At sites of decreased haemodynamic shear stress e.g artery bifurcations.
Clinical events caused by fibrofatty plaques
Renal failure and hypertension, intestinal angina (mesenteric), angina pectoris (coronary), carotid stenosis, aortic aneurysm.
Pleural causes of chest pain
Effustion, pneumothorax, malignancy
Lung tissue causes of chest pain
Infection, tumour, infarct, PE
GIT causes of chest pain
Stomach ulcer/perforation, GORD, oesophagitis.
Aortic causes of chest pain
aneurysm, dissection
Name the key coronary arteries
Left anterior descending artery, the circumflex artery, the right coronary artery.
Causes of pansystolic murmurs
MR, VSD
Cause of pericardial rub
pericardial effusion
Other name for costochondritis
Tietze’s Syndrome
Name all the cardiac biomarkers in blood
Trop I and Trop T (good)
CK-MB and myoglobin (fall rapidly).
CK and LDH (slight rise)
Most important risk factors for CVD: non-modifiable, behavioural, medical
Non-modifiable: age, gender, PMH, FH.
Behavioural: Smoking
Medical: Htn, DM, high LDL, low HDL.
How does smoking cause CVD
Endothelial damage
Incr. thrombus formation/platelet activation.
What is a lipoprotein
A macromolecular complex of lipids and proteins held together by non-covalent forces. They are required for transport of lipids both intra- and extra-vascularly.
Secondary causes of hypercholesterolaemia
Hypothyroidism Nephrotic syndrome Immunoglobulins Cholestasis Anorexia Cyclosporins, sirolimus, anti-epileptics.
Secondary causes of mixed hyperlipidaemia
Nephrotic syndrome
Hypothyroidism
Secondary causes of hypertriglyceridaemia
T1 and 2 DM CRF Obesity Alcohol Hypothyroidism Immunoglobulins Oestrogens, corticosteroids, progestogens, protease inhibitors, retinoids.
How can you split primary dyslipidaemias?
Disorders of synthesis and secretion.
Disorders of metabolism.
What is familial hypoercholesterolaemia?
An inherited genetic defect leading to raised LDL-C levels from birth and hence premature atherosclerosis. Underdiagnosed.
Complications of fibrofatty plaques
Fissuring or ulceration
Calcification
Mural thrombus
Rupture
What can cause coronary artery occlusion?
Thrombus Plaque haemorrhage Coronary artery dissection Vasospasm Embolic (vegetations, mural thrombus, paradoxical emboli)
Ischaemia effects on the myocardium
ATP depletion within seconds
Loss of contractility in under 2 minutes.
ATP 60 minutes.
Timescale of morphological changes post-MI: 0.5-4 hr 4-12 hr 12-24 hr 1-3 days 3-7 days 7-14 days 2-8 weeks > 2 months
0.5-4 hr - No change 4-12 hr - Faint mottling 12-24 hr - Dark mottling 1-3 days - Yellow infarct centre 3-7 days - Hyperaemic border 7-14 days - Yellow core, red margin. 2-8 weeks - Scar formation > 2 months - Scar complete
Risks of reperfusion after MI
Reperfusion injury
Myocardial stunning
Haemorrhage
Early rupture
Causes of acute ischaemia
Inadequate supply: coronary artery stenosis, thrombus, dissection & spasm, microcirculatory dysfunction, anaemia.
Excessive demand: LV hypertrophy, LV dilatation.
MI complications (immediate)
Contractile dysfunctions
Arrhythmias
Myocardial ruptures
How much fluid is needed in the pericardium to cause acute tamponade
200-300 ml