cv 1 Flashcards
what is heart failure (x3)
Heart unable to maintain adequate circulation for metabolic requirements of body
Preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF): EF ≥ 50%, ↓ diastolic function
Reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF): EF ≥ 40%, ↓ systolic function
underlying causes
Secondary to cardiac damage (ischaemia, myopathy), hypertension, valve disease
Signs & symptoms
Exertional dyspnoea
how to test and teh result
Blood test: elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)
Chest X-ray: cardiomegaly
Treatment options
Drugs that reduce the exertional pressure on the heart
what causes a Reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) ‘systolic’
weakedned heart muscle
more dilated
less able to pump blood out of left ventricle
Preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)/diastolic heart failuer
small area for blood in left ventricle
reasonable amount pumped out
what is a common ecg finding for heart failure
but not always there
enlarged qrs
due to increased muscle mass of the heart
causing an increase electric current
what is Atrial fibrillation
Disorganised electric activity and contraction
pacemaker cells
Wolff-Parkinson-White
Syndrome causing tachycardia & abnormal cardiac electrical conductance
what causes atrial fibrillation
Spontaneously active cells throughout the atria
cause of WPW
additional accessory conduction pathway (the bundle of Kent) between the atria and ventricles
how are both of them shown
palpitations and chest pains
how is AF shown on an ecg
absent p-waves & ‘irregularly irregular’ rhythm.
WPW
QRS pre-excitation & biphasic/ inverted T-wave of ECG
treating AF
strategies to maintain sinus (e.g. cardioversion, anti-arrhythmics, catheter ablation)
treating WPW
benign, no treatment required