CVS Flashcards
3 types of atrial fibrillation
paroxysmal AF- episodes stop within 48h without trt
persistent AF- last > 7 days
permanent AF- present all the time
4 class of anti-arrhythmic drugs
CLASS I: Na+ blocker, membrane stabilising drugs: disopyramide, flecainide/propafenone (C/I in asthma, severe COPD, avoid in structural/ ischaemic heart disease) lidocaine
CLASS II: B blocker: propranolol, esmolol
CLASS III: K+ blockers: amiodarone (use b/f and a/f cardioversion), SOTALOL, dronedarone
CLASS IV: CCB (rate-limiting): verapamil, diltiazem
OTHER: adenosine, digoixin
two pathways for cardioversion to restore sinus rhythm
1 electrial current
2 pharmacological
which cardioversion method is preferred for arrhythmias > 48h
electrical
trt for acute new-onset presentation of arrhythmias 1-life threatening haemodynamic instability
electrical cardioversion
trt for acute new-onset presentation of arrhythmias 2- <48 hrs
rate or rhythm control (electrical or amiodarone/flecainide)
trt for acute new-onset presentation of arrhythmias 2- >48 hrs
rate control (verapamil, BB)
maintenance trt for arrhythmias: 1st line
rate control (BB not sotalol, CCB, digoxin) monotherpy -> dual therapy -> rhythm control
maintenance trt for arrthymias: 2st line
rhthym control: SOTALOL, amiodarone, dronedarone, flecainide, propafenone
What is “pill in the pocket” and which drug
self treatment for arrhythmias, FLECAINIDE or propafernone
preferred surgical treatment for atrial flutter
catheter ablation
What is the screening tool for risk of stroke
CHADS-VASc tool
what does CHA2DS2-VASc stand for? what score indicates treatment
Chronic heart failure Hypertension Age >75 (score2) Diabetes Stroke / TIA/ VTE Hx (score2) Vascular disease Age 65-74 Sex (M-1,F-2) Treat if score >2 or more
Treatment for pulseless/V fibrillation
immediate defibrillation and CPR then IV amiodarone in refractory
Trt for UNSTABLE sustained V tachycardia
direct current cardioversion, if fail add IV amidodarone
Trt for STABLE sustained V tachycardia
IV amiodarone preferred
Trt for NON-SUSTAINED V tachycardia
BB
maintanance trt for pt at high risk of cardiac arrest (2 types of therapy)
- implantable cardioverter defibrillator
2. some pt needs drugs e.g. sotalol, BB alone or BB + amiodarone
what’s prolonged QT interval also called
torsade de pointes
trt for QT prolongation i.e. TdP
magnesium sulphate
what are the causes for QT-prolongation (4)
- sotalol
- other drugs that prolong QT e.g. cirpofloxacin, amitriptyline, risperidone, ACE abx
- hypOKalaemia
- bradycardia
PSVT can go away spontaneously or with relflex vagal nerve stimulation (reduce BP) such as
valsalva manoeuvre, carotid sinus massage, immerse face in ice cold water
IV trt for PSVT
adenosine *c/i in asthma/copd, verapamil
trt for recurrent PSVT
catheter ablation or anti-arrhythmic drugs
what are the indications of amiodarone
- PS arrhythemia
- V arrhythemia
titration of amiodarone
200mg TDS for 7, 200mg BD for 7, 200mg OD as maintenance
S/e of amidarone (6)
- EYES: Corneal microdeposits (night time glares “dazzled” by headlight at night, no vision impairm)
Optic neuropahty/neuritis (blidness) –> stop - SKIN: Phototoxicity (burning)
Grey skin on light exposure (shield skin from sunlight) - NERVES: Peripheral neuropathy (numb, tingling hands and feets, tremors)
- LUNGS: Pneumonitis, pulmonary fibrosis (SOB, dry cough)
- LIVER: Hepatotoxicity (report if jaundice, NV, fatigue, pruritus, ab pain, 3x LTA
- THYROID
how does amiodarone affect thyroid level and why
amiodarone contains iodine -> hyPERthyroid and hyPOthyroid
hyper- weight loss, tachycardia, heat intolerance/ give carbimazole PRN, w/d amiodarone
hypo- weight gain, bradycardia, cold intolerance
start levothyroxine, no w/d of amio
Monitoring required with amiodarone
- yearly Eye test
- chest x ray
- LFT every 6/12
- thyroid TSH,T3,T4 before and every 6/12
- BP (hypo) ECG (bradycardia)
- K+ level (hypOKal)
Key interactions of amiodarone
- Grapefruit juice (enzyme inhibitor) increases amiodarone conc
- Amiodarone (enzyme inhibitor) —> reduce dose for warfarin phenytoin HALF DOSE digoxin
- Statins —> myopathy
- Bb, CCB —> Brady/AV block
- Floxacin, ACE thromycin, TCA, Li, quinine, anti malarial, antipsych (esp sulpiride amisulpiride pimozide
how does digoxin work?
increase force of contraction (+ve inotrope)
reduce conductivity in AV node (-ve chronotrope)
what type of drug is digoxin
cardiac glycoside HIGH RISK DRUG
therapeutic level of digoxin
1-2 mcg/L
how long after dosing can digoxin conc reach the therapeutic level
6 hours after does
is regular monitoring of digoxin level required as a high risk drug
no, not during maintenance therapy
under what condition monitoring of digoxin level is required
only if toxicity is suspected OR in RENAL impairment (renally cleared)
how often do you take digoxin as a maintenance therapy
OD
indications for digoxin and the associated dosage
worsening/severe HF 62.5-125mcg
atrial flutter/ non-paroxysmal AF in sedentary pt 125-250mcg
different dosage form of digoxin have different BA: -elixir, -tab, -IV
- exlixir 75%
- tab 90%
- IV 100%
what are the signs of digoxin toxicity (5)
SLOW and SICK Dr: bradycardia/ heart block NV, D+ ab pain yellow blurred vision confusion, delirium rash
what factors increase the risk of digoxin toxicity (5)
- hypOK (diurectics, theophylline, B2 agonist: salbutamol,tiotropium,aclidinium, steroid- prednisolone)
- hypO Mg
- hypER Ca
- hypoxia
- renal impairment (ACEi/NSAID)
what are the 2 options for digoxin toxicity
withdraw
digoxin-specific antibody if life-threatening V arrhythmia unrepsonsive to atropine
what are the key interactions with digoxin CRASED
C- ccb (RATE)
R- rifampicin (R = inducer) reduce dgx conc
A - amiodarone (A=inhibitor) increase dgx conc - toxicity HALF DGX DOSE
S - st.johns wort (S=inducer)
E - Erythromycin (ACE=marcorlids=inhibitor) increase dgx conc
D - diuretics (loop/thiazide) hypOKal
digoxin + NASID/ ACEi
reduced renal function –> toxicity (dgx renal excreted)
theothylline can ___ K level
Klevel reduces as theothylline conc increases –> hypOKaleamia
VTE risk assessment in hospital
- immobility
- obesity BMI>30
- cancer
- age>60
- Hx of VTE
- thrombophilic disorder
- 1st degree of relative with VTE
- HRT/COC
- varicose vein (lost elasticity) with phlebitis (inflam vein)
- pregnancy
- critical care
- sig co-morbidities
risk of bleeding assessment
HAS-BLED hypertension (uncontorlled BP) abnormal renal/liver func stroke bleeding tendency (throbocytopenia-low platelet) labile INR age >65 drugs eg aspirin/NSAID/alcohol
duration of VTE prophylaxis for general surgery
5-7 days or until mobility
duration of VTE prophylaxis for major cancer surgery in ab or pelvis
28 days
duration of VTE prophylaxis for knee/hip surgery
extended duration
which IV VTE drug is preferred in pt with renal impairment
unfractionated heparin
what needs to be monitored in pt using unfractionated heparin
APTT: activated partial thromboplastin time
what is a APTT test and what is the normal value and the value when taking heparin
speed of clotting
normal aPTT value is 30- 40 sec
heparin value 60-80 seconds
preferred choice for VTE in pregnancy
LMWH
MOA for unfractionated heparin
UH (renal imapir) activates antithrombin
MOA for LMWH
LMWH inactivates factor Xa
longer duration of action, UH or LMWH
LMWH
suitable for pt with high risk of bleeding, UH or LMWH
UH
used in pregnancy, UH or LMWH
LMWH
lower risk of oeteoporosis, heparin-induced thrombocytopeonia, UH or LMWH
LMWH
essential to measure APTT, UH or LMWH
UH
antidote for haemorrhage (heparin induced)
protamine
s/e of heparin
- hypERKalaemia
- osteoporosis
- thrombocytopoenia (low platelet)
how does heparin cause hypERKalaemia
heparins inhibit aldosterone secretion. aldosterone is an endogenous mineralcorticoid that retains Na and Water, excretes K
which group of pt use heparin IN CAUTION
DM and CKD (poor excretion of K already)
MOA of warfarin
Vit K antagonist
how long does it take for warfarin to work
2-3 days
what strength of warfarin are available in pharmacy and what colour are they
0.5mg white
1mg brown
3mg blue
5mg pink
standard initial dose of warfarin and how often is monitoring
5mg monitor daily
maintenance dose of wargarin
3-9mg same time each day
how often is the monitoring for warfarin pts whoes INR is stable
every 3 months
what is INR
international normalised ratio
target INR (=/-0.5unit) in pts with VTE, AF, MI, cardioversion, prosthetic mitral valve
2.5
target INR (=/-0.5unit) in pts with RECURRENT VTE who’s receving anticoags
3.5
s/e of warfarin
any form of bleeding
calciphylaxis
what is calciphylaxis
which gp of pt has higher risk of getting it
calcium accumulates in small blood vessels of the fat and skin tissues. Calciphylaxis causes blood clots, painful skin ulcers and may cause serious infections that can lead to death (increased risk in end stage renal disease)
patient conselling for warfarin
- yellow booklet INR
- check INr level 2.5-3.5
- check dosage
- report painful skin rash (calciphylaxis)
- check OTC med (miconazole- report if nose bleed/ blood in urine)