Differential diagnosis of chest pain Flashcards
Where do sympathetic nerves exit the spinal cord?
They travel inferiorly in the spinal cord
They exit between the T1 and L2 vertebrae (Thoracolumbar outflow)
What 5 things can occur after the sympathetic nerves exit the spinal cord?
- It can go into the ganglion of the same level from which it exited
- It can travel superiorly in the sympathetic chain to another, higher ganglion
- It can travel inferiorly in the sympathetic chain to another, lower ganglion
- It can pass straight through the sympathetic chain without synapsing, becoming an abdominopelvic splanchnic nerve, before synapsing onto one of the paravertabral ganglia of the abdomen
- Pass straight into the adrenal medulla, without synapsing, becoming an abdominopelvic splanchnic nerve, directly stimulating adrenaline release
What are the 2 types of splanchnic nerves?
Abdominopelvic splanchnic nerves
Cardiopulmonary splanchnic nerves
How do impulses reach the heart?
Via the cardiopulmonary splanchnic nerves
What is contained in the cardiac plexus?
Sympathetic fibres
Parasympathetic fibres
Visceral afferent fibres
How do parasympathetic nerves leave the CNS?
Either via cranial nerves: III (Occulomotor), VII (Facial), IX (Glossopharyngeal) and X (Vagus)
They also leave the spinal cord with the sacral spinal nerves (Sacrocranial outflow)
Which nerve carries parasympathetic nerves to the heart?
Vagus nerve (Cranial nerve X)
Where would somatic pain in the chest arise from?
Muscles
Joints
Bones
Intervertebral discs
Fibrous pericardium
Nerves
Where would visceral pain in the chest arise from?
Heart and great vessels
Trachea
Oesophagus
Abdominal viscerae
What type of pain is associated with somatic pain?
Sharp, stabbing and well localised pain
What type of pain is associated with visceral pain?
Dull, aching, nauseating and poorly localised pain
Where would radiating pain from the chest be felt?
Upper limbs
Back
Neck
Jaw
Where would referred pain from the chest be felt?
Upper limbs
Back
Neck
Jaw
What is meant by radiating pain?
Pain that is felt in the centre of the chest and is felt spreading from there to other areas
What is meant by referred pain?
Pain that is only felt at a site, remote from the actual area of pathology
What are the 4 main lobes of each hemisphere of the brain?
Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Temporal lobe
Occipital lobe
Where does pain reach consciousness?
In the cerebral cortex
Where is the central sulcus found?
Between the frontal and parietal lobe
What is found anterior to the central sulcus?
The pre-central gyrus of the frontal lobe (Somatomotor section of the cerebral cortex)
What is found posterior to the central sulcus?
The post-central gyrus of the parietal lobe
What is brought about by action potentials arising in the pre-central gyrus of the frontal lobe?
Contractions of the body wall skeletal muscle
What is brought about by action potentials arising in the post-central gyrus of the parietal lobe?
Body wall sensations are brought into consciousness