L18: Acute coronary syndrome Flashcards
What is acute coronary syndrome?
Plaque ruptures leading to thrombus formation and varying degrees of occlusion to the arteries
Rarer pathologies–> coronary dissection and coronary spasm
What are non ST elevation ACS? How do we differentiate between them?
Non STEMI and unstable angina
No ST elevation of ECG, T wave inversion
Differentiate–> troponin
Produced in NSTEMI but not unstable angina
What are the different types of ST elevated ACS? How do we differentiate between?
STEMI and Absorted STEMI
Aborted STEMI–> no troponin produced
What is the actual definition of MI?
Cardiomyocyte necrosis in a clinical setting with acute myocardial ischaemia
Detection of increase/decrease in cardiac biomarker–> preferable troponin–> one value above 99th percentile of upper reference limit
At least one of the following:
1. Symptoms of ischaemia
2. New or presumed new significant ST-T wave change or left bundle branch block on 12-lead ECG
3. Development of pathological Q waves on ECG
4. Imaging evidence of new or presumed new loss of viable myocardium or regional wall motion abnormality
5. Intracoronary thombus detected on angiography or autopsy
How many classification of MI are there? Which is the most important?
5 types
Type 1 most important–> atherosclerotic plaque rupture, ulceration, fissure, erosion or dissection with resulting intraluminal thrombus in one or more coronary arteries leading to decrease myocardial BF and/or distal embolisation and subsequent myocardial necrosis
How should patients be assessed?
History?
Examination?
Investigation?
What things should be asked in the history?
1–> Cardiac sounding? –> dull central pain, not localised (widespread)
2–> Radiation? –> radiating to left jaw and arm
3–> Relieved with GTN? How long?
- seconds to minutes–> cardiac
- >10 mins–> oesophageal spasm
4–> How long pain? - minutes, hours etc aortic dissection epigastric pain, worse pain ever, maximal onset, radiates onto back
5–> Is it getting worse?
6–> Pleuritic?
7–> Risk factors–> smoker (vaping), family history, cholesterol, hypertension, thrombophilia (people prone to blood clots)
What things should be examined? Why?
Haemodynamics
- BP–> systolic low <90mmHg -cardiogenic shock
- Tachycardia (sinus tachycardia (stress response for MI) or ventricular tachycardia (fast abnormal HR, 3+ heartbeats in a row at >100bpm (PVC))) or bradycardia (2:1 heart block or complete heart block)
- Jugular venous pressure–> pressure in the system
- Lungs–> clear or wet? crackling or crepidations? sign of oedema, potentially not lie down during procedure
- Heart sounds–> murmurs–> guide treatment (open heart surgery)
- Cool clammy peripheries –> fits in with shock response
What are the names of the coronary arteries? What are the major branches?
Right coronary artery–> right marginal artery and posterior interventricular artery
Left coronary artery–> LAD and circumflex artery
How can we tell which part of the heart is affected by looking at an ECG?
Anterior heart: defects in V1-V6 Lateral heart: defects in Lead I, aVL, V5 and V6 (high lateral Lead I and aVL) Inferior heart: defect in Lead II, III and aVF (Right heart: aVR) Septal: V1 and V2 Anterospetal: V1-V4 Anterolateral: V3-V6
What does ST elevation imply?
Sudden occlusion
Persist long term as a mark of LV aneurysm
Q wave usually present
What does ST depression imply?
Under supply of blood to myocardium
Not sudden coronary occlusion
(in anterior leads can sometimes be due to sudden occlusion of a vessel in posterior heart)
What does T wave inversion imply?
Under supply of blood to myocardium but not sudden
What would ventricular dysrhythmia imply?
Ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation or ectopics
What happens to ECG in STEMI?
ST elevation evoles with:
- Hyperacute T waves
- ST segment elevation
- T wave inversion
- Pathological Q waves –> complete infarct myocardium dead