Laboratory Evaluation of Coronary Artery Disease Flashcards
1
Q
Determinants of Myocardial Oxygen Demand at Rest & During Exercise
- 4 clinically important determinants of myocardial oxygen demand
- Myocardial oxygen demand vs. exercise
A
- 4 clinically important determinants of myocardial oxygen demand
- HR: most important
- Increase HR –> increase myocardial oxygen demand –> increase coronary blood flow
- LV systolic pressure
- LV radius or volume (Laplace relationship)
- Pressure loaded ventricle (ex. systemic arterial HTN or aortic valve stenosis) has a higher myocardial oxygen demand than a volume loaded ventricle (ex. MR)
- Contractility
- Increase contractility –> increase myocardial oxygen demand
- HR: most important
- Myocardial oxygen demand vs. exercise
- Exercise –> increase HR –> increase MOD
- Exercise –> increase systolic BP –> increase MOD
- Exercise –> may or may not increase volume
- Exercise –> increase circulating catecholamines + increase Treppe effect –> increae contractility –> increase MOD
- ► max exercise –> increase coronary blood flow 2.5x
2
Q
Autoregulation of Coronary Blood Flow
- Myocardial oxygen demand vs. supply
- How heart increases MOD normally
- How heart increases MOD in CAD
- MOD vs. MOS
- Ischemic area
- Ischemic threshold
A
- Myocardial oxygen demand vs. supply
- Increase MOD –> autoregulation of coronary blood flow –> increase MOS linearly
- How heart increases MOD normally
- Myocardial oxygen extraction in coronary circulation is nearly max at rest
- Heart can’t increase oxygen consumption by increasing oxygen extraction
- ► increase in supply i.r.t. increase in demand is mediated through increased coronray blood flow
- How heart increases MOD in CAD
- In CAD, MOS increases linearly w.r.t. MOD until max vasodilation of R2 resistance vessels
- At this point, autrogregulatory reserve of coronary circulation is expended
- Can’t further increase MOS
- Ischemic area: difference b/n normal & CAD MOD vs. MOS curves where supply < demand
- Ischemic threshold: point where curves digress
- Measure of CAD severity
- Mild CAD: ischemic threshold occurs at higher MOD
- Severe CAD: ischemic threshold occurs at lower MOD
- In CAD, MOS increases linearly w.r.t. MOD until max vasodilation of R2 resistance vessels
3
Q
Lab Diagnosis of CAD & Severity Assessment
- Predicted by…
- Stress modalities
- Monitored parameters: assessing response to stress
A
- Predicted by…
- Increasing blood flow above resting levels to max levels
- Stress modalities
- Exercise
- Increase HR –> increase BP & contractility –> increase MOD
- Not all pts are able to exercise to adequate levels to allow effective diagnosit cevaluation
- Vasodilators
- Adenosine: natrual mediator of coronary blood flow
- Dypyridamole: slows metabolism of adenosine –> increases adenosine levels
- Ragedenson: selective adenosine 2A receptor agonist
- Inotropic agents
- Dobutamine: increases HR, BP, & contractility –> increases MOD –> increases coronary blood flow
- Exercise
- Monitored parameters: assessing response to stress
- Ecercise ECG
- Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (perfusion scan)
- Images blood flow int he myocardium using radioisotopes
- Thallium or technetium based radiopharmaceuticals
- LV function assessment (global & segmental wall motion)
- Radionuclide ventriculography: exercise MUGA scans
- Stress echo: exercise or dobutamine stress
4
Q
Exercise ECG
- Ischemic response indicating CAD
- ST depression vs. mortality risk
- ST depression magnitude
- ST depression slope
- Influence of chest pain on ST depression predictive power
A
- Ischemic response indicating CAD
- > 1 mm ST depression 80 ms after the J point
- ST depression vs. mortality risk
- ST depression during exercise –> increased mortality risk in pts w/ CAD
- ST depression magnitude
- Influences predictive power of exercise ECG
- Marked ST depression –> increase risk of coronray events in follow=up, esp when it occurs early in exercise
- Less powerful predictor of risk when occurs at higher levels of exercise
- Greater magnitude –> greater post-test likelihood of disease
- ST depression slope
- Downsloping ST depression –> increased risk of coronary events compared to horizontal ST depression
- Influence of chest pain on ST depression predictive power
- ST depression + chest pain during exercise –> increased event rates
5
Q
Implications of Peak HR During Exercise
- HR vs. coronary blood flow
- Peak HR during exercise vs. age
- Peak HR during exercise stress test vs. pt outcome
- Chronotropic incompetence
A
- HR vs. coronary blood flow
- Increase HR –> increase coronary blood flow linearly
- Peak HR during exercise vs. age
- Increase age –> decrease peak HR during exercise
- Peak HR during exercise stress test vs. pt outcome
- Higher peak HR (>160 bpm) during exercise –> better survival
- Lower peak HR (<120 bpm) during exercise –> high mortality risk
- Chronotropic incompetence
- Inability to reach the expected target HR during exercise
- Marker of increased risk of adverse cardiac events
6
Q
Exercise Predictors of Mortality Risk
- Strongest predictor
- Another strong predictor
A
- Strongest predictor
- Abnormal functional capacity
- Abnormal functional capacity –> slower HR recovery
- Another strong predictor
- HR recovery
- Faster HR decreases in recovery –> better prognosis
- Decrease HR < 12 bpm in 1st minute –> abnormal
7
Q
Sensitivty & Specificity of Exercise Stress Testing
- 4 variables related to sensitivity
- 3 variables related to specificity
A
- 4 variables related to sensitivity (68%)
- Equivocal test results
- Comparison w/ a “better” test (ex. scintigraphy)
- Exclusion of pts on digitalis
- Publication year
- 3 variables related to specificity (77%)
- Treatment of upsloping ST depression
- Exclusion of subjects w/ prior MI or LBBB
- Pre-exercise hyperventilation tracing
8
Q
Pre-Test Likelihood of Disease: Baye’s Theorem
A
- Probablity that the result of a test is true or false is based on the pre-test estimation of probability of disease
- Low pre-test probability –> unlikely to have disease even w/ positive test result
- Post-test probability of disease w/ a positive test result = 85%
- High pre-test probability –> likely to have disease even w/ negative test result
- Post-test probability of disease w/ a negative test result = 20%
- Intermediate pre-test probability –> greatest differentiation of presence or absence of disease b/n a positive & negative test result
9
Q
Prevalence of CAD
- Pre-test probability of CAD estimated from…
- Effect of exercise tests on pts w/ typical angina pectoris
- Pre-test probability of CAD
- Post-test probability of CAD
- Positive exercise test
- Negative exercise test
- Implication
- Effect of exercise tests on pts w/ atypical chest pain
- Pre-test probability of CAD
- Post-test probability of CAD
- Positive exercise test
- Negative exercise test
- Implication
- Effect of exercise tests on pts w/ non-anginal chest pain (asymptomatic)
- Pre-test probability of CAD
- Post-test probability of CAD
- Positive exercise test
- Negative exercise test
- Implication
A
- Pre-test probability of CAD estimated from…
- Age, gender, & symptoms of chest discomfort
- Effect of exercise tests on pts w/ typical angina pectoris
- Pre-test probability of CAD = 90%
- Post-test probability of CAD
- Positive exercise test = 97%
- Negative exercise test = 77%
- Exercise testing has potential value in evaluating pts w/ typical angina for stratifying risk, developing exercise prescriptions, & reassessing course of disease over time & in response to therapy
- Effect of exercise tests on pts w/ atypical chest pain
- Pre-test probability of CAD = 50%
- Post-test probability of CAD
- Positive exercise test = 78%
- Negative exerciset test = 27%
- Exercise testing has diagnostic value in identifying pts w/ atypical chest pain who have high vs. low likelihoods of having CAD
- Effect of exercise tests on pts w/ non-anginal chest pain (asymptomatic)
- Pre-test probability of CAD ≈ 5%
- Depends on age, gender, & other risk factors
- Post-test probability of CAD
- Positive exercise test = 17%
- Negative exercise test = 1%
- An isolated positive exercise test has limited value in diagnosing CAD in asymptomatic pts, but it identifies pts w/ a greater liklihood of disease than pts w/ negative tests
- Pts w/ a positive test can undergo further non-invasive diagnostic evaluation to differentiate false from treu positve results
- Pre-test probability of CAD ≈ 5%
10
Q
Ischemic Cascade
- ST depression
- Regional heterogeneity of flow
- Ischemia
A
- ST depression
- Chest pain is a late manifestation of ischemia
- ST depression occurs earlier in the cascade than symptom development but is still a relatively late manifestation of ischemia
- Regional heterogeneity of flow
- Occurs earlier in exercise than ST depression or symptoms
- This appears as a perfusion defect in myocardial perfusion scinitgraphy
- Improves the sensitivity for detecting disease
- Ischemia
- Affects regional & global myocardial function earlier in the cascade than ST depression or symptoms
- Assessed by perfusion scintigraphy, blood pool scanning (radionuclide ventriculography or MUGA scans), & echo
11
Q
Planar Perfusion Scan Views
- Planar 2D imaging
- Sensitivity & specificity of qualitative planar thallium scintigraphy vs. exercise ECG
A
- Planar 2D imaging
- Initial camera technology for myocardial perfusion imaging
- 3 images of the heart are obtained from different angles around the heart to allow visualization of the perfusion regions in the distribution fo each of the major epicardial coronary vessels
- Replaced by tomographic (3D) imaging (SPECT: single photon emission computerized tomography)
- Sensitivity & specificity of qualitative planar thallium scintigraphy vs. exercise ECG
- Sensitivity for planar thallium > exercise ECG
- Specificity for planar thallium > exercise ECG
12
Q
SPECT Camera
- SPECT imaging
- Slices
- Indication of prior MI
- Indication of exercise-induced ischemia w/o infarction
- Sensitivity & specificity of SPECT vs. planar imaging
- Candidates
A
- SPECT imaging
- Allows visualization of the myocardium in 3D as tomographic slices that can be generated in each plane of the heart
- Images are acquired by the camera rotating around the patient over 180o b/c the heart is in the anterior portion of the chest
- Images are reconstructed to generate tomographic slices
- Slices
- Short axis slices: cut the LV like a loaf of bread from apex to base (donut shaped)
- Vertical long axis slices (horse-shoe shaped)
- Horizontal long axis slices (hore-shoe shaped)
- Indication of prior MI
- Perfusion abnormality present both at rest & after exercise
- Severity of the defect indicates the severity of hte infarct & the amt of residual viable myocardium that might be present in the infarcted zone
- Indication of exercise-induced ischemia w/o infarction
- Perfusion abnormality present after exercise but not at rest
- Sensitivity & specificity of SPECT vs. planar imaging
- Sensitivity: SPECT > planar
- Specificity: SPECT = planar
- Regional localization & quantification: SPECT > planar
- Candidates
- 50% of tertiary care, hospital-based pts who aren’t able to exercise
13
Q
Coronary Blood Flow Reserve Ratio i.r.t. Adenosine, Dipyridamole, Dobutamine, & Exercise Stress
- Dobutamine
- Adenosine & dipyridamole
- Sensitivity & specificity for pharmacologic stress studies vs. exercise
A
- Dobutamine
- Pharmacologic stress agent that increases coronary blood flow by increasing MOD
- Increases in blood flow approximate or slightly exceed those achieved during max exercise
- Adenosine & dipyridamole
- Preferable agents for pharmacologic stress perfusion imaging
- Primary coronary artery vasodilators (dipyridamole increases adenosine levels)
- Increase coronary blood flow by decreasing resistance to perfusion at R2 vessels
- Increases in blood flow are 4-5x that achieved during max exercise
- Can cause bronchospasm, so use dobutamine in pts w/ asthma
- Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptor & inhibits vasodilatoin, so can’t have caffeine for 24 hours prior to the test
- Uptake of radiopharmaceutical at time of max effect of the pharmacologic stress agent reflects peak coronary blood flow
- Ragedenson: selective adenosine A2A receptor that specifically dilates coronary arteries
- Sensitivity & specificity for pharmacologic stress studies vs. exercise
- Similar sensitivity & specificity
- Exercise is preferred b/c of superoir imaging characteristics & clinical information
- Ischemic threshold, functional capacity, & symptomatic correlation can be assessed by exercise stress but not pharmacologic stress
14
Q
Predicting Acute Coronary Events & Cardiac Death
- Pts at low risk for adverse coronary events or cardiac death
- Pts at high risk for adverse coronary events or cardiac death
- SPECT perfusion imaging
- Exercise testing + SPECT perfusion imaging
- Coronary revascularization w/ coronary bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty
- Therapies that reduce MI risk
- Are outcomes improved by increased frequency of revascularizaiton in patients taken directly to the cath lab?
A
- Pts at low risk for adverse coronary events or cardiac death
- Unlikely to benefit from the risk & expense of invasive revascularization therapy (angioplasty or coronray bypass surgery)
- Better managed medically w/o cardiac cath
- Pts at high risk for adverse coronary events or cardiac death
- More likely to benefit from revascularization
- Better candidates for coronray angiography
- SPECT perfusion imaging
- Excellent discrimination power to identify low vs. high risk pts
- Negative test = low risk of adverse cardiac events (MI or mortality)
- Positive test = high risk of adverse cardiac events
- Exercise testing + SPECT perfusion imaging
- Significant power to differentiate low vs. high risk pts
- SPECT perfusion imaging adds significant additional prognostic information
- Low risk exercise test + high risk SPECT = increased mortality risk
- High risk exercise test + normal SPECT = low mortality risk
- Intermediate exercise test: SPECT adds substantial power to differentiate mortality risk
- Coronary revascularization w/ coronary bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty
- Increases survival in higher risk patients
- Don’t reduce risks of MI
- Pts w/ moderate to severe abnormal perfusion: at high risk of cardiac death & MI & are more likely to benefit from coronary revascularization
- Pts w/ mildly abnormal scans: low mortality rish, high MI risk
- May be better managed medically
- Therapies that reduce MI risk
- All medical therapies (aspirin, statins, ACE-Is)
- Are outcomes improved by increased frequency of revascularizaiton in patients taken directly to the cath lab?
- No: no significant difference in clinical outcome w.r.t. death or MI
- Many potentially unnecessary revascularization procedures could be avoided by initially stratifying stable angina pts w/ stress perfusion imaging rather than taking them directly to coronary angiography