Lecture 5: Chest Pain Readings Flashcards
Classic presentation of cardiac chest pain
Retrosternal in the left anterior chest with crushing, tightness, squeezing, or pressure brought on by exertion but relieved with rest
What demographics are more likely to have atypical presentations of cardiac chest pain?
- Women
- Minorities
- Diabetics
- Elderly
- Psychiatric disease
How do patients with ACS tend to present on physical?
Normal.
Vitals are primarily abnormal.
What EKG findings suggest ACS?
- New STE
- Q waves
- New LBBB
- T-wave inversions or normalizations
What underlying condition can elevate cTn?
Renal failure
This is why we want serial trops
If we suspect Pulmonary embolism, what criterias can help us?
- PERC (PE Rule-out Criteria)
- Wells Score
- Revised Geneva Scores
Classic description of aortic dissection
Sudden onset of severe, tearing pain that radiates to the intrascapular area of the back.
RFs for aortic dissection
- Male
- > 50
- Uncontrolled HTN
- Cocaine
- Atherosclerosis
- Marfans/EDS
- Valve replacement
- Pregnant
Classic spontaneous pneumothorax case
- Sudden onset, sharp, pleuritic chest pain with dyspnea
- Tall, slender male who smokes, COPD, and asthma
- Decreased breath sounds on affected side
Classic acute pericarditis case
- Sharp, severe, constant, retrosternal pain radiating to back, neck or jaw
- Pain worse when supine but relieved sitting forward
- Pericardial friction rub
- PR depression, diffuse STE or T-wave inversions
What are the MSK causes of chest pain?
- Costcochondritis
- Xiphoidynia
- Precordial catch syndrome
- Intercostal strain 2/2 coughing, pectoralis muscle strain
What are the GI causes of chest pain?
- GERD
- Dyspepsia
- Esophageal motility disorder
Need imaging/diagnostics to differentiate
What is the first medication given to patients at risk for AMI in the ED?
Aspirin
What criteria helps with risk stratification of AMI?
- TIMI (Thrombosis in MI)
- Global Registry of ACE
What falls under ACS?
- STEMI
- NSTEMI
- Unstable Angina
RFs for CAD
- Older Male
- FHx
- Smoking
- HTN
- Hypercholesterolemia
- DM
- Cocaine
If we suspect ACS, what is the workup to order?
- EKG
- Serum cTn
- CXR
- CBC
- Lytes
- PT/PTT
How is unstable angina dx?
- Lack of STEMI or NSTEMI
- Began in last 2 months
- Increased S/S compared to existing angina
- Existing angina but it also occurs at rest
- Evidence of CAD
STEMI goals
- Systemic thrombolytic within 30min of arrival
- PCI within 90min (PREFERRED)
- If you can get PCI within 120 minutes, you go for PCI, even if systemic thrombolytics are available.
MONA for ACS
- Morphine
- O2 > 95%
- NTG
- Aspirin chewable 160-324 mg
When is clopidogrel indicated for ACS?
- High risk STEMI or NSTEMI.
- Used as adjunct to ASA, but can be used alone if allergy to ASA.
When to use LWMH/UFH for ACS?
Unstable angina or NSTEMI
UFH preferred for CABG.
When is fondaparinux used in ACS?
Replacement of UFH in unstable angina or NSTEMI.
Also usable in STEMI without renal impairment that used streptokinase.
When can fibrinolytics be used for STEMI?
- NO timely access to PCI
- Time to treat < 6-12 hrs of onset
- EKG showing 1mm or greater STE in 2+ contiguous leads
If a patient begins significant bleeding post systemic thrombolytics, what do we do?
- Crystalloid + PRBCs
- Cryoprecipitate + FFP to reverse
- Last resort: TXA or aminocaproic acid
What anti-ischemic drug should be given within 24h of ACS?
BB
What is meant by low-probability ACS?
- Chest pain suggest possible coronary ischemia
- Lack of STE or depression
- Initial cardiac biomarkers are not elevated
How does low-risk chest pain present?
Pleuritic, positional, sharp, stabbing or reproducible
What falls under the primary evaluation for ACS?
- H&P
- EKG
- Cardiac biomarker (initial)
What are the categories to classify people into post primary evaluation of ACS?
- Acute MI
- Probable acute ischemia (high risk for MACE)
- Possible acute ischemia (intermediate risk for MACE)
- Possible acute ischemia (low risk for MACE)
- Definitely not ischemia