Pages 1-10 Flashcards
Which words in ACS history make ACS LESS likely?
- Stabbing
- Pleuritic
- Positional
- Reproducible by palpation
Which words in ACS history make ACS MORE likely?
- Radiates to one shoulder or both shoulders or arms
2. Precipitated by exertion
Sensitivity of initial EKG of AMI?
20% to 60%
Is location of chest pain linked to region of ischemia?
No
*Patients with inferior MI more often have abdominal pain or GI symptoms than those with anterior infarct
What does pain for only seconds or recurrent pain lasting hours/days with indicative of?
Non cardiac etiology
What is chest pain reproducible on deep inspiration or with coughing associated with?
- PE
2. Costochondritis
What does chest pain alleviated by leaning forward suggest?
Pericarditis
What does chest pain aggravated by moving arm or neck suggest?
MSK pain
What does sublingual nitroglycerin cause when evaluating MI?
Relaxing coronary smooth muscle AND relaxation of esophageal muscle
Associated symptoms pointing to MI?
- Nausea
- Vomit
- Diaphoresis
What are the CAD risk factors?
- Family history
- Diabetes
- Increased cholesterol
- Smoking
- Hypertension
What are the TIMI risk factors of MI?
- Age of 65
- Greater than 3 CAD risk factors
- Known stenosis over 50%
- ST elevation over 0.5mm
- Use of ASA in last week
- Within 24 hours
- Increased biomarkers
Atypical presentations of ACS?
- Pain anywhere from umbilicus to neck and the back
- Sharp, burning (simulating gastric reflux)
- Diabetics elderly may have no chest pain at all
- . Women often present with fatigue, SOB and generalized weakness
Describe management of patients with ACS?
1. IV access 2 Beta-blockers to control the rate and BP 3. Cardiac monitor. 4. Morphine 5. Oxygen 6. Nitroglycerin - Caution in STEMIs to inferior leads/right heart 7. Aspirin
Utility of cardiac enzymes in chest pain?
Troponin I is fairly cardiac specific
Classic H/P of thoracic aortic dissection?
- 95% of patients with acute aortic dissection report chest pain, with back or interscapular pain
- Majority of patients appear to be in distress
- 50% hypertensive, often with a systolic blood pressure > 200.
Difference of type A and B aortic dissection?
Type A: if ascending aorta is involved
Type B: no involvement of ascending aorta
Ddx for aortic dissection?
- MI
- PE
- Aortic aneurysm
- Aortic regurgitation without dissection
- Stroke
What is difference in BP and pulses in the arms indicative of?
Dissection involving subclavian artery
- Difference of 20 mmHg is significant
If thoracic aortic dissection is suspected what actions should be promptly performed?
- Intubate if unstable
- 2 large bore IV’s
- Cardiac monitoring
- Obtain blood for CBC, CMP, trops, coags, type and cross
- EKG
- CXR
- Consult cardiothoracic surgery while diagnostic testing is underway if suspicion is strong
How to diagnose AA?
- CXR more helpful than the EKG
- Widened mediastinum seen in 60% - 55% - CT chest: has sensitivity of 83-98% and specificity of 87-100%
- TEE: often used in patients unstable to send for CT or with impaired renal function
Surgical management of type A and B thoracic aneurysm?
Type A: emergent surgery
Type B: surgical intervention in subacute or chronic phase
***Managed medically in acute setting as early surgical intervention associated w/ increased mortality
How to manage BP and rate in Type B
Systolic BP: maintained at 100-120 regardless of baseline
HR: below 60 unless evidence of malperfusion arises - - Beta-blockers are first line, specifically, esmolol because easily titratable to desired effect
- To maintain BP, a vasodilator such as nitroprusside, may be necessary
- A vasodilator should never be used without first starting a beta blocker: can cause a reflex tachycardia increasing aortic wall stress
- As pain can cause htn/tachycardia, narcotics such as morphine are often necessary