PM Cardio Questions Flashcards
B-type natriuretic peptide is released in response to what?
B-type natriuretic peptide is released in response to ventricular strain.
Different classes of anti-arrhythmics:
Cardiac action potential refresher
Quinidine, Lidocaine, Flecainide and procainamide are examples of what class of drug?
Class 1 Na+ sodium channel blockers (anti-arrhythmics).
What is pulsus paradoxus?
A greater than the normal (10 mmHg) fall in systolic blood pressure during inspiration → faint or absent pulse in inspiration.
What is pulsus paradoxus a sign of?
Severe asthma, cardiac tamponade
What is the treatment for a patient unstable in VT?
A synchronised cardioversion is the treatment for a unstable patient in VT
Ehler’s danlos is associated with what cardiac problem?
Aortic dissection
What is diagnostic of aortic dissection?
Transoesophageal echocardiogram
What is the immediate management of a PE?
Patients with a suspected pulmonary embolism should be initially managed with a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC)
(apixaban or rivaroxaban)
What are the different types of aortic dissection?
Aortic dissection
type A - ascending aorta - control BP (IV labetalol) + surgery
type B - descending aorta - control BP(IV labetalol)
What is the treatment for stable aortic dissection?
Aortic dissection
type A - ascending aorta - control BP (IV labetalol) + surgery
type B - descending aorta - control BP(IV labetalol)
What are the four red flag symptoms of fast AF?
Syncope, heart failure, myocardial ischaemia, and shock.
What is the treatment of fast AF with decompensation?
In AF with decompensation the correct management is synchronised DC cardioversion.
Thiazide diuretics can cause what electrolyte abnormality?
Thiazide diuretics can cause hypercalcaemia and hypocalciuria.
What are the features of hypokalemia on ecg?
ECG features of hypokalaemia
U waves
small or absent T waves (occasionally inversion)
prolong PR interval
ST depression
long QT
Pulsus parodoxus =
cardiac tamponade
What is the immediate management of acute heart failure?
O - oxygen
My - Morphine
Fucking - IV Furosemide
God - GTN
Sit up
Diagnosis in this patient: a very tall patient with long fingers who presents with a tearing chest pain radiating to his back…
Aortic dissection secondary to marfan’s.
How is aortic dissection classified?
type I - originates in ascending aorta, propagates to at least the aortic arch and possibly beyond it distally.
type II - originates in and is confined to the ascending aorta.
type III - originates in descending aorta, rarely extends proximally but will extend distally
Type A = 2/3 involved
Type B = 1/3 involved
What are risk factors for aortic dissection?
hypertension
trauma
bicuspid aortic valve
collagen disorders
Turner’s and Noonan’s syndrome
pregnancy
syphilis
Marfan’s
Aortic dissection on imaging:
- what is most diagnostic for aortic dissection?
TOE - transoesophageal echocardiogram
What are the management options for aortic dissection?
Manage BP with IV labetalol + surgery if Type a (ascending aorta).
What are the complications of aortic dissection?
▪Aortic incompetence/ regurgitation
▪MI: inferior pattern is often seen due to right coronary involvement
▪unequal arm pulses and BP
▪stroke
▪renal failure
What are the side effects of starting a patient on warfarin?
haemorrhage
teratogenic, although can be used in breastfeeding mothers
skin necrosis: when warfarin is first started biosynthesis of protein C is reduced. This results in a temporary procoagulant state after initially starting warfarin, normally avoided by concurrent heparin administration. Thrombosis may occur in venules leading to skin necrosis
purple toes
What are the indications for giving warfarin?
venous thromboembolism: target INR = 2.5, if recurrent 3.5
atrial fibrillation, target INR = 2.5
mechanical heart valves, target INR depends on the valve type and location. Mitral valves generally require a higher INR than aortic valves.
What is Amiodarone used for?
Amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic agent used in the treatment of atrial, nodal and ventricular tachycardias.
What is the mechanism of action of Amiodarone?
The main mechanism of action is by blocking potassium channels which inhibits repolarisation and hence prolongs the action potential. Amiodarone also has other actions such as blocking sodium channels (a class I effect).
How long should dual antiplatelet therapy be continued for following ACS event?
Post acute coronary syndrome (medically managed): add ticagrelor to aspirin, stop ticagrelor after 12 months.
What are the featuures of mitral stenosis?
This woman presents with mitral stenosis. The features in the examination which point to this diagnosis are mitral facies, atrial fibrillation due to left atrial dilatation, raised JVP, peripheral oedema and a characteristic diastolic murmur with an opening snap. The most common cause of mitral stenosis (up to 95%) is rheumatic heart disease. Other causes are far less common, including congenital disease, degenerative calcification, Libman-Sacks endocarditis, rheumatoid arthritis and amyloidosis.
The cardiac arrest team is called to the bedside of a 67-year-old male patient, 2 days post-myocardial infarction. Two nurses are currently performing chest compressions and a manual defibrillator has just been attached. Chest compressions are paused briefly so that the rhythm can be analysed: pulseless electrical activity is observed.
Given the above, which of the following should happen in this scenario?
Adrenaline should be given immediately.
ALS - give adrenaline in non-shockable rhythm as soon as possible.
What class of drug is Doxazosin and what is it used for?
Doxazosin is a selective a1-blocker that is used to treat hypertension.
When should use of GTN spray be avoided in ACS patients?
Administering sublingual glyceryl trinitrate is incorrect as nitrates should be avoided in patients with hypotension. Nitrate-induced hypotension may lead to syncope.
After a beta blocker used a first line in treatment for fast AF what is used next?
Digoxin can be added as a second line treatment for rate control in atrial fibrillation
Which valve defect is associated with PKDS?
Mitral valve prolapse is associated with polycystic kidney disease.
What is the mechanism of action of alteplase?
Activates plasminogen to form plasmin.
NICE guidelines for treatment of hypertension:
First line management for someone aged 45 and hypertensive with no PMH.
Ace inhibitor / angiotensin receptor blocker
First line management for someone aged 65 and hypertensive with no PMH.
CCB
First line management for someone aged 65 and hypertensive with type 2 diabetes.
Angiotensin receptor blocker / Ace inhibitor
Any black African / afro carribean should be offered with as first line for hypertension?
CCB
NSTEMI guidelines
What type of murmur does mitral stenosis cause?
Mitral stenosis typically causes a mid-diastolic murmur with an opening snap.
Wendy, 48, presents to the Emergency Department after feeling faint earlier that day. She is found to be in atrial fibrillation. She is known to have structural heart disease as a result of an ill-functioning mitral valve, but is otherwise fit and healthy. What is the most appropriate treatment if pharmacological cardioversion is agreed upon?
If pharmacological cardioversion has been agreed on clinical and resource grounds for new-onset atrial fibrillation, offer:
Flecainide or amiodarone if there is no evidence of structural or ischaemic heart disease or
Amiodarone if there is evidence of structural heart disease.
Note: Atenalol and diltiazem are both used for rate control.
Treatment for a patient in cardiac arrest in ventricular fibrilation:
The Resuscitation Council has clear guidelines on how to manage cardiac arrest (Adult advanced life support guidelines). In the shockable rhythms - ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (pVT), CPR should be immediately provided and the patient defibrillated as soon as possible. Therefore the correct answer is defibrillation.
How do Thiazide diuretics work and what are they used for?
Thiazide diuretics work by inhibiting sodium reabsorption at the beginning of the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) by blocking the thiazide-sensitive Na+-Cl− symporter. Potassium is lost as a result of more sodium reaching the collecting ducts. Thiazide diuretics have a role in the treatment of mild heart failure although loop diuretics are better for reducing overload.
Treats hypertension.
Common adverse side effects of thiazide diuretics:
dehydration
postural hypotension
hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia, hypercalcaemia*
gout
impaired glucose tolerance
impotence
A 64-year-old man presents to the respiratory clinic for a scheduled review of his pulmonary hypertension. He was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension ten years previously. His comorbidities include type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart failure. His medications include bosentan, metformin, sitagliptin, ramipril and bisoprolol.
On examination, he is slightly overweight; he has mild peripheral oedema; his lungs are clear; and there is a high-pitched, pansystolic murmur, heard loudest at the lower left sternal edge, which is loudest on inspiration.
Which underlying pathology is most likely to explain his murmur?
Tricuspid regurgitation becomes louder during inspiration, unlike mitral stenosis.
You are the first to arrive at a 45-year-old man who has become unconscious following elective surgery earlier that day. An attached ECG shows that he is in sinus tachycardia, but there is no carotid pulse. The nurse has already put out a crash call. The airway is being maintained and the nurse has begun ventilating with bag and mask, pupils equal and reactive to light, with no external signs of injury
Whilst awaiting senior help, what should you do?
The absence of a carotid pulse in the presence of sinus tachycardia indicates that this is a non-shockable rhythm, and the appropriate algorithm should be followed as explained below. The only shockable rhythms are ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.
A 55-year-old woman suffers from shortness of breath on exertion and orthopnoea. Her echocardiogram shows dilation of all four chambers. There are no regional wall motion abnormalities but the left ventricular ejection fraction is poor.
Which of the following is a risk factor for this condition?
Chronic alcohol use may cause dilated cardiomyopathy.
Total cessation of alcohol is associated with improvement of symptoms and even reversal of DCM in some cases.
A 24-year-old rugby player is suddenly collapses during a game. After being rushed to hospital it is suspected that he has hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.
Which of the following signs can be classically elicited on examination of someone with this condition?
S4
HOCM = 4 letters = S4
S4 hit the floor
Mid diastolic murmur =
Mitral stenosis
How does Wolff-Parkinson White present on an ECG?
The ECG shows a short PR interval associated with a slurred upstroke (delta wave). Note the non-specific ST-T changes which are common in Wolff-Parkinson White and may be mistaken for ischaemia.
Tricuspid regurgitation often occurs secondary to what and has what sound on auscultation?
Functional tricuspid regurgitation often occurs secondary to pulmonary hypertension as a result of chronic lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) producing a loud pulmonary component of the second heart sound, raised jugular venous pressure and a pansystolic murmur in the left lower sternal edge.
Other secondary causes of tricuspid regurgitation involve mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation as well as pulmonary thromboembolism.