Cardiac Investigations

Question 1

A patient comes in with chest pain. What investigations would you think of doing?

Answer 1

ECG
CXR
Exercise testing

Question 2

A patient comes in who is breathless. What investigations would you think of doing?

Answer 2

ECG
CXR
Echocardiography

Question 3

A patient comes in with palpitations. What investigations would you think of doing?

Answer 3

CXR
24hr ECG
Echocardiography

Question 4

A patient comes in and you hear a murmur. What investigations would you think of doing?

Answer 4

ECG

Echocardiography

Question 5

What is the most widely used protocol for exercise ECGs?

Answer 5

Bruce protocol

Question 6

When are ECGs and BP recorded in an exercise ECG test?

Answer 6

At the end of each stage of the Bruce protocol (every 3 mins)

Question 7

What does cardiac catheterisation (coronary angiography) involve?

Answer 7

Introducing (flexible) catheters to the heart and coronary vessels via the femoral/radial artery
They can detect pressure changes and inject dye for imaging of arteries, producing an angiogram

Question 8

How does CT coronary angiography differ from normal coronary angiography?

Answer 8

Inject dye to light up arteries then use XR to create CT image (no catheters inserted)
Less-invasive but do expose to radiation

Question 9

When would CT coronary angiography be likely used?

Answer 9

In lower risk patients and those with anatomical abnormalities

Question 10

What are the limitations of CT coronary angiography?

Answer 10

Contrast allergy
Lower resolution
Need specialist equipment
Radiation

Question 11

Echocardiography is a form of what?

Answer 11

Ultrasound