CAD Flashcards
What is the goal LDL reduction in patients with SIHD?
► 50% LDL reduction
What medication can be added in very high-risk patients with SIHD already on maximal statin therapy including:
- multiple major events
- one major and multiple risk factors
and
- LDL ► 70
- Ezetemibe (non-statin therapy)
or
- PCSK-9 inhibitor
- proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor
What trial demonstrated the benefit of Ezetemibe in high risk patients with SIHD?
IMPROVE-IT (2015)
- Simvastatin + Ezetemibe vs. Simvastatin alone
- associated with reduction in CV mortality, major CV event, nonfatal stroke
How is the intensity of statin therapy defined?
- High = ► 50% LDL reduction
- Moderate = 30 - 50% LDL reduction
- Low = < 30% LDL reduction

In regards to “very high risk” features of future ASCVD event,
What are the high risk conditions?
- CHF (history of)
- CKD (GFR 15-59)
- HTN
- Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia
- History of CABG or PCI outside of major ASCVD event
- Age ► 65 years
- DM
- Persistently elevated LDL
- ► 100 LDL
- despite maximally tolerated statin therapy + Ezetemibe
- Tobacco abuse (current)

In regards to those who are “Very High Risk” of Future ASCVD events,
What are the major ASCVD events?
- Recent ACS (within the past 12 months)
- History of MI (other than recent ACS listed above)
- History of ischemic stroke
- Symptomatic PAD
- history of claudication with ABI < 0.85 or
- previous revascularization or amputation

What patients should undergo stress imaging as the initial testing modality?
- Inability to exercise with requirement for pharmacologic stress
- EKG abnormalities (which preclude interpretation of stress EKG)
- High pre-test probability of CAD

What are the mechanisms responsible for SCAD?
- intimal tear with blood subsequently entering a false lumen
or
- spontaneous hemorrhage of the vaso vasorum –> intramural hematoma within the coronary arteries
- network of small blood vessels that supply the walls of large blood vessels, such as elastic arteries (e.g., the aorta) and large veins (e.g., the venae cavae).
- name derives from Latin, meaning “the vessels of the vessels”
Describe features of the TIMI risk score (NSTE-ACS)
- ST changes ► 0.5 mV
- ► 2 episodes of angina within 24 hours
-
3 or more CAD risk factors
- DM, Tobacco abuse, HTN, Dyslipidemia, FH CAD
- Positive cardiac biomarkers
- Known CAD ( ► 50% stenosis)
- Age ► 65 years
- ASA use in prior 7 days

What are two well known, clinically validated multivariable risk score algorithms for ACS?
- TIMI
- Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction
- separate scores for STEMI and NSTE-ACS
- GRACE
- Global Registry of Acute Coronary events
What does the TIMI risk score predict?
- Clinically validated risk score which predicts the
- risk of …. within 14 days
- all-cause mortality
- new or recurrent MI
- severe recurrent ischemia prompting ugent revascularization

Describe the GRACE risk score
- Originally developed across the whole spectrum of ACS (with and without ST elevation) in 17, 142 patients from GRACE registry
- Predicts in-hospital mortality and death or MI
- Identifies patients who will benefit from early invasive approach
- 8 variables included:
- Age
- Cardiac arrest at presentation
- SBP
- ST-segment deviation
- Serum creatinine level
- HR at admission
- Positive initial cardiac biomarkers
- Killip class

What risk factor is the strongest predictor of future cardiovascular event?
Prior ischemic event (MI or CVA)
Define coronary artery vasospasm
- transient, sudden, intense vasoconstriction of an epicardial coronary artery resulting in vessel occlusion or near occlusion
- MOA
- hyper-reactivity of coronary vascular smooth muscle cells to constrictor stimuli
- Most notable risk factor:
- smoking (tobacco abuse)
What is the most prominent risk factor for coronary vasospasm?
smoking (tobacco abuse)
What is the treatment for coronary vasospasm?
- Avoid provoking agents - Quitting smoking
- CCB’s
- Nitrates
- Statins
When do spontaneous episodes of coronary vasospasm (CAS) typically occur?
midnight - early morning hours
- circadian variation and propensity for early morning
What are additional provoking factors for coronary artery vasospasm (CAS)?
- Hyperventilation
- Other vasoconstrictors (cold temperatures, exercise)
- Methamphetamines
- Ephedrine
- Alcohol
- Catecholamines (Epinephrine, Norepinephrine)
- Cocaine
How is coronary artery vasospasm diagnosis made?
- Clinical findings/suspicion
- Coronary angiography:
- observed spasm –> resolves with intracoronary NTG
- provocative testing with intracoronary acetylcholine or methylergonovine
Describe the findings and increased future risk:
- 80 year old male presents to establish care
- PMH: CAD, DM, HTN, HLD, prior tobacco abuse
- prior anterior MI 10 years ago without revascularization

- Echo –> LV apical aneurysm
- discrete, dyskinetic area of the LV wall with a broad neck
-
VT
- LV aneurysm occurs in < 5% of STEMI patients
- most common after anterior MI

When does ischemic MR typically occur?
Why?
- Inferior MI
- Restricted motion of the posterior mitral valve leaflet
What are patients at increased risk for, post-MI who develop LV aneurysm?
- Ventricular arrhythmias
- Heart failure
- Thromboembolism
Differentiate between LV aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm
- LV aneurysm
- discrete, dyskinetic area of the LV wall with a broad neck
- Pseudoaneurysm
- caused by contained myocardial rupture
When is surgical correction of LV aneurysm considered?
- Refractory ventricular arrhythmias
- Refractory heart failure
- Recurrent thromboembolism (LV thrombus)
































































