Cardiac System Flashcards
This deck covers Chapters 68-74 in Rosens, compromising all of cardiology.
What is AVRT orthodromic vs antidromic and why do we care?
AVRT with Orthodromic Conduction
Anterograde conduction occurs via the AV node with retrograde conduction occurring via the accessory pathway.
Treatment of Orthodromic AVRT
- Like SVT
AVRT with Antidromic Conduction
Anterograde conduction occurs via the accessory pathway with retrograde conduction via the AV node.
Treatment of Antidromic AVRT
- Unstable
- Procainamide
- DC Cardioversion
Describe the “runaway PM syndrome”.
Runaway Pacemaker Syndrome
- Low battery causes spikes in HR which can cause VF
- May cause failure to capture due to low voltage spikes
- Rare in current age PPMs
Treatment
- Magnet
List 6 vascular phenomena seen in IE
- Arterial emboli
- Splinter hemorrhages
- Septic pulmonary infarcts
- Mycotic aneurysm
- Conjunctival hemorrhage
- Janeway lesions
What is this?
Pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT)
- Retrograde p waves sensed w/ ventricular pacing
- Ventricular pacing causes retrograde p waves
- Causes endless loop and rate-related ischemia
- New PPM have programming to terminate PMT
Treatment
- Slow AV conduction
- Adenosine
- Magnet
List 8 causes of PVCs/VT
- Acute MI
- Previous MI
- Cardiomyopathy
- Myocardial contusion
- Hypokalemia
- Hypomagnesemia
- Hypoxemia
- Hypercapnia
- Acidosis
- Alkalosis
- Methylxanthine toxicity (caffeine)
- Valvular heart disease
- Catecholamine excess
- TCAs
- Idiopathic
- Digitalis toxicity
List clinical features that would help you distinguish SVT with aberrancy and VT
VT: >50 years, hx of MI, ASD, CHF, VT in the past
SVT: <35, healthy
List 8 early complications of MI
- Death
- CHF
- Dysrhythmias
- Cardiogenic shock
- LV free wall rupture
- Ruptured interventricular septum
- Papillary muscle rupture
- Pericarditis
- Hyperglycemia
- Stroke
- LV Aneurysm
- Post-PCI pseudoaneurysm
List 10 infectious causes of myocarditis
-
Viral
- Hep A/B/C
- Herpes 3,4,5,6,7
- Influenza A/B
- Enteroviruses
- Adenovirus
- HIV
-
Bacterial:
- S. pneumoniae
- M. pneumoniae
- C. pneumoniae
- TB
- Lyme
- Diptheria
-
Others:
- Chagas’ – protozoa
- Trichinosis – helminth
List the common presentations of ICD malfunction.
Increase or changes to shock frequency
- Shocking SVT
- Shocking non-cardiac signals
- Oversensing T waves
- Increased VF/VT (electrolytes, ischemia)
Syncope or dizzy
- VT w/ low shock strength
- SVT w/ hypotension
- Inadequate backup rate
Cardiac Arrest
- ICD malfunction
- VF failing to respond to ICD parameters
What is this?
Paroxysmal SVT
- Produce retrograde atrial depolarization and a P’ wave
- But these P’ waves are usually buried in the QRS
- Most common = AVNRT (AV node is used for anterograde conduction)
Treatment
- Vagal maneuvers
- Adenosine 6 mg (can repeat 12 mg x 2)
- CCB (Diltiazem 0.25 mg/kg or 20 mg IV)
- UNSTABLE: Electrical 50J
What is the CCS classification of stable angina?
Class I
- No angina with ordinary activity
Class II
- Slightly limited activity
- Climbing stairs, emotional stress, walking
Class III
- Severely limited activity
- Walking 1-2 blocks, climbing 1 flight of stairs
Class IV
- Can’t do any activity without pain
- Pain at rest
According to new guidelines, what are our targets for PCI, thrombolytics, transfer, etc.?
- Door to ECG goal: ≤10 min
- Door to lytics: ≤30 min
- Door to balloon goal: ≤90 min
- FMC to balloon goal (transferred): ≤120 min
- Lytics if unable to get PCI within 120 min
Transfer all patients in cardiogenic shock
Primary PCI for patients >12h out with ongoing ischemia
What are 4 Class I indications for an ICD?
- Cardiac arrest from VF/VT
- Sustained VT
- Syncope with inducible VF/VT
- Nonsustained VT with CAD, MI, EF <35%
What is the management of Acute Rheumatic Fever?
Treat streptococcus
- Penicillin V 500 mg PO TID x10 days
Treat arthritis
- ASA (or another anti-inflammatory)
- Until symptoms resolve and CRP/ESR normalize
Treat carditis
- Corticosteroids (conflicting evidence)
List 8 common precipitating causes of acute HF
- Non-compliance
- Fluids
- Sodium intake
- HTN
- MI
- Dysrhythmia
- Infection
- Myocarditis
- Valvular disorder
- PE
- Pregnancy
- Trauma
- Exercise
- Thyroid
- Hypoxia
- Anemia
What is the Jones Criteria for the diagnosis of ARF?
Positive DX of Rheumatic Fever if:
- Strep + 2 Major or
- Strep + 1 Major + 2 Minor
Proof strep infection
- Culture
- ASOT positive
Major (JONES)
- Joint pain
- cOrditis (carditis)
- Nodules
- Erythema marginatum
- Sydenham chorea
Minor (PEACH F)
- PR prolongation
- ESR elevated
- Arthralgias
- CRP elevated
- History of preceding GAS infection
- Fever
List 5 causes of completely irregular (chaotic) rhythms
- Atrial fibrillation
- Multifocal atrial tachycardia
- AT/AF with varying conduction
- Extrasystoles
- Wandering pacemaker
- Parasystole
What’s the best mode for surgery?
VOO
- Asynchronous pacing
- Ventricle paced at a pre-programmed rate
- Sensing not interfered with by cautery
- Monitor for R on T with cautery –> torsades de pointes
Describe the 4 stages of pericarditis
- Diffuse STE and PR depression (hours/days)
- Flat T wave, ST/PR normalizes (days/weeks)
- TWI (2 weeks)
- Normalization (months)
What are the 5 types of MI?
- Type 1: Plaque rupture
- Type 2: Supply-Demand
- Type 3: Sudden death
- Type 4: PCI-related
- Type 5: CABG-related
List 10 causes of pericarditis
- MI
- Viral/Bacterial/Fungal/Lyme
- Surgical
- Idiopathic
- Uremic
- Traumatic
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- SLE
- Amyloid
- Scleroderma
- Radiation
- Tumours
List 6 treatments to manage an electrical storm?
Rule out reversible causes (electrolyte AbN, myocardial ischemia, TCAs, hyperthyroidism)
- Amiodarone
- B-blockers
- Sedation
- Overdrive pacing
- Emergent catheter ablation
- Hemodynamic support with IABP, LVAD
- Transplantation
List 10 secondary causes of HTN
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Conn’s syndrome
- OCP use
- Pheochromocytoma
- Hyperthyroidism
- OSA
- Chronic pyelonephritis
- PCKD
- Renal artery stenosis
- Sympathetic drugs
- Licorice Root
- Chronic EtOH abuse
- Atherosclerosis
- Aortic coarctation
Describe the 2 Types of Wellen’s Patterns:
Type A
- Biphasic, initial positivity
- 25% of cases
Type B
- Deeply, symmetrically inverted
- 75% of cases
The T waves evolve over time from Type A to Type B
What is this?
Antidromic AVRT
Define Unstable Angina
-
New onset angina
* Class II angina onset within last 2 months -
Rest angina
* Rest pain > 20 min within 1 week of ED presentation -
Progressive angina
* Less precipitation, more often, longer duration -
Resistant angina
* Previously effective anginal meds don’t work
What is the normal myocardium resting membrane potential (RMP)? How is the RMP maintained?
Normal RMP: -90 mV
Na+/K+- ATPase
What’s the diagnosis and management of 3rd Degree AVB
Pacemakers above His bundle:
- Narrow complexes at HR 45 – 60
- Will respond to atropine
Pacemakers below His bundle:
- Wide complexes at HR 30 – 45
- Will NOT respond to atropine
Treatment
- Transcutaneous or transvenous pacing (if unstable)
- Epinephrine 2 – 10 mcg/min
- Dopamine 2 – 10 mcg/kg/min
- AVOID Type I antidysrhythmics (stop escape rhythm)
When should you CONSIDER antibiotic prophylaxis for IE in the ED? What do you give for prophylaxis?
Step 1: High-risk condition for endocarditis?
- Previous IE
- Prosthetic valve
- Unrepaired cyanotic heart lesion
- Repair that is young (<6 months)
- Transplanted heart with a valve
Step 2: High-risk procedure?
- Gingival manipulation
- I&D of skin
- Incision of the respiratory tract
Step 3: Prophylaxis?
- Amoxicillin 2g PO
- Clindamycin 600 mg PO
- Ceftriaxone 1g IV
What organisms make up the HACEK group?
Fastidious gram neg. bacilli that are difficult to isolate
- Haemophilus species
- Aggregatibacter (prev. Actinobacillus)
- Cardiobacterium hominis
- Eikenella corrodens
- Kingella kingae
What is the new 2018 definition of MI?
Elevated troponin plus one of:
- Symptoms of ischemia
- New ECG changes
- Pathologic Q waves
- Imaging evidence of myocardial injury
- Coronary thrombus by angiography
List 8 causes of PM malfunction in 4 categories
Failure to Capture
- Leads disconnect or break
- Exit block
- Battery dies
Failure to sense
- Leads move
- Leads fracture
- Poor contact
Oversensing
- Oversensing extracardiac signals (shivering)
- T wave sensing
Inapproprate Rate
- Low battery
- Pacer mediated tachycardia
What is the LOWN classification of PVC and which are concerning for developing a malignant arrhythmia?
- 0: none
- 1: <30/hr
- 2: >30/hr
- Multifocal
- 4a. Two consecutive
- 4b. Three consecutive
- R on T
Class 3-5 are concerning for arrhythmia
Provide 5 DDX for ST depression
- MI
- Reciprocal changes
- PE
- Demand ischemia
- Digoxin effect
- Hyper/hypokalemia
- ICH
- Myocarditis
- Rate-related depression
- Pneumothorax
- Repolarization abnormality
- LVH with strain
- BBB
- Paced rhythm
What is this ECG?
Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia
- At least THREE distinctly different P waves with varying P’-R, R-R and P’-P intervals
- Irregular rhythm
Causes of MAT (same as for PAT)
- PACs (MCC)
- PVC (rare)
- Electrolyte or acid-base disturbance
- Drug toxicity
- Fever
- Pulmonary disease & hypoxemia
Treatment Options for MAT (or PAT, NPAT)
- Treat underlying cause
- BB or CCB
- MgSO4 2–4 g IV
- Overdrive pacing
- Synchronized cardioversion (50 – 100J)
Define the Vancouver Chest Pain rule? Any good?
- Is there an abnormal ECG, positive troponin at 2 hrs, or prior ACS or nitrate use?
* If Yes to any = No early discharge - Does palpation reproduce the pain?
* Yes = early discharge and don’t move to step 3 -
Age ≥50, or does the pain radiate to neck, jaw, or left arm?
* If Yes to any = No early discharge
* If No to all = Early discharge with FU for stress testing
The rule was validated in 2014 on 1635 patients. Sensitivity is 99.1%, Specificity is 16.1%.
Explain pause- vs. tachycardia-dependent torsades de pointes
Acquired QT prolongation (pause-dependent)
- Majority of adult cases are acquired
- Precipitated by a SLOW HR
-
Treatment
- Increase HR
- Overdrive pacing or drugs for HR 100-120
- IV MgSO4
Congenital QT prolongation (tachycardia-dependent)
- Eg. Romano-Ward, Jervell and Lange–Nielsen, Timothy
- Precipitated by catecholamine excess
- Typical story: patient presents with syncope after exertion
-
Treatment
- Slow HR
- Can use BBs
What is the mechanism of action of nitroglycerin?
- Gets converted in body to NO
- NO activates guanylate cyclase
- Leads to accumulation of cGMP:
- Sequesters Ca2+ in SR
- Results in relaxation of vascular smooth muscle
List 8 ABSOLUTE contraindications to fibrinolytics in ACS
Absolute CI
- Any prior ICH
- Known structural cerebral vascular lesion (eg, AVM)
- Known malignant intracranial neoplasm (primary or mets)
- Ischemic stroke within 3 mo EXCEPT acute within 4.5 h
- Suspected aortic dissection
- Active bleeding or bleeding diathesis (excluding menses)
- Significant closed-head or facial trauma within 3 mo
- Intracranial or intraspinal surgery within 2 mo
- Severe uncontrolled hypertension (unresponsive to tx)
- For streptokinase, prior treatment within last 6 mo
What are the 2014 STEMI criteria (ECS/ACCF/AHA)?
New ST segment elevation in 2+ contiguous leads >1mm in all leads other than V2-V3.
- For V2-V3:
- ≥1.5mm in Women
- ≥2mm in Men >40years
- ≥2.5mm in Men <40 years
Describe the ECG characteristics of an RBBB. List 5 causes of RBBB.
- QRS > 120 msec
- RSR’ pattern in V1-3 (‘M-shaped’ QRS complex)
- OR broad monophasic R wave or qR complex
- Wide, slurred S wave in the lateral leads (I, aVL, V5-6)
Causes
- RVH (cor pulmonale)
- PE
- Ischemic heart disease
- Myocarditis
- Rheumatic heart disease
Which organs are typically affected and which conditions can arise during a hypertensive emergency?
- Brain
- Heart
- Kidney
- Aorta
- Eyes
What other scoring methods are used to risk stratify potential ACS patients?
PURSUIT: Does not include troponin assays as part of score and the majority of the score is dependent on patient age.
TIMI: Simple to use, but has a poor predictive power (i.e. c-statistic 0.65)
GRACE: Very complex to use and a large portion of the score is dependent on the patient age. Also, patients not divided into different risk groups
FRISC: Like TIMI, is simple to use but has a poor predictive power (i.e. c-statistic 0.70)