CARDIORESPIRATORY Flashcards
(159 cards)
What are the red flag symptoms to ask in a patient presenting with CHEST PAIN?
- Sudden onset
- Duration more than 10 mins
- Not relieved by GTN
- Associated dyspnoea
- Exertional
- Weight loss
- New dyspepsia if over 55y
- Risk factors for PE
What are the risk factors for PE?
- Hx of VTE
- Symptoms suggestive of DVT
- Malignancy
- FHx
- Recent fracture/immobility/surgery
- Long haul travel
List as many differentials for chest pain as you can.
ACUTE
- ACS
- PE
- Tension pneumothorax
- Pericarditis
- Aortic dissection
COMMON
- Angina
- GORD
- Costochondritis
- Pneumonia
- Anxiety
- Hyperthyroidism
What are the 3 typical symptoms of stable angina?
- Chest pain/pressure lasting minutes
- Provoked by exercise or emotion
- Relieved by rest or GTN
What investigations should be performed in a patient with suspected angina?
- ECG - should be normal
- FBC
- Lipid profile
- TSH
- CT coronary angiogram = GOLD STANDARD
What is the management for patients with stable angina?
R - refer to cardiology
A - Advice (increase physical activity, lipid goals, diet modification, smoking cessation)
M - Medical treatment
(i) Anti-anginals = GTN spray, B-blocker or CCB, long-acting nitrate, nicorandil or ivabradine
(ii) Cardio-protection = aspirin 75mg + atorvastatin 80mg
P - procedural interventions = PCI or CABG
What are the ECG features seen in STEMI?
- ST elevation in at least 2 continuous leads:
- more than 2.5mm in V2-3 in men under 40y. Over 2mm if over 40y
- more than 1.5mm in women
- more than 1mm in other leads - New LBBB (W in V1, M in V6)
Apart from an ECG, what other investigations should you perform in suspected STEMI?
- Troponins - baseline + 6h after
- FBC - r/o anaemia
- U+E - prior to ACEi
- LFT - prior to statin
- Lipid profile
- TFT
- HbA1c
- CXR - r/o MI mimics
- Echo - assess functional damage
- CT Coronary angiogram - assess for CAD
What is the immediate management of STEMI?
Morphine as required Oxygen if SpO2 less than 93% Nitrates Antiplatelets - aspirin 300mg and ticagralor 180mg or clopidogrel 300mg Antiemetic - if N+V present
What reperfusion options are there for patients presenting within 12hrs of symptom onset?
- PCI - if available within 120mins of presentation to hospital
- Thromblysis - if PCI not possible within 120 mins.
- alteplase used
- ECG 60-90 mins post-thrombolysis
What is the on-going medical management for STEMI?
The 6 A’s
- Aspirin 75mg OD
- Another antiplatelet - clopidogrel or ticagrelor for up to 12 months
- Atorvastatin 80mg
- ACEi
- Atenolol (or other b-blocker)
- ARB
What are the lifestyle modifications you should counsel people on post-MI?
- Smoking cessation
- Reduce alcohol consumption
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Weight loss
- Optimise management of other conditions
How do you differentiate between STEMI, NSTEMI + unstable angina?
STEMI will have ST elevation or LBBB on ECG
NSTEMI will have troponin rise + ECG will show ST depression, inverted T waves + pathological Q waves
Unstable angina will NOT have troponin rise or any new pathological changes on ECG
What investigations should be performed in suspected NSTEMI?
- ECG
- horizontal/downward ST depression more than 1mm - Trial GTN - 3 doses every 5 mins
- avoid if hypotension or RVF - Troponins - baseline + 6hrs after
- Creatinine Kinase
- FBC - ?anaemia
- U+E - prior to starting ACEi
- LFT - prior to statins
- Lipid profile
- TFT
- HbA1c - check for DM
- CXR - r/o pneumonia, oesophageal rupture, dissection, pneumothorax
What is the acute management of an NSTEMI? (HINT: BATMAN)
Beta blockers (unless CI)
Aspirin 300mg STAT
Ticagrelor 180mg or Clopidogrel 300mg
Morphine IV if pain
Anticoagulate = enoxaparin 1mg/kg BD or fondaparinux 2.5mg OD
Nitrates - GTN 1-2 puffs. Repeat every 5 minutes if required
What is the GRACE score? What is it used for?
Used for deciding on use of PCI in NSTEMI
- gives 6-month risk of death/repeat MI post-NSTEMI
- medium/high risk patients should be considered for early PCI (within 3-days)
What are the risk factors for developing pericarditis?
- Male
- 20-50yrs old
- Transmural MI
- Cardiac surgery
- Neoplasm
- Viral/bacterial illness
- Uraemia/on dialysis
- Systemic autoimmune conditions
What are the signs + symptoms you would expect in a patient presenting with pericarditis?
- Chest Pain
- central
- worse on lying flat/inspiration
- relieved by lying forward - Non-productive cough
- Myalgias
- Pericardial hub
- Muffled heart sounds
- Signs of RHF = fatigue, angle oedema
What investigations should you perform in a patient presenting with pericarditis?
Must R/O sinister causes of chest pain!!!
- ECG - upward sloping concave ST elevation (saddle shaped) with PR depression
- Troponins - may be slightly elevated
- ESR + CRP
- Serum urea - R/O ischaemic cause
- FBC - elevated WCC
- CXR normal OR water-bottle shaped cardiac silhouette
- ECHO - may show pericardial effusion, absence of LV wall motion
- Pericardiocentesis - if TB is suspected
How do you manage pericarditis?
Tamponade or sympomatic effusion = pericardiocentesis
Purulent:
(i) pericardiocentesis (confirms diagnosis)
(ii) IV Abx
(iii) NSAID
(iv) PPI - due to high dose NSAID use
(v) Exercise restriction
Non-purulent = NSAID, PPI, cochicine, exercise restiction, anti-viral therapy
What are the investigations for a patient with suspected PE?
Use PERC rule out criteria - if no criteria satisfied then PE unlikely
Wells criteria for PE:
- PE likely = perform CTPA
- PE unlikely = perform D-dimer
- ECG - sinus tachycardia, RBBB, RA deviation, S1Q3T3
- CXR
- D-dimer
- CTPA = GOLD STANDARD (V/Q if renal impairment)
- ABG - respiratory alkalosis
- Coag studies
- FBC
- U+E - before contrast used in CTPA
How is a PE managed? (i) non-massive PE (ii) Massive PE with haemodynamic compromise.
(i) Oxygen + Analgesia as required. Start LMWH before CTPA
(ii) Oxygen, morphine + anti-emetic, Thrombolysis (unfractionated heparin or alteplase if critically ill)
Check sBP
- if over 90mmHg = commence warfarin loading regime
- if under 90mmHg = commence rapid colloid infusion and ICU
What is the long term anticoagulation treatment for post-PE?
Use LMWH in women who are pregnant
- DOAC otherwise. Apixaban 10mg BD for 7-days then 5mg BD
- stop LMWH as soon as this started
Duration:
- 3-months if provoked PE
- Beyond 3 months if unprovoked PE or recurrent VTE or irreversible underlying cause (e.g. cancer, thrombophilia)
- 6-months in active cancer
What is the difference between primary + secondary spontaneous pneumothorax?
Primary = occurs in young people without known respiratory illness
Secondary = occurs in association with existing lung pathology e.g. infection, COPD, asthma, TB, abscess, sarcoid, fibrosis, CTD, malignancy