Lecture 10: Ischemic Heart Disease Part 2 Flashcards
What is always the initial test for anyone presenting with chest pain?
EKG
How fast should an EKG be done if someone presents with ACS symptoms to the ER?
10 minutes!
if the initial EKG is not diagnostic but the patient remains symptomatic and there is high clinical suspicion for ACS, what should be done?
serial EKGs (15-30 min intervals in the first 1-2 hours) should be performed to detect ischemic changes
what is the earliest presentation of ACS that can be seen on EKGs
Hyperacute T waves
Only exists 20-30 minutes after MI so rarely seen in clinical practice
what do hyperacute T waves have to be distinguished from
peaked T - waves assocaited with hyperkalemia
what are the findings indicating suspicion for NSTEMI and STEMI
i think its not a bad idea to know this chart
this chart would not be bad to memorize either
chart defining evolution of STEMI in EKG
after ordering an EKG, what is step two in evaluating a pt with s/s of ACS
order cardiac biomarkers!
aka cardiac enzymes
What are the 3 types of cardiac enzymes we can order?
- Myoglobin
- CK-MB
- Troponin I, T (the best)
This comes AFTER EKG.
what is troponin
a contractile protein that is NOT normally found in the serum
only relesed when myocardial infarction occurs!!
Why are troponins the preferred marker for myocardial study?
- highly sensitive AND specific for even small amounts of cardiac damage
- ONLY RELEASED when myocardial necrosis occurs.
when do troponin serum levels increase, peak and return to baseline?
- Increases within 3-6 hours
- Peaks within 24-48 hrs
- Takes 5-14 days to recover.
How often should we repeat troponin?
- Initial presentation
- 90 Minutes
- 6-8 hrs after x3 or unil trending down.
What are we specifically looking for in serial troponin readings?
A trend, trends have more weight than a single reading!
what are other potential causes of elevated troponin?
How long does it take serum CK-MB levels to increase, peak and return to baseline
Increase 4-8 hrs after injury
Peak around 24 hrs
Return to normal by 48-72 hrs
What is considered a positive CK-MB?
if CK-MB > 5% of total CK
Not preferred test (less sensitive and specific than troponin)
What might cause a false positive of CK-MB?
- Exercise
- Trauma
- Muscle disease
- DM
- PE
What cardiac biomarker is the earliest marker for MI?
Myoglobin
Highly sensitive, but poor specificity.
Could appear within 2 hrs.
what is myoglobin
found in cardiac and skeletal muscle
most sensitive early marker for myocardial infarction
what is lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
found in many tissues (kidneys, skeletal muscles, brain, blood cells, lungs, liver) so it is very non-specific!
How long does it take LDH to increase, peak and return to baseline
Rises within 24 - 72 hrs after MI
Peaks in 3 - 4 days
Returns to normal in ~14 days
What is the order of enzyme elevation in ACS?
- Myoglobin
- CK-MB
- Troponin
- LDH
Trop takes longer to elevate.
What 3 lab levels may elevate as a result of ACS? how long do these take to rise/fall?
- Leukocytosis (within several hours, peaks at 2-4 days, falls within a week)
- ESR (rises within 3 days, may be elevated for weeks)
- CRP ( no timeline specified)