Easy Peasy ECG
Note the date and time the ECG was taken 3. Calculate the heart rate Rule of 300 (divide 300 by the number of large squares between two R waves) Ten…
Peripheral Vascular Disease
gical therapy. Revascularisation is indicated if acute ischaemia, CLI and if symptomatic onthe above. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) refers to partial or complete obstruction of the arterial blood supply to…
Anatomy and Physiology of the Cardiovascular System
At a heart rate of 70 beats per minute, a human heart will contract approximately 100800 times a day, more than 36 million times a year and nearly 3 billion…
Valvular Heart Disease
Figure 12.1 – Areas of auscultation on examination. 12.1.1 Heart murmurs An appreciation of normal heart sounds is encouraged. One should familiarise oneself with the sounds of different murmurs, which…
Cardiovascular Medicine: An Investigative Approach
Cardiovascular investigations In A Heartbeat Blood tests Troponin T and I are most sensitive and specific biomarkers for myocardial infarction (MI) CK-MB is primarily used in suspected re-infarction after MI…
Heart Failure
Heart failure In A Heartbeat Epidemiology Prevalence and incidence increase with ageAffects approximately 900 000 people in the UK Aetiology Commonly caused by other cardiac diseasesIHD, hypertension and valvular heart disease…
Cardiomyopathy
Alcohol consumption – potentially reversible causeInfective – most commonly caused by Coxsackie A & B virusOthers – hypothyroidism, peripartum, chemotherapy, sarcoidosis Clinical features Heart failure is by far the most…
Infection and Pericardial Disease
Genetic susceptibility is important in 3–6%Risk factors include poverty, overcrowding and poor hygiene Clinical features Multisystemic disorder. Joint involvement is most common, followed by carditis. Investigations Blood tests and culture,…
Acute Coronary Syndrome
Figure 9.1 – Schematic diagram of ACS. Acute coronary syndrome In A Heartbeat Definition Syndrome consisting of unstable angina, NSTEMI and STEMI Epidemiology Most common cause of death in Western…
Hypertension
Figure 13.1 – Blood pressure measurement. Hypertension In A Heartbeat Epidemiology Affects around a third of patients aged 45–54 and around 60–80% of patients aged 75 and over. Aetiology 90%…
