Cardiology — Flashcards

Flashcard 161: If a patient scores 0 in their CHA2DS2-VASc for catheter ablation, how long is anticoagulation recommended: _____

Answer: 2 months anticoagulation

Flashcard 162: Rythm control trys to get the patient back into, and maintain, normal sinus rhythm. This is termed _____. Drugs pharmacological cardioversion and synchronised DC electrical shocks (electrical cardioversion) may be used for this purpose

Answer: cardioversion

Flashcard 163: Mnemonic to remember the associations of Wolf-Parkinsons White Syndrome: _____

Answer: Wolf is THE MS

Extra: Associations of WPW Syndrome (**WOLF is THE MS**): - **T**: **T**achyarrhythmias - **H**: **H**CM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) - **E**: **E**bstein anomaly - **M**: **M**VP (Mitral Valve Prolapse) - **S**: **S**eptal defects (ASD)

Flashcard 164: Notable complications of catheter ablation: _____ stroke pulmonary vein stenosis

Answer: cardiac tamponade

Flashcard 165: If the CHA2DS2-VASc score sugests no need for anticoagulation it is important to ensure a _____ has been done to exclude valvular heart disease

Answer: transthoracic echocardiogram

Flashcard 166: The aim of catheter ablation is to ablate the faulty electrical pathways that are resulting in AF This is typically due to aberrant electrical activity between the _____ and left atrium

Answer: pulmonary veins

Flashcard 167: What medications are used for secondary prevention in Stable Angina? (4)

Answer: • Aspirin (75mg Once Daily) • Atorvastatin (80mg Once Daily) • ACE inhibitor (if diabetes, hypertension, CKD or heart failure also present) • Already on a beta-blocker for symptomatic relief

Flashcard 168: Why is Sotalol contraindicated in WFW treatment with co-existent AF? Sotalol prolongs _____ which slows conduction through the AV node but not the accessory pathway This means more impulses during AF conduct down the accesory pathway rather than the AV node This allows for very fast ventricular rates which increase the risk of denegeration into ventricular fibrillation

Answer: AV node refractory period

Flashcard 169: How do you measure the QT interval on ECG?

Answer: • Time between start of the Q wave and the end of the T wave

Flashcard 170: What is the main mechanism of simvastatin?

Answer: Inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase

Extra: Statins (like simvastatin) competitively inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in hepatic cholesterol synthesis. This leads to an upregulation of LDL receptors on the surface of hepatocytes, increasing the clearance of LDL from the plasma.