Procedurer The insertion itself is rarely the difficult part — it is the confirmation of the position that determines whether the tube is safe. A misplaced…

…pulse, and active movement of every tendon crossing the wound. A tendon injury can be painless and gives normal passive movement — test actively against resistance…

…traditionally termed Dressler syndrome , which is a manifestation of post cardiac injury syndrome (PCIS). PCIS is an umbrella term that also includes post pericardiotomy syndrome…

…zone. Coronary Occlusion and Myocardial Injury STEMI generally results from abrupt reduction in coronary blood flow caused by thrombotic occlusion of a previously atherosclerotic artery…

…Myocardial vulnerability, largely driven by coronary microvascular dysfunction, also contributes to the extension and severity of ischemic injury. In its most severe form, known as…

…influences. The severity of myocardial injury is determined not only by the epicardial obstruction but also by the vulnerability of the myocardium and coronary microcirculation…

…Type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is defined as an ischaemic myocardial injury occurring in the context of a mismatch between myocardial oxygen supply and demand…

…NSTEMI and a corresponding decrease in unstable angina in the past two decades (many of those who would previously have been classified as unstable angina…

…g daily in females as capable of causing cardiomyopathy. Several mechanisms contribute: Direct toxic effects on cardiomyocytes Disruption of intracellular signalling and protein synthesis Electrical…

…a period of) stress? Symptoms related to body position or respiration? Ischemic chest pain is usually described as pressure, squeezing, or a crushing sensation across…

…income countries for more than half a century, causing approximately 20% of all deaths in these regions. Mortality rates and case fatality in coronary artery…

Info A comprehensive list of conditions and drugs that may prolong the QT interval, and cause torsade de pointes (TdP) and long QT syndrome (LQTS…

…cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest associated with tamponade has an exceptionally poor prognosis. In the vast majority of these cases, the tamponade develops acutely or subacutely…

…cases of STE ACS lead to myocardial infarction (elevated troponin levels), whereafter the condition is classified as ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) . The thrombus causing…

…Ventricular fibrillation is the result of numerous re entry circuits , causing rapid and chaotic ventricular depolarizations, rendering the left ventricle incapable of generating effective contractions…

…An unclear arthritis, as part of the diagnostic work up. Haemarthrosis after trauma. A symptomatic effusion causing pain or restricted movement (therapeutic aspiration). Intra articular…

…the drainage is stopped for coughing, chest pain, or when the volume limit is reached. Indications Diagnostic aspiration: a new pleural effusion of unclear cause…

…concept of a distinct "cough hypersensitivity syndrome" has emerged, emphasizing the putative role of sensitized sensory nerve endings and afferent neural pathways in causing chronic…

…lesions causing ischaemia have been treated. Conversely, angiographically satisfactory stenting may leave clinically relevant residual ischaemia, particularly after complex coronary intervention. The clinical importance of…

…length of at least 20 mm. These characteristics are incorporated into the J CTO score, which estimates the likelihood of successful antegrade guidewire crossing within…

…and pharmacological basis Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a class of oral agents initially developed for glucose lowering in type 2 diabetes mellitus …

…occlusion causing transmural ischemia and requiring urgent reperfusion, even in the absence of classic ST elevation. Multiple studies have demonstrated the superior sensitivity of OMI…

Arrhythmias and arrhythmology ECG Aberrant ventricular conduction (aberrancy, aberration) Aberrant conduction is not a mechanism of arrhythmia; it is a ventricular conduction disturbance . It is…

…gallstone. Figure 1. Gallstone causing acoustic shadowing. Reverberations artifacts Ultrasound waves can be reflected multiple times between dense structures ( i.e structures with high echogenicity)…

…or coughing before cardiac arrest also speak for anaphylaxis (airway obstruction caused by a foreign body is an important differential). Treatment of anaphylaxis and cardiac…

…Hypocalcemia, although capable of causing cardiac arrest, is an infrequent occurrence. Hypercalcemia, hyponatremia, hypernatremia, hypomagnesemia, and hypermagnesemia are exceedingly rare precipitants of cardiac arrest. Sodium…

…Bradycardia causing hemodynamic instability is a potentially life threatening condition and should be managed urgently. The risk of cardiogenic shock is high and pharmacological interventions…

…absolute quantification. The resting myocardium rarely reveals evidence of significant coronary artery stenosis unless the stenosis is severely critical, potentially causing angina during rest. Patients…

…usually thickened and during systole leaflet doming appears. The proximal part of the pulmonary artery is frequently dilated. The maximum and mean pressure gradient is…

…restoration of sinus rhythm (or any other rhythm with normal ventricular rate and activation). Recovery may, however, take several months. Table 1. Arrhythmias causing tachycardia…

…crossing. Exact times are needed for continued management and quality follow up. STEMI: time targets and choice of reperfusion Primary PCI is the method of…

…the ECG machine. Lidocaine spray for the pharynx and lidocaine gel for the electrode. A glass of water with a straw, a vomit bowl, tissues…

…with ECG, central vein catheter and intra arterial catheter (A line) is warranted. Overview of vasopressors and inotropes Inotropes and vasopressors. Table 1. Drug manual…

…drug induced arrhythmias in patients receiving agents known to alter the electrical properties of the heart (inducing QRS or QT prolongation) or causing electrolyte abnormalities…

…heart sound is rarely heard due to restrictive pathophysiology and impaired ventricular relaxation [10]. There is also an increased risk of intracardiac thrombus and stroke…

…Lesions causing only mild obstruction may rupture, thrombose and occlude. Many acute myocardial infarctions arise from lesions that previously obstructed less than 50% of the…

…chest discomfort; symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischaemia despite normal or non obstructive coronary arteries; dyspnoea; fatigue; and recurrent symptoms causing impaired quality of life. Women…

…separate chapter discusses Long QT syndrome (LQTS). A complete list of drugs causing QT prolongation can be found here. Corrected QT intervals (QTc) can be…

…management of ventricular rate. However, AF causing acute haemodynamic instability requires prompt treatment, with electrical cardioversion preferred. Evaluation and risk assessment The evaluation of a…

…and bundle branch block. Cardiac monitoring is indicated for patients with a high pretest probability of arrhythmia causing syncope. In hospital monitoring is reserved for…

…at any age. Exercise, or any other activity causing adrenergic stimulation, increase the risk of syncope, ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest. ARVC can cause…

ECG Pacemaker malfunction, troubleshooting and ECG Conventional surface ECG can reveal the following types of pacemaker dysfunction: Failure to capture (FTC) , which means that the…

…Chronic atrial flutter. The observant will notice that the classification differs slightly from that of atrial fibrillation. Acute and paroxysmal cases are common in clinical…

…Hemodynamic effects of cardiac tumors The hemodynamic effect of the tumor depends on its size and location. Tumors can reduce cardiac output by causing obstruction…

…The discrepancy between traditional figures and recent studies is due to the dramatic decrease in the incidence of acute coronary syndromes over the past decades…

…with ECG, central vein catheter and intra arterial catheter (A line) is warranted. Overview of vasopressors and inotropes Inotropes and vasopressors. Table 1. Drug manual…

…a significantly increased risk of atrial fibrillation. The increase in left atrial pressure may also propagate backward to the pulmonary circulation, causing pulmonary hypertension (PH…

…and infarction Myocardial ischemia: cellular changes, ECG signs and development of infarction Like all other cells in the human body, cardiac myocytes use ATP (adenosine…

…causing vasodilation. Dobutamine Dobutamine is a chronotropic and inotropic agent. It increases heart rate, myocardial contractility, and blood pressure, thereby simulating the effects of exercise…

…causing minimal radiation exposure. It is metabolically inert and diffuses freely across cell membranes, allowing for precise quantification of myocardial blood flow and assessment of…