Cardiology Clinical medicine Definition and Clinical Context Blood pressure management in older adults must account for chronological age, biological age, frailty, multimorbidity, cognitive status, functional…

…and whether the other variable lies within the expected range of compensation. Sample type and baseline values An arterial blood gas is the reference method…

…radiotracers emit positrons. When a positron collides with an electron, they annihilate each other, producing two gamma photons emitted in opposite directions. PET scanners detect…

…interactions, while venlafaxine and higher doses of bupropion, among others, can raise the blood pressure. Serotonin syndrome can also cause autonomic instability and hypertension [4]…

…blood pressure elevation accompanied by acute hypertension mediated target organ damage (HMOD). The European definition uses BP ≥180/110 mmHg with acute HMOD, although other…

…hypertension is genuinely present Factors that may be contributing to elevated blood pressure Other cardiovascular risk factors and relevant comorbidities Evidence of hypertension mediated organ…

…the COPD exacerbation apart from many other causes of acute dyspnoea: oxygen must be titrated cautiously and the blood gas determines the need for ventilatory…

CPR Hypoxia and asphyxiation Hypoxia refers to a reduced partial pressure of oxygen in the blood. Asphyxia is characterized by insufficient ventilation, leading to hypoxia…

…NHLBI initiated the Framingham Heart Study, which demonstrated that high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, among other risk factors, were strongly associated with coronary…

…office blood pressure must be confirmed using home blood pressure monitoring or ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Other guideline formulations similarly define resistant hypertension as blood…

…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…

Echocardiography Tissue Doppler (Tissue Velocity Imaging) Previous chapters on Doppler imaging have all focused on measurements of blood flow. However, the Doppler effect can also…

…dangerous differential diagnoses [1,2]. STEMI and other ECG patterns suggesting acute coronary occlusion are time dependent conditions. The decision on immediate reperfusion is based…

…retinopathy without other acute organ damage can often be treated more cautiously with oral drugs under careful observation [3,4]. A markedly raised blood pressure…

…a full blood count with a differential, CRP, creatinine, electrolytes, liver function tests, glucose and lactate. Add a blood gas, coagulation tests and other investigations…

…In acute PE, obstruction of pulmonary blood flow increases RV pressure load and may impair RV filling and forward output. The resulting syndrome may progress…

…and infarction Definition and conceptual framework Acute coronary occlusion is the abrupt or progressive reduction of coronary blood flow sufficient to produce myocardial ischaemia and…

…of the cylinder area (a) and flow velocity (v): Q = a • v This principle can be used to estimate blood flow across the valves…

…time windows, indications and contraindications for intravenous thrombolysis, weight based tenecteplase dosing, blood pressure thresholds, monitoring, complications and when thrombectomy should be considered. The doses…

…cessation of prolonged and heavy alcohol intake. The condition can develop despite a measurable or high blood alcohol concentration, particularly in patients with marked tolerance…

…without delay, in any of the following: A systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg caused by the arrhythmia. Ongoing myocardial ischaemia with chest pain and…

…involvement. Work up of unexplained iron, B12 or folate deficiency when blood tests are insufficient. Contraindications Severe coagulopathy or ongoing anticoagulation — correct this first . Thrombocytopenia…

…incompatible infusions. Haemodialysis, plasmapheresis or other extracorporeal therapy (requires a large bore dialysis catheter, not an ordinary triple lumen catheter). Measurement of central venous pressure…

…tachypnoea, cold periphery Almost always Pulsus paradoxus above 10 mmHg A fall in systolic blood pressure during inspiration; one of the most useful signs Low…

…a sufficient effect. Contraindications Absolute: Cellulitis, a skin wound or other infection over the injection site. Bacteraemia or suspected septic bursitis or arthritis. A joint…

…60 to 65 mmHg is generally considered the minimum threshold necessary to ensure sufficient blood flow to vital organs such as the brain and kidneys…

…these adverse events are related to the suppression of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS), such as decreases in blood pressure and mild azotemia. However…

…ischaemia (ALI) is an abrupt reduction in arterial perfusion of an upper or lower limb that causes tissue metabolic requirements to exceed available blood flow…

…syndrome in which increased intrapericardial pressure compresses the heart and impairs ventricular filling. It generally results from accumulation of pericardial fluid, blood, or, less commonly…

…an important consideration in older populations. Risk prediction is particularly relevant in adults with elevated blood pressure (BP), in whom absolute cardiovascular risk varies considerably…

…peripheral artery disease (PAD), and other manifestations of systemic atherosclerosis. The principal clinical concern is cerebral embolism or haemodynamic compromise leading to transient ischaemic attack…

…lowering and other guideline directed therapies. Anti inflammatory treatment seeks to reduce this residual risk without necessarily altering lipid concentrations, blood pressure or other conventional…

…of contrast exposure and other ischaemic or nephrotoxic stresses. The kidney is particularly vulnerable to toxic injury because of its high blood flow and the…

…nuts and legumes; unsaturated fatty acids and other bioactive compounds from nuts; and antioxidant and antithrombotic constituents from whole grains. These combined effects may improve…

…commonly, retrograde. Distal re entry tears may allow blood to return to the true lumen, whereas disruption of the adventitia can result in rupture. An…

…disease The extent of jeopardized myocardium Left ventricular systolic function Diabetes and other comorbidities Anatomical complexity and completeness of possible revascularization A proximal lesion jeopardizes…

…imaging (MPI) with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography (PET) is a radionuclide based method for assessing regional myocardial blood flow…

…macrophages, neurons and other tissues. This distribution helps explain why PA produces cardiovascular injury beyond its effects on blood pressure and potassium balance. The principal…

…Other causes include acute mechanical complications—particularly ventricular septal defect (VSD) and papillary muscle rupture with acute severe mitral regurgitation—predominant right ventricular (RV) infarction…

…obstruction of an epicardial coronary artery. A vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque and thrombogenic blood interact to initiate and extend thrombosis. Plaque vulnerability is influenced by inflammation…

…etiologies when promptly and appropriately addressed. Both venous and arterial blood gases can be utilized for the analysis of electrolyte levels. Electrocardiography (ECG) serves as…

…occluding smaller vessels downstream). The thrombosis causes occlusion of the artery; blood flow may be partially or completely obstructed. Consequently, the myocardium supplied by the…

…the ischemia/infarction. The location of the thrombus in the artery: a proximally located thrombus will cut off blood flow to more branches, and thus…

…careful consideration of other cardiovascular risk factors and coexisting conditions. Therapy must be tailored to each patient. Optimal blood pressure Optimal blood pressure is 115…

…increased demand using vasodilatory agents). A radiotracer is administered at peak stress to capture blood flow distribution under these conditions. If stress imaging results are…

…pectoris). Yet, exercise stress testing provides a fundamental parameter that cannot be obtained by other imaging methods, namely exercise capacity (and VO2 max , see below…

…ECG and clinical examination, blood tests and other radiological examinations are most often required, in particular computed tomography (DT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI…

…Other dimensions– including atrial dimensions, mitral annulus, aortic annulus, etc –are measured using the blood tissue interface (inner edge to inner edge). The blood tissue…

…g., vasovagal syncope) or with treatment (e.g., arrhythmias). Unconsciousness occurs within 10 seconds of cessation of cerebral blood flow. Agonal breathing : Deep, slow, irregular…

…ventricle (across the mitral valve) is equal to the amount of blood flowing out of the left ventricle (across the aortic valve). In other words…

…bleeding, shock, hypoxia and any other underlying cause immediately. 9. Request ultrasound of the kidneys and urinary tract when a postrenal cause cannot confidently be…

…a systemic steroid early. 7. Insert intravenous access, but do not let blood sampling or cannulation delay inhaled treatment. 8. Reassess speech, work of breathing…

…ultrasound gel, a blood pressure cuff of the correct size (the width should correspond to about 40 % of the circumference of the limb), a manual…

…margin must be included in the freeze. Contraindications Absolute: Suspected melanoma or any other pigmented lesion of uncertain diagnosis. A lesion in which histology is…

…sick sinus syndrome or high grade AV block without pacemaker protection. Asthma and other marked obstructive airways disease — relative; the risk of bronchospasm is real…

…alcohol, a missed meal, physical activity and any other precipitating factor. Thresholds The thresholds below are used above all in diabetes. The severity of the…

…the puncture, and antibiotics and a corticosteroid are then given immediately after blood cultures. For questions other than acute meningitis — an insidious onset, known malignancy…

…resorption. Other conditions in which high flow oxygen is given irrespective of the saturation according to international guidelines are decompression sickness and sickle cell crisis…

…a pulse that can be felt. The other predictable error is forgetting that pacing hurts a great deal in a conscious patient. Indications Immediate (transcutaneous)…

…transfusion requirement. A normal haemoglobin early on does not exclude major bleeding. In acute blood loss, plasma and red cells are lost simultaneously, which means…