…form of acute aortic syndrome (AAS), alongside intramural haematoma, penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer, aortic pseudoaneurysm and traumatic aortic injury. In classic dissection, an intimal tear permits…

…Other mechanisms include thrombosis, embolism, vasculitis, fibromuscular dysplasia, arterial entrapment, cystic adventitial disease and trauma. Atherosclerotic PAD is a manifestation of systemic arterial disease rather…

…physicians in the emergency medical system (EMS), as well as the hospital cardiac arrest team (CAT) and intensive care units and other units caring for…

…other electronic equipment may also interfere with device function. The clinical consequences depend on the device, the patient's dependence on pacing, the presence of…

…In out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) the initial rhythm is recorded by the EMS (emergency medical service) team upon their arrival at the scene…

…left ventricular dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease and other manifestations of diffuse atherosclerosis. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are revascularization procedures…

…or selectively after initial medical treatment. The presence of ST segment changes or a positive troponin assay identifies patients in whom an invasive strategy is…

…first minute. Peptic ulcer remains the commonest cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, but the differential diagnosis includes oesophagitis, gastritis, a Mallory Weiss tear, a Dieulafoy…

…ischemia. Inverted U waves are even more typical of ischemia (but the sensitivity is low). U wave changes always accompany other ischemic ST T changes…

…Lathundar Key messages Two things set the COPD exacerbation apart from many other causes of acute dyspnoea: oxygen must be titrated cautiously and the blood…

…and other relevant information for the drug Ticagrelor . Table 1 Summary Indications Ticagrelor, in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is indicated for the prevention of…

…Familial and genetic screening in cardiovascular medicine is the systematic assessment of relatives and other individuals who may carry an inherited predisposition to cardiovascular disease…

…a therapeutic objective. LDL C as the primary treatment target Current lipid management frameworks place LDL C at the centre of treatment. Lifestyle intervention is…

…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…

…begins in parallel with the diagnostic work up. Obtain an interpretable 12 lead ECG within 10 minutes of first medical contact, attach continuous rhythm monitoring…

…Gufoni manoeuvre for treatment. Contraindications Absolute: Unstable cervical spine injury, recent cervical spine surgery, atlantoaxial instability, severe rheumatoid arthritis of the neck. Symptomatic carotid stenosis…

…the efficacy of diuretics and antihypertensives. Risk of acute kidney injury increases when combined with ACE inhibitors. Corticosteroids and other NSAIDs: Increased risk of gastrointestinal…

…cardiovascular death, and progression of atherosclerotic disease in patients with established coronary or other atherosclerotic vascular disease. Antiplatelet therapy is a central component because platelet…

…C and other apoB containing lipoproteins within the arterial wall. This initiates inflammatory reactions that promote plaque formation and progression. As the burden of retained…

…aggregation. Because aspirin affects only one pathway of platelet activation, its antiplatelet effect is relatively limited compared with agents that inhibit other platelet pathways. The…

…initial components of assessment. The history should include: previous TIA or stroke; symptoms suggesting current or recent cerebral ischaemia; known CAD, PAD, or other atherosclerotic…

…Myocardial injury leads to release of cardiac troponin, but troponin elevation is not specific for myocardial infarction. Other conditions may produce cardiomyocyte injury and elevated…

…stopping statins. There are three main questions discussed in media, blogs and on social plattforms: Is high cholesterol a true cause of coronary artery disease?…

…from selected populations, frequently with low or intermediate ischemic risk and under representation of patients with STEMI or other very high risk features. Noninferiority studies…

…or other vascular beds. Malignant hypertension represents an extreme form in which acute microvascular injury occurs, classically involving fibrinoid necrosis of small arteries in the…

…Clinical presentation and assessment Identifying tobacco exposure Every cardiovascular assessment should establish: Current smoking status. Cigarettes smoked per day. Duration of smoking and cumulative exposure…

…beats per minute. Note that with a paper speed of 25 mm/s, which is standard in the US and many other countries, a 2…

…cancel each other out. However, the ECG may show features characteristic of biventricular hypertrophy. Biventricular hypertrophy ECG In case the ECG or other examinations suggest…

…and infarction Use of ECG in acute coronary syndromes & chest pain patients An ECG must be performed on all patients seeking medical attention due to…

…1). This is possible by using two different sets of piezoelectric crystals; one set for sending ultrasound and the other for analyzing reflected sound waves…

…tomographic images of the left ventricle. In PET (Positron Emission Tomography), radiotracers emit positrons. When a positron collides with an electron, they annihilate each other…

…the opposite angle of observation. The injury currents are not strong enough to be detected on leads with opposite angle of observation. Other vectors may…

…atrial impulses are conducted to the ventricles. The atria and the ventricles are electrically dissociated from each other. This condition is referred to as atrioventricular…

…at the end of expiration, with the tape horizontal and without compressing the skin. Ratios and other measurements Measurement Calculation Threshold : : : Waist–hip ratio Waist…

…the bleeding risk of the procedure and by renal function. In markedly reduced renal function (dabigatran at eGFR <30 mL/min, the other DOACs at…

…marrow — choose the other side). A patient who cannot lie still — plan for sedation rather than abandoning the procedure. Choice of site The posterior superior…

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

…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…

…high grade AV block without pacemaker protection. Asthma and other marked obstructive airways disease — relative; the risk of bronchospasm is real. Hypotension and haemodynamic instability…

…applies where you work. They assume normal renal and hepatic function, a non pregnant adult of normal weight, and individual assessment. See the separate quick…

…coronary syndrome, acute left ventricular failure with pulmonary oedema, acute aortic syndrome, acute kidney injury, microangiopathic haemolysis, and severe pre eclampsia or eclampsia. The blood…

…physical activity and any other precipitating factor. Thresholds The thresholds below are used above all in diabetes. The severity of the symptoms and the patient…

…rise can cause osmotic demyelination syndrome [1,2]. Hyponatraemia is primarily a disorder of water balance. The plasma sodium reflects the ratio between the body…

…liver injury is the commonest cause Isolated bilirubin Unconjugated, the others normal Gilbert's syndrome, haemolysis The R value = (ALT / upper limit of normal…

…pain or a rapid deterioration in general condition may be the only signs of infection. Corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive treatments can blunt the febrile response…

…tricuspid inflow The echocardiographic counterpart of pulsus paradoxus Contraindications In overt tamponade with shock there are no absolute contraindications other than the conditions in which…

…treatment — modification of loading, eccentric exercise, an NSAID, an orthosis — has not given a sufficient effect. Contraindications Absolute: Cellulitis, a skin wound or other infection…

…preferably anteroposteriorly : one anteriorly over the praecordium to the left of the sternum, the other on the back between the left scapula and the spine…

…Heart failure, pulmonary oedema and other conditions with a high risk of fluid overload — a relative contraindication requiring invasive monitoring and slower administration. Significant metabolic…

…SOVd} = 1.92 + 0.74 \times \text{BSA} ) Definition of aortic aneurysm Sinus of Valsalva 45 mm. Any other segment 40 mm in diameter…

…6% High risk 5 or more 5.8% Interpretation of ATRIA risk score. Comparison with other bleeding risk models Several bleeding risk assessment tools exist…

…chadsva] The CHA₂DS₂ VA score has superseded the CHA₂DS₂ VASc score. As of 2025, it is recommended to use the CHA₂DS₂ VA score for stroke…

…patients, regardless of the type of oral anticoagulant used. Studies have shown that it performs similarly or superiorly to other bleeding risk assessment tools, such…

…3 Interpretation of HEMORR₂HAGES score. Comparison with ATRIA and HAS BLED Scores Several studies have compared the predictive performance of HEMORR₂HAGES with other bleeding risk…

…Due to the risk of airway compromise, it represents a medical emergency. Evaluation and Physical Examination The evaluation of chronic cough in a patient taking…

…Types 2–5 MI have other mechanisms of myocardial ischaemia and necrosis. Unstable angina (UA) represents myocardial ischaemia without demonstrable acute cardiomyocyte injury or necrosis…

…pulmonary vascular obstruction is accompanied by limited cardiopulmonary reserve or other adverse comorbidity. The classification of acute PE comprises four clinically useful groups: High risk…

…drinking in either sex. Other definitions of unhealthy drinking include at least two drinks daily in women or three in men, or at least four…

…of inflammatory cells. Dyslipidaemia, cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and other adverse influences disturb these functions. The resulting endothelial dysfunction promotes inappropriate vasoconstriction, adhesion of…

…Subclinical cerebral injury may contribute to vascular dementia, and thromboembolism may affect organs other than the brain. Patients with AF in the setting of ACS…