Coronary Artery Disease and ACS Overview

A disease that occurs due to plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle.

A group of conditions where there's sudden blockage of blood flow to the heart, often leading to a heart attack.

A type of ACS where there's chest pain that's new, severe and not relieved by medicine like nitroglycerin.

A type of heart attack where a major coronary artery is completely blocked, leading to significant tissue death.

A protein released into the blood when heart muscle is damaged, used to diagnose heart attacks.

A condition where the heart doesn't get enough blood flow due to narrowed arteries, often caused by atherosclerosis.

A type of IHD characterized by predictable chest pain that occurs with exertion or stress.

A heart attack; death of an area of heart muscle due to lack of blood supply.

Chest pain triggered by physical activity, relieved by rest and nitrates.

Impaired blood flow to the heart muscle without angina symptoms, common in women.

Heart's inability to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs; two main types: HFrEF and HFpEF.

Systolic heart failure, where the heart's ventricles don't contract or pump effectively.

Diastolic heart failure; heart's ventricles can't relax and fill properly.

Amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute, calculated as Stroke Volume (SV) multiplied by Heart Rate (HR).

Amount of blood pumped out of the heart with each beat.

Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction; a measure of how effectively the left ventricle pumps.

Amount of blood in the heart chambers before contraction.

Resistance the heart must overcome to pump blood.

Atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the arteries, is the primary cause of CAD. This plaque narrows the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle.

Atherosclerosis restricts blood flow, reducing oxygen delivery to the heart muscle. This oxygen deprivation leads to chest pain, known as angina.

Stable angina occurs with predictable patterns, Unstable angina has irregular patterns, and Variant angina is caused by spasms in the coronary arteries.

STEMI is a type of heart attack where a major coronary artery is completely blocked, leading to significant tissue death. It's characterized by ST elevation on an ECG.

Severe, crushing chest pain radiating to the neck, arms, back, and feeling like an elephant is sitting on your chest are the main symptoms of STEMI.

Troponin and CK-MB are the key biomarkers for STEMI. Troponin levels rise within an hour and can remain elevated for 7-10 days.

Chronic IHD is a condition where the heart muscle doesn't receive enough blood flow due to narrowed arteries. It often progresses to heart failure.

Triggers for Chronic IHD include atherosclerosis, vasospasm, thrombosis, and increased demand for oxygen during stress or exercise.

A type of angina that occurs at rest or during sleep, often associated with migraines and Raynaud's syndrome.

Right ventricular heart failure can be caused by pulmonary hypertension, valve disease affecting the tricuspid or pulmonary valves, and other conditions affecting the right ventricle.

Common symptoms of heart failure include fatigue, limited activity, chest congestion, edema, and shortness of breath.

Statins help lower cholesterol and improve blood flow, while Beta Blockers slow heart rate and reduce the workload on the heart.

Contractility refers to the heart muscle's ability to contract or pump. Reduced contractility weakens the heart's ability to effectively pump blood.

Impaired blood flow to the heart muscle WITHOUT chest pain. Common in women, often due to long-standing diabetes or neuropathy.

HFrEF (Systolic Heart Failure): The heart's ventricles don't contract well. HFpEF (Diastolic Heart Failure): The heart's ventricles can't relax and fill properly.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), Cardiomyopathy, and other conditions like Hypertension and Diabetes can lead to Heart Failure.

The volume of blood in the ventricles before contraction. Think of how much you 'preload' the heart before it pumps.

The resistance the heart has to overcome to pump blood out. Think of the pressure it has to push against.

The force of the heart's contraction. Think of how strongly the heart muscle can squeeze.

LVEF is the percentage of blood pumped out of the left ventricle per beat. Below 40% suggests HFrEF, above 50% is usually normal.

Right ventrical failure causes congestion in peripheral tissues, liver, and GI tract.

Left ventricle failure leads to decreased cardiac output, pulmonary congestion, and impaired gas exchange.

A buildup of plaque in the arteries, narrowing them and reducing blood flow. This is the most common cause of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

A lack of oxygen to the heart muscle due to reduced blood flow, often caused by atherosclerosis. It can lead to chest pain and, if severe, heart attack.

Chest pain caused by ischemia, meaning the heart isn't getting enough oxygen. It usually feels like a tight squeezing or crushing sensation.

Changes in heart function that occur throughout the day and night, often with an increase in heart attacks in the morning.

Ischemia is reduced oxygen supply to the heart muscle due to inadequate blood flow. It's like a heart muscle experiencing a 'power outage' from lack of blood.

Angina is chest pain caused by ischemia. It can be Stable, Unstable or Variant. Stable angina is predictable, Unstable is irregular, and Variant is caused by spasms in the arteries.

Troponin is a protein released when heart muscle is damaged. It helps diagnose STEMI and other heart attacks.

Triggers for Chronic IHD include atherosclerosis, vasospasm, thrombosis, and increased oxygen demand during stress or exercise.

Unstable Angina is a type of chest pain that's suddenly severe, lasts longer than 20 minutes, and is not relieved by nitroglycerin. It's like an unpredictable power outage.

Both are types of Acute Coronary Syndrome but NSTEMI involves heart muscle damage with biomarker elevation (Troponin). Unstable Angina doesn't have elevated biomarkers.

Cardio catheterization, a procedure to open the blocked artery, is the gold standard for treating STEMI.

Left ventricular heart failure can be caused by high blood pressure, valve problems like aortic or mitral stenosis, heart attacks, and other conditions affecting the left ventricle

Right ventricular heart failure can be caused by pulmonary hypertension, valve problems affecting the tricuspid or pulmonary valves, and other conditions affecting the right ventricle.

This is the amount of blood pumped by the heart every minute. It's calculated by multiplying stroke volume and heart rate

This is the amount of blood that's pumped out of the heart with each beat.