Cuba Cardiology Specialty - independent subject foundations cheat sheet

Stable and acute presentations require clinical classification; plaque rupture is an important ACS mechanism, while myocardial injury and type 2 infarction require separate assessment.

High-sensitivity troponin must be interpreted with timing, symptoms, ECG, and alternative causes.

STEMI requires urgent reperfusion; NSTEMI and unstable angina are risk-stratified.

Dual antiplatelet therapy and high-intensity statins are core post-ACS therapies.

Revascularization is driven by symptoms, anatomy, ischemia burden, and LV function.

Cardiogenic shock is diagnosed by hypoperfusion, not hypotension alone.

Early revascularization is critical in MI-related shock.

Perioperative beta blockade is not routine.

Postoperative troponin elevation requires clinical context.

Bedside echo helps classify the shock state.

HFrEF four pillars: ARNI/ACEI/ARB, beta blocker, MRA, and SGLT2 inhibitor.

Diuretics relieve congestion but do not replace disease-modifying therapy.

HFpEF is a clinical diagnosis; diastolic dysfunction alone is insufficient.

Consider infiltrative, toxic, ischemic, and tachyarrhythmic causes.

CRT requires reduced EF, appropriate QRS morphology/duration, and persistent symptoms.

Acute pericarditis requires two of four diagnostic criteria.

Tamponade is a clinical and echocardiographic emergency.

Constrictive pericarditis causes right-heart failure and a pericardial knock.

Myocarditis can mimic acute MI with normal coronary arteries.

Stress cardiomyopathy has regional wall-motion abnormalities beyond one coronary territory.

Treat wide-complex tachycardia as VT until proven otherwise.

Avoid AV nodal blockers in AF with pre-excitation.

Symptomatic high-grade AV block requires pacing.

AF decisions include stroke risk, bleeding risk, rate, rhythm, and triggers.

Distinguish organized unstable tachyarrhythmia with a pulse from pulseless or polymorphic rhythms before selecting the electrical pathway.

Symptomatic severe AS warrants aortic valve replacement.

Discordant AS severity requires flow assessment and additional imaging.

Primary MR is a valve problem; secondary MR is a ventricular problem.

Acute severe MR can present with normal EF and a soft murmur.

Prosthetic valves require evaluation for thrombosis, dysfunction, and endocarditis.

Fixed split S2 suggests ASD.

VSD causes a holosystolic murmur; PDA causes a continuous murmur.

Tetralogy of Fallot combines VSD, RV outflow obstruction, overriding aorta, and RV hypertrophy.

Eisenmenger physiology means irreversible pulmonary vascular disease.

Endocarditis prophylaxis is reserved for specific high-risk congenital lesions.

Hypertensive emergency requires target-organ damage, not just a high reading.

Resistant hypertension requires confirmed adherence and proper measurement.

Aortic dissection needs impulse and blood pressure control plus urgent imaging.

Ankle-brachial index is the first-line test for PAD.

Secondary hypertension should be considered in young or resistant cases.

Classify pulmonary hypertension by mechanism before treatment.

A Group 1 PAH regimen is not routine treatment for pulmonary hypertension caused by left heart disease.

PE risk stratification begins with hemodynamic stability.

CTEPH is a treatable cause of persistent PH after PE.

RV failure is a perfusion and congestion problem.

Established ASCVD requires secondary prevention, not risk-score-based primary prevention.

High-intensity statins are chosen for high-risk patients.

Aspirin is not routine for primary prevention.

Coronary calcium and Lp(a) can refine intermediate-risk decisions.

Lifestyle modification remains foundational at every risk level.

Separate loading conditions from contractility when interpreting a pressure-volume loop.

Fick cardiac output requires an oxygen-content difference and compatible units.

Pulmonary vascular resistance is a pressure difference divided by cardiac output.

A precapillary hemodynamic pattern alone does not establish Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Anatomical and physiological imaging answer complementary questions.