Cardiovascular Module

DR. FAWAD AHMAD RANDHAWA

MBBS ( KING EDWARD MEDICAL COLLEGE)M.C.P.S; F.C.P.S. ( MEDICINE) F.C.P.S. ( ENDOCRINOLOGY)ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENDOCRINOLOGYKING EDWARD MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

Objectives By the end of this session the participants should be able to understand the basic concepts about Stokes Adam’s syndrome and premature ventricular contraction (PVC)

Stokes Adam’s Syndrome

Basic Physiology Heart's electrical system is made up of three main parts:

The sinoatrial (SA) node, located in the right atrium of your heart

The atrioventricular (AV) node, located on the interatrial septum close to the tricuspid valve

The His-Purkinje system, located along the walls of your heart's ventricles

Pathophysiology Normal heartbeat passing from the hearts upper to lower chambers is interrupted.

This result in a condition called a “heart block.”

When a heart block occurs the heart rate usually slows considerably.

This can result in inadequate blood flow to the brain and fainting.

Clinical Symptoms Loss of consciousness is usually between about 10 and 30 seconds.

Pallor, followed by flushing on recovery, can be reported.

Pulse during an episode, will be slow, usually less than 40 beats per minute.

Recovery is fairly rapid

Typically heart block is seen on the ECG during an attack.

Etiology Coronary Artery Disease and so tends to occur in the elderly.

Congenital Heart Block.

Familial tendency

Normal ECG- understanding the tracing

Ventricular Ectopic BeatVentricular contraction before the underlying rhythm would normally depolarise the ventricle

Premature ventricular contraction (PVC):

Ventricles fire an early impulse which causes the heart to beat earlier causing irregularity in the heart rhythm.

Premature ventricular contraction (PVC):

The resultant heartbeat morphology on the ECG often appears wider and taller than that seen with the underlying rhythm.

Premature ventricular contraction (PVC)

Etiology Ventricular ectopic beats may indicate heart disease,

Sympathetic stimulation (e.g., stress, alcohol, caffeine, medication, cocaine, or amphetamines) or

Over half the population have silent, or asymptomatic, ventricular ectopics.

Types/Patterns of PVC Bigeminy (every other beat), 

Trigeminy (every third beat), or 

Quadrigeminy (every fourth beat)

Multifocal

Ventricular Bigeminy

Ventricular Trigeminy

Multifocal Ventricular Ectopics

Take Home Message Stokes Adam’s syndrome results from inadequate blood flow to the brain

due to slowing of heart rate

PVC signifies that ventricles are contracting on their own independent of

electrical impulse from SA node so that the P wave is absent and there is

broad complexes on ECG.

Thank you for bearing with me