Cardiology Notes: Clinical Cases including ECG, Echocardiography, Cath, and MOCK Exams to sharpen your cardiology data interpretation skills. Healthcare is stressful!!! Learning cardiology shouldn't be !!!
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MCQ 8
A 67-year-old woman with a history of hypertension and insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes is found on the floor of her room 15 minutes after having dinner with her family. She is immediately brought to the hospital. Per family, she was on the normal state of health until 3 days ago, when she began to complain of malaise and night sweats. She had molar tooth extraction 1 week ago. She appears confused, and vital signs show temperature 102 F, blood pressure 80/40 mmHg, pulse 123/min, and SpO2 90% on room air. Bedside glucose is measured to be 180 mg/dL. Initial labs show WBC count 22000/microL, raised ESR, and lactic acid 5.2 mg/dL. She is given vancomycin/cefepime and metronidazole. Lumbar puncture is unremarkable. Her mental status improves on the 2nd day. Blood cultures grow Streptococcus viridans. A transthoracic echocardiogram shows no vegetations but is notable for a mobile solid left atrial mass attached to the anterior mitral leaflet. What is the next best step in the management of this patient?
A. Continue current antibiotics and plan for 6 weeks B. IV alteplase C. Surgical resection of the mass D. Add on micafungin Click the button below to view answer:
STEMI ECG Criteria and the Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction: A Complete Guide for Clinicians Early and accurate diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains the cornerstone of reducing morbidity and mortality in patients presenting with chest pain. Among all forms of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) represents the most time-sensitive emergency, requiring immediate reperfusion therapy. This article provides a clinically relevant summary of the STEMI ECG criteria and the Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (UDMI), based on the latest consensus guidelines from the ESC, ACC, AHA, and WHF. --- 1. Understanding STEMI: Why Accurate ECG Interpretation Matters A 12-lead ECG remains the first and most critical diagnostic test when evaluating suspected myocardial infarction. STEMI is identified when there is evidence of acute coronary artery occlusion, producing transmural ischemia and characteristic ST-segment eleva...
2025 AHA/ACC Hypertension Guidelines Explained: A Clear Summary for Clinicians and Students Hypertension remains one of the most significant contributors to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. With continual refinement of evidence and risk-based strategies, the 2025 AHA/ACC Hypertension Guidelines bring an updated, practical approach that clinicians can use in daily practice. To make learning easier, I’ve created a clean and modern infographic summarizing all major recommendations. You can download it below and use it for study, teaching, or clinical reference. Download Infographic (PNG): 2025 Hypertension Guideline Infographic This post breaks down the key points from the guidelines and complements the infographic for a complete understanding. --- BP Categories: Understanding the Updated Thresholds The guidelines maintain the well-established classification of blood pressure: Normal: <120 / <80 Elevated: 120–129 / <80 Stage 1 Hypertension: 130–139 and/or 8...
If you are just starting to learn echocardiography, you will find that learning the full echo examination protocol will be immensely useful. The full protocol will provide a solid foundation for your career in echo. I personally found that once I could execute the standard protocol flawlessly, I was able to add and refine additional echo scanning skills while deepening my understanding of the purpose of each echo image. The echo protocol illustrated in this article is the same one we currently use for all our patients in the hospital and meets or exceeds the standards of American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) for an adult echocardiography examination. The protocol presented here is meant as a guideline and does not cover every aspect (such as off axis views) of an echo examination. Also other hospitals will probably have slight variations of this protocol depending on the lab's needs, which is normal. This article's main purpose is to provide a solid foundation for ...
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