Cardiology: arrhythmias, conduction blocks, valvular heart disease
General Medicine · MBBS
Beating heart
Interactive 3DA stylized heart pulsing at the rate you set, with its key chambers labelled.
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Study notes
An elderly pulse is irregularly irregular — atrial fibrillation; CHA2DS2-VASc mandates anticoagulation. AF (chaotic atria — irregularly irregular pulse, no P waves): stroke risk (clots in atrial appendage) — anticoagulate if CHA2DS2-VASc ≥2 (men)/≥3 (women): DOACs (apixaban/rivaroxaban) preferred; rate control (beta-blocker/diltiazem) or rhythm (cardioversion, ablation). SVT (regular narrow — vagal maneuvers, adenosine). VT (wide regular — unstable: synchronized shock; stable: amiodarone). Heart block (bradycardia — atropine, pacing). Valvular — AS (ejection systolic murmur, syncope — valve replacement), MR (pansystolic, pulmonary edema), MS (diastolic rumble, rheumatic — balloon valvotomy). The irregular pulse is AF until proven — feel the rhythm, prevent the stroke.
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