Crash Course Cardiology, 6th Edition

Section 1: The basics
1. Cardiac anatomy, physiology and development
Why do we need a cardiovascular system?
Anatomy of the heart and great vessels
Development of the heart and great vessels

2. The cardiac cycle, control of cardiac output and haemodynamic regulation
Cardiac electrophysiology
The cardiac cycle
Control of cardiac output
Haemodynamics and vascular function
Integrated control of the cardiovascular system and cardiovascular reflexes

3. ECG interpretation
The electrocardiogram
Presenting an ECG

4. Other cardiac investigations
Common cardiac blood tests
Exercise ECG
Echocardiography
Computed tomography coronary angiography
Cardiac magnetic resonance
Cardiac catheterization
Radionuclide imaging

Section 2: Presenting complaints
5. History and examination of the cardiovascular system
History
Clinical examination
Cardiovascular examination summary

6. Chest pain
Differential diagnosis
History
Examination
Investigations
New onset central chest pain at rest in an ill patient

7. Breathlessness and peripheral oedema
Differential diagnosis
History
Examination
Investigation
Recent onset dyspnoea at rest in an ill patient

8. Palpitations
Differential diagnosis
History
Examination
Investigations
Palpitations in the unwell patient

9. Syncope
Differential diagnosis of syncope
History
Examination
Investigations
Reflex (neurally mediated) syncope
Syncope of recent onset in the unwell patient
Driving regulations in syncopal patients

10. Heart murmurs
Differential diagnosis
History
Examination
Investigations
Presenting your findings

Section 3: Clinical conditions
11. Atherosclerosis and its risk factors
Pathogenesis of atherosclerosis
Classification of ischaemic heart disease
Risk factors for atherosclerosis
Risk prediction and primary prevention of ischaemic heart disease
Lipids and the cardiovascular system
Hypertension

12. Stable angina and acute coronary syndromes
Stable angina
Acute coronary syndromes

13. Heart failure
Pathophysiology of heart failure
Clinical features
Investigations
Management

14. Arrhythmias
Bradyarrhythmias
Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias
Ventricular arrhythmias
Antiarrhythmic drugs
Algorithms for management of arrhythmias
Cardiac arrest and resuscitation

15. Valvular disease
Rheumatic heart disease
Aortic stenosis
Aortic regurgitation
Mitral stenosis
Mitral regurgitation
Tricuspid disease
Pulmonary disease
Assessing the severity of a valve lesion
Prosthetic heart valves
Infective endocarditis

16. Diseases of the myocardium and pericardium
Diseases of the myocardium
Diseases of the pericardium

17. Congenital heart disease
Causes of congenital heart disease
Complications of congenital heart disease
Pregnancy risk assessment
Congenital defects with left-to-right shunts
Congenital defects with right-to-left shunts
Obstructive congenital defects
Other lesions in congenital heart disease

18. Vascular disease
Arterial disease
Venous disease

Self-Assessment
UKMLA High Yield Association Table
UKMLA Single Best Answer (SBA) Questions
UKMLA SBA Answers
OSCEs and Short Clinical Cases

Jasmine Shen, MBChB, Junior Doctor, Edinburgh, UK and Thomas Foster, MBChB, BMedSci (Hons), Junior Doctor, Edinburgh, UK