Cardiovascular disorders

Abstract

This chapter discusses cardiovascular disorders and includes discussion on hypertension (including discussion treatment of uncomplicated essential hypertension, management of hypertension in different patient groups, diabetes mellitus, ethnic groups, hypertensive crises, management of hypertensive emergencies, aortic dissection, acute pulmonary oedema, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and acute coronary syndrome, cocaine overdose, severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, malignant hypertension, hypertensive encephalopathy, stroke, and drugs for the treatment of hypertensive emergencies). It also covers tachyarrhythmias (especially common pathological arrhythmias and management), bradyarrhythmias (including the causes thereof, sinus node dysfunction, atrioventricular conduction disturbance, clinical approach, pharmacotherapy, and pacing), and myocardial infarction diagnosis (describing the diagnostic tools). Non-STEMI (differential diagnoses, risk assessment, management, anti-ischaemic therapy, withdrawal of dual antiplatelet therapy, lipid-lowering therapy, and invasive versus conservative management) and STEMI (diagnosis, initial evaluation in the emergency department, prehospital care, reperfusion strategy, primary percutaneous coronary intervention, periprocedural pharmacotherapy, and structural issues after STEMI) are also discussed, as are acute heart failure (both assessment and management) and bacterial endocarditis.