of the population have a right dominant heart, in which the posterior descending artery originates from the terminal branch of the RCA; whereas the LCX normally supplies the posterior descending artery in a left dominant heart Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) then converts angiotensin I into angiotensin II, which mediates its effects, primarily by vasoconstriction and increased water retention. The jugular venous pressure (JVP) The intrinsic pacemaker of the heart is usually the sinoatrial node (SA node) because it has the fastest rate of automaticity of all cardiac fibres ( see Fig. 1.4) The aim of management is to instigate antiplatelet therapy expeditiously, to re-perfuse the myocardium in STEMI, and to prevent the progression of unstable angina and NSTEMI. The approach to management can be divided into three steps: initial management, advanced management and post-acute management. The left coronary artery (LCA), which supplies a large surface area of the heart, is subdivided into (see Fig. 1.2):

The SA nodal artery is supplied by the RCA in two-thirds of the population, and by the LCX in one-third The book is divided into body systems and then each section within the particular body system follows a consistent pattern: For instance, in 2016 a group of scientists from France published an article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in which they summarized the results of their clinical trial on patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (cancer of large bowel in the IV stage of the disease – with metastases). The group that was treated with an individually adjusted dose of fluorouracil (antimetabolite drug used in the treatment of many cancers, including colon cancer) had a better response to the therapy, a higher survival rate and a lower grade of toxicity, than those treated with standard doses. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the number one worldwide cause of death and disability. It is a complex process, affecting principally medium- to large-sized arteries. It normally results in luminal stenosis which may be progressive over time. Pathologically, there is focal accumulation within the intimal layer of the arterial wall of cells, lipids, fibrous tissue and complex proteoglycans, eventually leading to the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque. As they advance, these plaques also accumulate calcium, giving rise to the colloquial term ‘hardening of the arteries’.Medicine in a Minute PDF is a student-friendly, concise text that you will want close to hand throughout your studies. The heart is drained mainly by the great, middle and small cardiac veins, and to a lesser extent by other cardiac veins into the coronary sinus, which empties into the right atrium The joint ESC/ACCF/AHA/WHF task force published the following recommendations for the diagnosis of acute MI in 2012. Medicine in a Minute is a student-friendly, concise text that you will want close to hand throughout your studies. When treating a patient, or just taking a medication by yourself, we always need to wonder what is the exact dose of the drug we choose. And the truth is that we dose (or should dose) nearly everything in our life, from cooking dinner to taking medications! However, regarding drugs, there are certain different kinds of dosing that depend on the specific drug and/or the patient.

Options include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), varenicline or bupropion, but none of these should be prescribed together (apart from various subtypes of NRT) The tricuspid valve orifice is the largest in the heart and its leaflets are supported by chordae tendineae (‘heart strings‘), which link the ventricular aspect of the leaflets to the papillary muscles

Complications of myocardial infarction

May be clinically silent or the patient may experience pleuritic chest pain that classically improves on sitting up The heart derives its autonomic nervous supply mostly from the parasympathetic vagus nerve (cardio-inhibitor) and the C1–T5 sympathetic ganglia (cardio-accelerator) via superficial and deep cardiac nervous plexuses. The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in controlling the rate of SA node impulse formation and conduction and the strength of muscle contraction. For instance, in the denervated heart (e.g. in heart transplant patients), the resting heart rate is higher (90–110bpm) and the heart rate response is reduced during exercise (chronotropic incompetence). The aortic and pulmonary valves, which are similar in structure, are each composed of three cusps, and are also known as semilunar valves Coronary circulation