The key clinical manifestations of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include several distinct cardiac symptoms.Carditis, a hallmark of acute rheumatic fever, involves inflammation of the heart's endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium. Chronic RHD often results from recurrent episodes of carditis. Its symptoms include the following:Murmurs are caused by valvular damage, especially to the mitral and aortic valves. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation is common, with characteristic heart murmurs...

Class III antiarrhythmic drugs are a group of medications that can prolong action potentials in the heart. They achieve this by blocking potassium channels or enhancing inward currents from sodium channels. However, these drugs have a unique property of "reverse use-dependence," which is most pronounced at slower heart rates and can lead to torsades de pointes—a specific type of arrhythmia. However, it is essential to note that excessive QT interval prolongation—a measure of...

Bradyarrhythmias are cardiac rhythm disorders characterized by a slower-than-normal heart rate, typically defined as fewer than 60 beats per minute. Some of which are discussed here:Sinus BradycardiaSinus bradycardia presents a heart rate lower than 60 beats per minute, with a regular rhythm originating from the SA node. The ECG typically shows normal P waves preceding each QRS complex, a normal PR interval (0.12 to 0.20 seconds), and a normal QRS duration (0.06 to 0.10 seconds).First-Degree AV...

Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, is a progressive myocardial disorder characterized by ventricular chamber dilation and contractile dysfunction.EtiologyVarious factors can cause DCM, including hypertension and heavy alcohol intake, which contribute to the weakening and enlargement of the heart muscle. Viral infections, such as Coxsackievirus B, adenoviruses, and influenza, can lead to DCM by causing inflammation and damage to heart tissue. Certain chemotherapeutic agents, including daunorubicin,...

Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is a rare heart muscle disease characterized by impaired ventricular filling due to stiffened ventricular walls, leading to significant diastolic dysfunction.EtiologyRestrictive cardiomyopathy can arise from both inherited and acquired diseases, many of which are systemic. It is categorized into four main types: infiltrative, storage, non-infiltrative, and endomyocardial diseases.Infiltrative diseases, such as amyloidosis, lead to RCM by depositing amyloid...

Dysrhythmias, also known as arrhythmias, are irregular heart rhythms that result from abnormal electrical activity in the heart, affecting its ability to circulate blood efficiently. Tachyarrhythmias, a subset of dysrhythmias, are characterized by abnormally fast heart rates exceeding 100 beats per minute. Here are some types of tachyarrhythmias with their distinct ECG features:Sinus Tachycardia:Sinus tachycardia presents a regular heart rhythm with an increased rate of 101-180 beats per...