Perioperative medicine & anaesthesia · UKMLA & AKT
Bradyarrhythmias and heart block
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test. Below are the key points to recognise bradyarrhythmias and heart block — the full SA Note notes add investigations, management, complications and 10 practice questions.
Key high-yield points
- Bradycardia = heart rate <60 bpm; symptoms often only below 40 bpm
- Dizziness, syncope (Stokes-Adams attacks), fatigue, palpitations, dyspnoea, chest pain
- Adverse features requiring immediate treatment (Resus Council UK):
- Shock - hypotension (SBP <90 mmHg), pallor, cold peripheries, confusion
- Syncope - loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion
- Myocardial ischaemia - ischaemic chest pain or ECG changes
- Heart failure - pulmonary oedema, elevated JVP, third heart sound
If ANY adverse feature is present, treat immediately - do not wait.
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