MedSchool Boards

Episode 7: Structural and Infectious Diseases & Syncope Pericardial Disease: Describe Acute Pericarditis (pleuritic chest pain that improves when leaning forward, diffuse ST elevations on ECG) and Constrictive Pericarditis (pericardial knock). Detail Pericardial Effusions (water bottle heart on CXR, electrical alternans) and Cardiac Tamponade (Beck triad: hypotension, muffled heart sounds, JVD...

Episode 6: Blood Pressure and Vascular Pathology Hypertension: Discuss the threshold for Stage 1 hypertension, the signs of end-organ damage (retinopathy, nephrosclerosis), and the first-line pharmacotherapy options (thiazides, ACEI/ARBs, CCBs). Differentiate primary hypertension from secondary causes using the CODER mnemonic, and distinguish hypertensive urgency from emergency. Aortic Disease: De...

Episode 5: Ischemia and Vascular Risk (CAD, ACS, & Dyslipidemia) Coronary Artery Disease: Differentiate classic Angina Pectoris (substernal pain provoked by stress and relieved by rest or nitrates) from Prinzmetal variant angina (caused by vasospasm and treated with calcium channel blockers). Discuss diagnostic stress testing and the coronary steal syndrome. Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS): Cle...

Episode 4: Muscle Disease (Cardiomyopathies) Dilated & Restrictive Cardiomyopathy: Explain the impaired contractility and massive ventricular dilation seen in Dilated Cardiomyopathy, often accompanied by an S3 gallop. Contrast this with Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, which features impaired elasticity due to infiltrative diseases like amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, and hemochromatosis. Hypertrophic Ca...

Episode 3: Heart Failure and Pump Dysfunction Heart Failure Classifications: Differentiate between Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF, systolic dysfunction, EF <40%) and Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF, diastolic dysfunction, EF >50%). Discuss the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classes I through IV and the differences between left-sided sy...

Episode 2: Electrical Disturbances (Arrhythmias & ACLS) Mechanisms & Bradyarrhythmias: Explain the primary mechanisms of tachyarrhythmias: abnormal automaticity, triggered activity, and reentry. Cover sinus bradycardia, the different types of Atrioventricular (AV) blocks (First-degree, Second-degree Mobitz I and II, and Third-degree complete block), and Sick sinus syndrome. Tachyarrhythmia...

Episode 1: Foundations of Cardiac Evaluation (ECG & Physical Exam) ECG Basics: Focus on calculating heart rate (300 divided by the number of large boxes between QRS complexes), identifying normal sinus rhythm, and determining the QRS axis (normal, left, right, or extreme deviation). Intervals & Conduction: Detail the PR interval (120-200 msec) and QRS interval (<120 msec). Explain the m...