Module overview
This module will further establish your knowledge, technical skills and develop your clinical reasoning within non-invasive cardiology. The fundamental theme will be your ability to clinically interpret electrocardiographic data derived from a range of procedures including; 12 lead ECGs , ambulatory monitoring and cardiac stress testing and echocardiography. Your teaching will take place in a dedicated specialist facility at University Hospital Southampton and delivered by clinical specialists. All theory and practice is designed to prepare you for your year 2 clinical placement in a cardiac department.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Recognise and evaluate limitations of non-invasive investigations.
- Become informed recipients of research evidence in healthcare science by critically appraising professional journals and associated literature using established appraisal tools.
- Interpret non-invasive diagnostic investigations.
- Explain the principles of a range of routine non-invasive diagnostic cardiac investigations used to detect and quantify cardiac disease, and compare and contrast each modality.
- Evaluate the need for calibration and quality assurance for all measurements undertaken in Cardiac Physiology
Syllabus
In this module students will build on Year 1 learning and begin detailed learning that underpins the routine practical techniques.
Clinical Electrocardiography
- Characteristics of recording equipment
- Components and functions
- Settings and adjustments made based on patient category
- Recommended measurement technique
Recognition of life threatening arrhythmias
- Ventricular fibrillation
- Asystole
- Ventricular tachycardia
Recognition of:
- Common arrhythmias:
- Sinus arrhythmia
- Sinus bradycardia
- Sinus tachycardia
- Atrial fibrillation
- Atrial ectopics
- Atrioventricular conduction blocks
- Ventricular arrhythmias
- The effect of myocardial Infarction and ischaemia on the electrocardiogram
Routine Blood Pressure Measurement
- Principles and limitations of range of recording equipment used to measure blood pressure
- Mercury and aneroid sphygmomanometers
- Electronic Devices including wrist devices
- Device calibration
- Indications for blood pressure measurement
- Factors affecting blood pressure including blood pressure variability and white coat hypertension.
- Recommended measurement technique
- Common errors in blood pressure measurement
- Observer
- Equipment
- Patient
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Normal blood pressure ranges
- Definition of hypertension
Ambulatory blood pressure recording
- Characteristics of recording equipment
- Indications
- Contra-Indications
- Recommended measurement technique
- Normal Ranges
- Common problems
- Analysis, presentation and evaluation of results
Ambulatory electrocardiography
- Characteristics of recording equipment
- Indications
- Contra-Indications
- The effect of activity on the circulatory system
- Recommended measurement technique
- Common problems
- Analysis, presentation and evaluation of results
Cardiac stress testing
- Characteristics of recording equipment
- Indications
- Contra-Indications and end-points
- Recommended measurement modality
- Common problems
- Protocols for cardiac stress testing
- The effect of exercise on the heart, lungs and circulation
- ECG and functional changes associated with ischaemic heart disease
- Cardiac arrhythmias and exercise
- Differential diagnosis of cardiac and non-cardiac outcomes
Echocardiography
- Characteristics of ultrasound equipment
- Standard transthoracic imaging windows
- Standard planes and views to image the heart
- Limitations of procedure
- Evaluation of results
- Basic overview of congenital heart disease
- Embryology
- Circulatory changes at birth
- Common abnormalities which may include
- Atrial Septal Defects
- Ventricular Septal Defects
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Coarctation of the Aorta
- Tetralogy of Fallot
Communication skills and team working
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Students will learn by exploring material in seminars and laboratory practicals in conjunction with directed learning. Students will be encouraged to take responsibility for the development of their own learning by utilising a variety of means such as multimedia resources, and the library, and by self-directed development of the study skills necessary to access these resources.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Independent Study | 235 |
| Lecture | 65 |
| Total study time | 300 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Bennett, D. (2018). Cardiac Arrhythmias: Practical Notes on Interpretation. Wiley-Blackwell.
Wagner, G. (2007). Marriott's Practical Electrocardiography. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Ellestad, M. (2003). Stress Testing: Principles and Practice. Oxford University Press.
Conover, M. (2002). Understanding Electrocardiography. Mosby.
Bono, R. (2013). Braunwald's Heart Disease. Elsevier.
Anderson, B. (2017). Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurements. MGA Graphics.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Both components of the summative assessment must be passed.Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Critical article and verbal presentation
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback:
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Exam | 50% |
| Exam | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Exam | 50% |
| Exam | 50% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: External