Knowledge guides

LG18: Circulatory conditions

Key presentations and conditions

Advanced Trainees will have a comprehensive depth of knowledge of these presentations and conditions.

View

Less common or more complex presentations and conditions

Advanced Trainees will understand these presentations and conditions.

Advanced Trainees will understand the resources that should be used to help manage patients with these presentations and conditions.

View

Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical sciences

Advanced Trainees will have a comprehensive depth of knowledge of the principles of the foundational sciences.

View

Investigations, procedures, and clinical assessment tools

Advanced Trainees will know the scientific foundation of each investigation and procedure, including relevant anatomy and physiology. They will be able to interpret the reported results of each investigation or procedure.

Advanced Trainees will know how to explain the investigation or procedure to patients, families, and carers, and be able to explain procedural risk and obtain informed consent where applicable.

View

Important specific issues

Advanced Trainees will identify important specialty-specific issues and the impact of these on diagnosis and management and integrate these into care.

View
Presentations
  • Abnormal blood pressure
  • Abnormal heart rate:
    • bradycardia
    • tachycardia
  • Abnormal heart rhythm / Arrhythmias
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Cardiac output (high- and low-output), including circulatory shock:
    • hypertension
    • hypotension
  • Cyanosis
  • Heart murmurs
  • Weak or absent femoral pulses
Conditions
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Patent ductus arteriosus
  • Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate

For each presentation and condition, Advanced Trainees will know how to:

Synthesise
  • recognise the clinical presentation
  • identify relevant epidemiology, prevalence, pathophysiology, and clinical science
  • take a comprehensive clinical history
  • conduct an appropriate examination
  • establish a differential diagnosis
  • plan and arrange appropriate investigations
  • consider the impact of illness and disease on patients and their quality of life when developing a management plan
Manage
  • provide evidence-based management
  • prescribe therapies tailored to patients’ needs and conditions
  • recognise potential complications of disease and its management, and initiate preventative strategies
  • involve multidisciplinary teams
Consider other factors
  • identify individual and social factors and the impact of these on diagnosis and management
Conditions
  • Cardiomyopathies
  • Vascular rings

For each presentation and condition, Advanced Trainees will know how to:

Synthesise
  • recognise the clinical presentation
  • identify relevant epidemiology, prevalence, pathophysiology, and clinical science
  • take a comprehensive clinical history
  • conduct an appropriate examination
  • establish a differential diagnosis
  • plan and arrange appropriate investigations
  • consider the impact of illness and disease on patients and their quality of life when developing a management plan
Manage
  • provide evidence-based management
  • prescribe therapies tailored to patients’ needs and conditions
  • recognise potential complications of disease and its management, and initiate preventative strategies
  • involve multidisciplinary teams
Consider other factors
  • identify individual and social factors and the impact of these on diagnosis and management
  • Congenital cardiovascular disease:
    • anatomy
    • embryology
    • physiology
  • Normal physiology and development of circulation in neonates
  • Pathophysiology of cardiac failure and circulatory shock
  • Tissue oxygenation and gas transport
Investigations
  • Chest radiograph
  • Echocardiogram
  • ECG
Procedures
  • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
  • Surgical options for the treatment of congenital heart disease, such as:
    • arterial switch surgery
    • balloon septostomy
  • Cyanotic infants
  • Emergency management and retrieval of postnatally suspected duct-dependent lesions in non-cardiac centres
  • Hypertensive infants
  • Hypotensive and shocked infants
  • Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN):
    • management
    • pathogenesis
  • Pharmacology:
    • mechanism
    • use of inotropes