Cardiologist Course

Lesson 1 • Cardiac Physiology and Haemodynamics

Explains the cardiac cycle, pressure-volume relationships, and determinants of cardiac output. Links physiological principles to measurable clinical parameters.

Lesson 2 • Cardiovascular Pathophysiology Overview

Introduces mechanisms of ischaemia, hypertrophy, and heart failure at the cellular level. Bridges normal physiology to disease states covered in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Cardiac Anatomy and Microstructure

Covers chambers, valves, conduction pathways, and myocardial histology. Provides the anatomical baseline required for interpreting all subsequent diagnostic findings.

Lesson 1 • Recognising Common Cardiac Presentations

Identifies clinical patterns for acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and valvular disease. Pattern recognition accelerates triage and initial management decisions.

Lesson 2 • Cardiovascular Physical Examination Technique

Covers inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation of the cardiovascular system. Accurate exam technique underpins all bedside diagnostic reasoning.

Lesson 3 • Structured Cardiac History Taking

Teaches symptom characterisation for chest pain, dyspnoea, palpitations, and syncope. Accurate history framing directly reduces diagnostic error in subsequent workup.

Lesson 1 • Ischaemia and Infarction Patterns

Identifies ST-elevation, depression, T-wave changes, and Q-wave formation by territory. Rapid pattern recognition drives time-sensitive reperfusion decisions.

Lesson 2 • ECG in Special Clinical Scenarios

Applies ECG interpretation to pericarditis, electrolyte disorders, and drug toxicity. Contextual ECG reading prevents misdiagnosis in complex presentations.

Lesson 3 • Conduction Abnormalities and Hypertrophy

Covers bundle branch blocks, fascicular blocks, and chamber enlargement criteria. These findings alter management and require integration with clinical context.

Lesson 4 • Rhythm Analysis and Arrhythmia Recognition

Teaches a stepwise approach to rhythm strips and 12-lead arrhythmia identification. Systematic rhythm analysis prevents misclassification of life-threatening arrhythmias.

Lesson 1 • Echocardiography Principles and Interpretation

Explains transthoracic and transoesophageal echo views, measurements, and Doppler techniques. Echo is the most frequently ordered cardiac imaging tool and demands fluent interpretation.

Lesson 2 • Stress Testing Modalities

Covers exercise and pharmacological stress protocols with ECG, echo, and nuclear imaging endpoints. Appropriate test selection maximises diagnostic yield whilst minimising patient risk.

Lesson 3 • Cardiac Biomarkers and Laboratory Testing

Interprets troponin kinetics, BNP, and emerging biomarkers in clinical context. Biomarker integration with imaging and ECG completes the diagnostic picture.

Lesson 4 • Advanced Cardiac Imaging

Introduces cardiac CT angiography, cardiac MRI, and PET imaging capabilities. Advanced imaging resolves diagnostic uncertainty when standard tests are inconclusive.

Lesson 1 • NSTEMI and Unstable Angina Management

Applies risk-guided invasive versus conservative strategies and antithrombotic regimens. Risk stratification tools determine the urgency and type of invasive evaluation.

Lesson 2 • Acute Coronary Syndrome Recognition and Triage

Defines STEMI, NSTEMI, and unstable angina with triage pathways and time targets. Rapid triage directly determines myocardial salvage and patient survival.

Lesson 3 • Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Addresses diagnosis, risk stratification, and medical therapy for stable angina. Optimal medical therapy reduces events and guides revascularisation decision-making.

Lesson 4 • Secondary Prevention After ACS

Establishes evidence-based pharmacotherapy and lifestyle targets for post-ACS patients. Sustained secondary prevention is the primary driver of long-term mortality reduction.

Lesson 1 • Heart Failure Classification and Staging

Defines HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF with staging systems and prognostic implications. Accurate classification determines which evidence-based therapies apply to each patient.

Lesson 2 • Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Management

Manages volume overload, low-output states, and cardiogenic shock in the acute setting. Rapid phenotype identification guides diuretic, vasodilator, and inotrope selection.

Lesson 3 • Device Therapy in Heart Failure

Addresses ICD, CRT, and mechanical circulatory support indications and programming basics. Device therapy reduces sudden death and improves functional status in selected patients.

Lesson 4 • Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy for HFrEF

Covers the four pillars of HFrEF therapy: beta-blockers, RAS inhibitors, MRAs, and SGLT2 inhibitors. Combination therapy titration is the core skill for reducing HF mortality.

Lesson 1 • Supraventricular Tachycardias

Differentiates AVNRT, AVRT, and atrial tachycardias with acute and long-term management. Accurate SVT diagnosis prevents inappropriate therapy and guides ablation planning.

Lesson 2 • Bradyarrhythmias and Pacing

Covers sinus node dysfunction, AV block, and permanent pacemaker indications and programming. Correct pacing mode selection prevents pacing-induced cardiomyopathy and optimises haemodynamics.

Lesson 3 • Ventricular Arrhythmias

Manages PVCs, non-sustained VT, sustained VT, and VF with risk stratification and therapy. Ventricular arrhythmia management integrates structural heart disease assessment with antiarrhythmic therapy.

Lesson 4 • Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter

Addresses classification, rate versus rhythm control strategies, and stroke prevention in AF. AF is the most prevalent arrhythmia and demands mastery of anticoagulation and cardioversion decisions.

Lesson 1 • Structural Heart Disease Interventions

Covers closure of ASD, PFO, and VSD and left atrial appendage occlusion techniques. Structural interventions require understanding of anatomy, imaging guidance, and post-procedure management.

Lesson 2 • Valvular Heart Disease Assessment

Grades severity of aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, and other valve lesions using multimodality imaging. Accurate severity grading determines the timing of intervention and surveillance intervals.

Lesson 3 • Surgical and Transcatheter Valve Interventions

Compares surgical valve replacement, repair, TAVR, and MitraClip with patient selection criteria. Multidisciplinary heart team decisions require cardiologists to understand procedural risks and benefits.

Lesson 4 • Cardiovascular Risk Factor Management

Applies evidence-based targets for hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, and obesity in cardiac patients. Aggressive risk factor control is the foundation of primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention.