9 - Cardiovascular Pathology I Flashcards
What is the number one cause of death worldwide?
Cardiovascular disease
What percentage of this burden occurs in developing countries?
80%
How many people in the US die each year from cardiovascular disease?
750,000
What is the yearly economic burden of ischemic heart disease in the US?
$100 billion
It is very costly and is preventable
List the locations of blood flow starting where blood first enters the heart
- Right atrium
- Tricuspid valve
- Right ventricle
- Pulmonic valve
- Pulmonary arteries
- Pulmonic veins
- Left atrium
- Mitral valve
- Left ventricle
- Aortic valve
- Aorta
What is the role of gap junctions?
That are important for rapid communication between cells
This is important for action potentials traveling through the heart so that muscle contracts in a uniform way
What are the four cardiac valves?
1 - Tricuspid
2 - Pulmonary
3 - Mitral
4 - Aortic
What is the purpose of cardiac valves?
To maintain unidirectional blood flow through the heart
What changes in cardiac valves can affect function?
- Valve mobility
- Valve pliability
- Structural integrity
The flaps are delicate and are made up of elastic fibers and connective tissue
What is the only valve with two cusps?
Mitral valve (bicuspid)
What are the first branches off of the aorta?
Coronary arteries
What is the role of the autonomic nervous system in controlling the conduction system?
The ANS controls the rate of firing of the SA node
Describe the path of conduction in the heart starting with the SA node
SA node → AV node → bundle of His →right and left bundle branches
Where do Purkinje fibers come into play?
The right and left bundle branches then form Purkinje fibers to help the muscle contract in a uniform way
What does the right coronary artery supply?
Supplies blood to the right atrium, right ventricle, bottom portion of the left ventricle and back of the septum
What does the left coronary artery branch into?
Circumflex artery and left anterior descending artery
What does the circumflex artery supply?
Supplies blood to the left atrium and the side and back of the left ventricle
What does the left anterior descending artery supply?
Supplies blood to the front and bottom of the left ventricle and the front of the septum
How prevalent is congestive heart failure (CHF)?
CHF affects nearly 5 million individuals and is the leading discharge diagnosis in patients over 65 years of age in the United States
When does CHF occur?
CHF occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood at a rate sufficient to meet the metabolic demands of the tissues or can do so only at an elevated filling pressure
When do we see CHF?
It can appear during the end stage of many forms of chronic heart disease
What is the definition of CHF?
CHF is characterized by variable degrees of decreased cardiac output and tissue perfusion, as well as pooling of blood in the venous system which may cause pulmonary edema, peripheral edema, or both
What is the most common cause of heart failure?
Coronary artery disease
Why does coronary artery disease cause heart failure?
CAD causes an MI which then leads to damaged heart tissue, scar formation and an inability to contract well
What is the other most common causes heart failure?
Sustained high blood pressure
What are other structural or functional causes of heart failure?
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart disease
- Heart valve disease
- Heart tumor
- Lung disease
What is cardiomyopathy?
There are different types
- Dialated cardiomyopathy
- Hypertropic cardiomyopathy (thickened heart muscle)
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy (rigid heart muscle)
What makes you at risk for developing heart failure?
You are also at increased risk for developing heart failure if you are overweight, have diabetes (drives atherosclerosis), smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, or use cocaine (heart rate will rapidly increase with cocaine use).
What are the two types of heart failure?
Acute and chronic
Describe the onset of acute heart failure
Develops rapidly (hours/days) and can be immediately life threatening because the heart does not have time to undergo compensatory adaptations.
Sudden event like a heart attack is an example