Assessing Cardiac Function Flashcards
What are heart failure symptoms?
Coughing Tiredness Shortness of breath Pulmonary oedema giving rise to coughing and difficulty breathing Swelling in abdomen Puymping action of heart grows weaker Swelling of the ankles
What is the main cause of heart failure?
Coronary artery disease (ischaemic heart disease)
What is cardiac catheterisation?
Catheter is inserted into an artery in the groin area or arm and goes up the artery
Once in right place infuse contrast
See narrowing
What is an atheroma?
Build up of plaque in arteries
What doa angioplastic balloons do?
Separate atheroma
What is coronary artery bypass graft? (CABG)
If cant put stent in
Attachment of an artery past occluding artery
The higher the MET value…
The more stressed the heart it
Can pick up on heart problems
How to stress test using drugs
How does it work?
Infuse dobutamine, beta agonist
Raises blood pressure and heart rate
Increases cardiac contractility
Increase demand of heart muscle for blood supply
Infusion of vasodilator e.g. adenosine or dipridamole
What is a Thalium Myocardial Perfusion scan?
When resting ECG abnormal, have intermedite probability of coronary disease
Thalium taken up by myocardium in proportion to blood flow.
Shows where myocardium most active
Detected by gamma rays
Shows were decreased level of perfusion
What is a Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)?
Ultrasound technology
Probe applied in various positions on chest
Soundwave emitted, bounces off various things, as hit features bounce back to probe
What is a left atrial myxoma?
Cardiac tumour in left atrium, need to be removed surgicallly, ca obstruct mitral valve
What is mitral valve regurgitation?
Blood going back into atria from ventricle
What is a Transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE)?
Patient swallows probe, sends out signals and detect back
When do you do a transoesophageal echocardiography?
When need clear view of valves, inter-atrial septum
What is a Bubble Echo?
At venous access point, inject 20ml of normal saline, comes up like bubbles
Lasts for couple of seconds before reabsorbed into blood
