CARDIAC Flashcards
Atherosclerosis
narrowing of the arteries due to fatty deposits
CAD
Occlusion of a major coronary artery, can lead to cell death (i.e. myocardial infarction)
MI
Death of cells in myocardium, Caused by a lack of blood supply
Angina (stable & unstable)
Chest discomfort or shortness of breath, caused when there is decreased blood flow to heart muscle. Not a disease, a symptom of an underlying heart problem, Usually CAD
Stable
chest pain/discomfort that typically occurs with activity or stress
Pain usually begins slowly and gets worse over a few minutes
Usually quickly goes away with medication or rest
Unstable-
Happens unexpectedly, even during rest, Can be a warning sign of an impending heart attack
Valve disease- Two basic types:
Incompetence: poorly functioning valves
Stenosis: inability to open fully
Can affect either the Mitral or Aortic valves
Cardiomegaly
An enlarged heart hypertrophy due to overwork
Cor Pulmonale
AKA right heart failure
* Happens because right ventricle has to push against high pressure in the pulmonary artery
Cor Pulmonale symptoms
- Shortness of breath
- Bulging neck veins
- Swelling in legs or abdomen
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Fainting episodes
CHF
- AKA left heart failure
- More common than Cor Pulmonale
- Heart can’t pump enough blood to the body’s other organs
- The “failing” heart keeps working but not as efficiently as it should
- Exertion results in shortness of breath and fatigue
CHF Signs
- The most common signs of congestive heart failure are , swollen legs or ankles
difficulty breathing
Arrythmia
A group of conditions
* Muscle contraction of the heart is irregular or is faster or slower than normal
* Some arrhythmias are life-threatening medical emergencies that can cause cardiac arrest and sudden death
* Others cause aggravating symptoms, such as an awareness of a different heartbeat, or palpitation, which can be annoying
* Some are quite benign and normal
Cardiac Arrest
diseased heart’s electrical system malfunctions
* causes an abnormal heart rhythm such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation( FIB- all over the place)
* Some cardiac arrests are also caused by extreme slowing of the heart’s rhythm – bradycardia.
* Irregular heartbeats that can cause cardiac arrest should be considered life-threatening arrhythmias
CABG
A procedure to bypass a blocked section of a coronary artery and to deliver oxygen to the heart.