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.
Median Sternotomy
To get to the heart, surgeons may cut the sternum and open the chest
This is part of an ‘open heart surgery
Pacemaker
The pacemaker sends tiny, precisely-timed electrical signals to the heart on demand
* Most pacemakers are designed to correct bradycardia
* The battery life of most pacemaker generators today is about 8 years
ICD:
A small device is placed in the chest or abdomen.
Uses electrical pulses (shocks) to help control life-threatening, arrhythmias, especially those that could cause sudden cardiac death due ventricular fibrillation
Beta blockers
reduce nerve impulses to the heart and blood vessels (block adrenaline)
Make the heart beat slower and with less force- Precautions with exercise
Blood pressure drops and the heart works less hard
