cardiac conditions

Question 1

what is coronary artery disease

Answer 1

• narrowing and/or blockage of coronary arteries (deliver blood supply to the heart) which leads to ischemia

Question 2

what does coronary artery disease lead to

Answer 2

1. angina (chest pain) when oxygen demand is greater than oxygen supply
   there are 2 types
   - stable, predictable (with exercise) and resolves with rest
   - unstable, unpredictable (strong indicator for myocardial infarction) and may occur at rest and is of increasing severity, length or frequency
   signs and symptoms of angina are
   - paleness
   - sweating
   - difficulty breathing
2. myocardial infarction (heart attack)
   - most commonly due to atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)

Question 3

ignore

Answer 3

ignore

Question 4

what are the 3 types of inflammation?

Answer 4

1. stunning- temp loss of contraction
2. hibernation- stop contracting to preserve life
3. remodelling- permanent loss of contracting

Question 5

what are arrhythmias

Answer 5

alterations in cardiac conduction. They occur due to an abnormal rate of impulse generation within the pacemakers or abnormal conduction of impulses through the conduction system or through the myocytes.
the most common is atrial fibrillation which is an atrial quiver and blood pools in the atria which can lead to a clot formation which can turn into an embolism and block blood flow

Question 6

what is ventricular tachycardia (life-threatening)

Answer 6

a very rapid conduction in the ventricles which increases heart rate

• more than a few seconds it may be life threatening
• more than 30 seconds it is life threatening

Question 7

what is ventricular fibrillation (life-threatening)

Answer 7

ventricular quiver which means no cardiac output

- requires immediate defibrillation

Question 8

what is asystole (life-threatening)

Answer 8

no contraction/ electrical activity (flat line) and will likely follow from ventricular fibrillation

• can not defibrillate because there is no electrical activity
• start CPR and administer adrenaline

Question 9

what is heart failure

Answer 9

cardiac dysfunction which leads to inadequate tissue perfusion. this occurs by
- systolic failure (pumping failure)
- diastolic failure (filling failure)
there can be left or right side failure which can lead to each other

Question 10

what can left side failure lead to

Answer 10

Left sided heart failure leads to pulmonary congestion (blood blockages into the pulmonary circuit) leading to pulmonary oedema and hypotension. this impairs gas exchange and the causes are

• hypotension
• coronary artery disease
• MI
• cardiomyopathy

Question 11

what can right-side failure lead to

Answer 11

it leads to systemic venous (blood backlogs into the systemic venous circuit) which leads to hypotension within the venous circuit which leads to peripheral oedema. This leads to hepatosplenomegaly which leads to liver failure
causes are
- left side failure
- hypoxic pulmonary conditions
- left to right shunts (opening or connection between the left and right side of the heart where blood flows where it shouldn;t happen)