cardiac conditions Flashcards
what is atrial fibrilliation?
irregular electrical impulses in the atrium.
how does atrial fibrillation happen?
when the electrical signals in the top chambers (atria) of your heart do not get sent out properly. They should be steady and regular, but instead they quiver or twitch (fibrillation). This causes your heart to beat randomly, which means it does not pump blood as well as it should.
what is a risk of having Atrial fibrilliation?
create blood clots in the heart that may cause a stroke.
what are symptoms of AF?
chest pain, tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness, finding it hard to exercise, palpations
what medication can you use for atrial fibrillation?
medication such as beta blockers and anti-arrhythmic drugs
ablation
cardioversion
having a pacemaker fitted.
Anticoagulant drugs and DOACs
what is Abdominal aortic aneurysm?
Your abdominal aorta is usually about 2cm wide or about the width of a garden hose. If you have an aneurysm it can grow from 3cm to over 5.5cm wide.
what are symptoms of abdominal aortic aneurysm?
a pulsating feeling in your stomach
pain in your stomach
persistent back pain.
what is the Causes of abdominal aortic aneurysm
It’s not known exactly what causes abdominal aortic aneurysm although it’s linked to atherosclerosis and the build-up of fatty material in your arteries.
what is the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm?
no treatment is required if t is under 4.4cm
however if it is over:
endovascular repair (EVAR) is a type of keyhole surgery. This involves placing a stent-graft (a small metal tube covered with a mesh) inside the artery through a small cut in the groin
surgical repair involves replacing the affected part of your aorta with a plastic tube (graft).
what is angina?
t’s a pain or an uncomfortable feeling when blood flow to your heart is reduced. It’s not dangerous but it can be a sign of heart problem, like coronary heart disease.
what are symptoms of angina?
pressure, tightness or squeezing in your chest. This can feel painful or like a dull ache. You might also feel it in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, back or stomach.
what is Vasospastic angina
during the night when you’re resting, when a coronary artery supplying blood and oxygen to your heart goes into spasm and narrows or tightens, and lets less blood through.
what is Microvascular angina
usually happens when you’re under physical pressure, like when you’re exercising, or you’ve been stressed or anxious
what is angina caused by?
The most common cause is coronary heart disease. This is when the arteries that supply your heart muscle with blood and oxygen are narrowed by a fatty substance called plaque.
how is angina treated?
medications such as GTN spay or pills
coronary angioplasty where a special kind of balloon is gently inflated to open a narrowed artery.
Many people also have a type of mesh called a stent inserted to keep the artery open
what is Arrhythmia?
Arrhythmias are caused by a problem in this conduction system, which can make your heart beat too slowly, too quickly, or in an irregular way.
what are the different types of arrhythmias?
AF- irregular
Supraventricular
tachycardia (SVT)- very fast
atrial flutter- when the top chambers of the heart contract faster compared to lower
tachybrady- fast or slow
heartblocks-delay or blockage in the conduction system between the top and bottom chambers of the heart which can cause a slow heart rate.
what are the causes of arrhythmias?
a heart attack
heart failure
cardiomyopathy
coronary heart disease.
what is Atherosclerosis?
build-up of fatty material (atheroma) inside your arteries. It’s a potentially serious condition that causes most heart attacks and strokes but often goes unnoticed.
what is Atherosclerosis?
build-up of fatty material (atheroma) inside your arteries. It’s a potentially serious condition that causes most heart attacks and strokes but often goes unnoticed.
what are symptoms of atherosclerosis?
chest pain
confusion, as a result of blood not flowing to your brain
difficulty breathing
feeling very tired
pain in any of your limbs, where there may be a blocked artery
weak muscles
how is atherosclerosis treated?
lifestyle change, diet change, coronary bypass surgery or a coronary angioplasty, medicances to reduce high bp or the risk of blood clots
what is a cardiac arrest?
A cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops pumping blood around your body.
what causes a cardiac arrest?
dangerous abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), which happens when the electrical system in the heart isn’t working properly.
what is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
is a disease of your heart muscle where the muscle wall of your heart becomes thickened, making it harder to pump blood around the body.
what are symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?
chest pain
light headedness and fainting
palpitations (feeling your heartbeat pounding or beating more quickly than usual)
shortness of breath
fatigue (getting tired easily)
swelling of the legs, feet, ankles and abdomen
how is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy treated?
Medicines like diuretics, beta blockers and cardiac myosin inhibitors. Medicines such as these can reduce the amount of work your heart does, control your blood pressure, manage abnormal heart rhythms and other symptoms.
pacemakers
what is cardiovascular disease?
circulatory disease, is an umbrella name for conditions that affect your heart or circulation. These include high blood pressure, stroke and vascular dementia.
Heart disease includes conditions that narrow or block blood vessels (coronary heart disease). This can lead to a heart attack, angina and some strokes.
what is congenital heart disease?
is a fault or problem with the heart that’s there from birth. This means it develops in the womb, before a baby is born.
what are the different types of congenital heart disease?
Septal defects, such as ventricular, atrial and atrioventricular. This is a hole between two of the heart’s chambers.
Coarctation of the aorta, a narrowing of the body’s main artery.
Pulmonary valve stenosis, a narrowing of the pulmonary valve.
Tetralogy of Fallot, when your heart has four different and specific problems.
Ebstein’s anomaly, a problem with your tricuspid valve.
what are the causes of congenital disease?
you have a family history of congenital heart disease
your mum or birth parent had diabetes when they were pregnant
your mum or birth parent took certain medicines when they were pregnant
smoking and drinking during pregnancy
infections like German measles (Rubella) during pregnancy
your mum or birth parent had or has lupus.
what are symptoms of congenital heart disease?
fast heartbeat
shortness of breath
tiredness
a blue colour to your skin or lips
what is coronary heart disease?
when your coronary arteries become narrowed by fatty material within their walls. These arteries supply your heart with blood containing high levels of oxygen.
what are the symptoms of coronary heart disease?
Angina is the name given for chest pain or an uncomfortable feeling that happens when blood flow to your heart muscle is reduced. It is a common symptom of CHD.
You might also feel pain or an uncomfortable feeling in your;
shoulders
arms
neck
jaw
back
stomach.
what causes coronary heart disease?
high blood pressure
high cholesterol
diabetes
smoking
living with excess weight or obesity
not doing enough physical activity
getting older
atherosclerosis,
atheroma (development of thick, hard plaques)
thrombus (blood clot formed in a unbroken vessel)
embolus (debris transported by the blood stream such as plastic, air, blood clot, fat)
how is coronary heart disease treated?
lifestyle changes
medication
coronary angioplasty with or without a stent
what is endocarditis?
rare condition where the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves (the endocardium) becomes infected.
what causes endocarditis?
Endocarditis happens when bacteria or fungi enter your bloodstream, attaching to already damaged areas of your heart.
For example, bacteria can often enter the bloodstream through the mouth or skin because of an existing infection in those areas.
what makes a individual at a higher risk of endocarditis?
have heart valve disease
have had a heart valve replacement using an artificial valve
have had endocarditis before
have certain types of congenital heart disease
have a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
inject drugs into your veins.
what are symptoms of endocarditis?
flu-like symptoms – these include having a temperature, tiredness, headaches, chills, a cough and sore throat
poor appetite or unexplained weight loss
pale skin
aching muscles and joints
heart murmurs (an abnormal heart sound).
Other rarer symptoms you may see or feel includ
how is endocarditis diagnosed and treated?
blood test to see what bacteria is causing the inflammation
MI scan
treated by antibiotics
what is hypotension?
when your blood pressure is below 90/60mmHg.
what are the signs and symptoms of hypotension
lightheadedness or dizziness
feeling sick
feeling tired
blurred or fading vision
generally feeling weak
confusion
fainting.
what causes hypotension?
getting older, medicines such as those who are used in parkinsons disease, blood loss, pregnancy, heart conditions such as arrythmias, heart failure and bradycardia.
what is myocarditis?
Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle
what is the risk of myocarditis?
This damage means the heart has to work harder to pump blood and oxygen around the body. In some cases, this can result in the heart muscle becoming bigger, and over time, weaker.
Sometimes, myocarditis can affect the heart’s electrical system, leading to an irregular heart beat (arrythmia).
what is the symptoms of myocarditis?
chest pain or discomfort, or a feeling of tightness in the chest
shortness of breath, either at rest or when active, or in certain positions, such as lying down
unusual tiredness
palpitations (like your heart is fluttering, racing, or pounding)
an irregular heartbeat
feeling light-headed or fainting
Recent flu-like symptoms such as high temperature, headaches, body aches, joint pain, or sore throat
Rarely, swelling in hands, legs, ankles or feet
how is myocarditis caused?
by a virus or bacteria
how is myocarditis treated?
antibiotics (if its bacteria)
medication to reduce the inflammation