What is Pericarditis
Inflammation of the pericardium, either the visceral layer or parietal layer
What are the causes of Pericarditis?
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- SLE
- Uremia
What is the difference between serous and purulent exudation
- Serous exudates are clear, yellow fluid and indicate s a viral infection
- Purulent exudates are pus filled and are indicative of Bacterial infections
What is Fibrinous Pericarditis
Surface of the heart covered in yellowish layers of fibrin
What is the difference between Adhesive and Constrictive Pericarditis
- Adhesive Pericarditis is adhesion between the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium
Constrictive Pericarditis occurs when fibrin is absorbed and collagen is placed down on top of the heart
What is viral myocarditis and the virus responsible for it?
Acute inflammation of the myocardium caused behind the Coxsackie B virus
What is the pathogenesis/cause of viral myocarditis
- Virus invades the myocardium causing cell death
- T-lymphocytes then invade the myocardium and secrete Interleukins and TNF
- T-cells kill both the virus and the myocardium, contributing to heart failure
What does a heart with viral myocarditis look like?
Slide 34
- pale and congested areas with hypertrophy
- Dilation and hypokineses of the myocardium aka TIGER EFFECT
How is viral Myocarditis diagnosed and treated?
Diagnosis is made from endomyocarial biopsy
Treatment: None, most patients recover on their own
How does a patient with viral myocarditis clinically present
- Mild fever
- Shortness of breath
- Maliase
Chronic Myocarditis:
1. Heart Failure (tachycardia, Peripheral cyanosis, and pulmonary edema
Describe the histology/layers of an artery
- Intima w/ Simple squamous endothelium
- Media containing smooth muscle
- Tunica Adventitia w/ loose connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves
What is the etiology behind Atherosclerosis
Slides 41-46
What is an Atheroma?
Fibrous capsule in the artery as a result of atherosclerosis
What are the complications of an Atheroma?
- Major complication is hardening of the vessel via calcification
What are the risk factors for atherosclerosis?
- Old age
- More prevalent in Men but after menopause Women are more susceptible
- Heredity
- Lipid Metabolism
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Cigarette Smoking
- Stress
What is an Aneurysm?
Dilation of the inelastic aorta?
Where do aneurysms of the aorta most commonly occur?
Abdominal aorta
What is the most feared complication of an aneurysm?
Rupture and death by bleeding out.
Definition of Cardiomyopathy?
Response to injury in which the heart may undergo dilation or hypertrophy
What is the most common type of Cardiomyopathy?
Dialted Cardiomyopathy
What is the cause of Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Progressive dilation of the chambers
What are secondary causes of Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
Which is the most common?
- Alcohol (most common)
- Adriamycin/Cytotoxin (anticancer drugs)
- Viral myocarditis
- Pregnancy (situational)
- High catecholamines (pheochromocytoma)
What are the microscopic findings in Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Walls are thin, replaced by fibrous tissue
The heart is 2-3x bigger than normal
What are the gross findings of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?
- Thickening of the ventricular septum (banana shaped)
2. Thickening of the L. Ventricular myocardium
