Cardiology Flashcards
location of heart apex
used to palpate precordium to find apical impulse.
= in 4th or 5th intercostal spaces, along mid-clavicular line (in supine patient)
Jugular venous pressure
horizontal distance from sternal angle (aorta) to height of jugular distention (in neck).
Normal = 8 cm
Above normal –> CHF, tamponade, …
apical impulse
gentle pressure ("tap") felt at apex of heart, = 1st 1/3 of systole
diastolic murmur
low sound heard with bell,
= from mitral stenosis
sounds heard with bell of stethoscope
LOW sounds
- Rumble = diastolic murmur/mitral stenosis
- gallop = S3 and S4
sounds heard with diaphragm of stethoscope
HIGH pitched sounds,
- S1 and S2 (normal)
- ejection/mid-systolic clicks
- aortic regurgitation murmur
S1 heart sound
= mitral and tricuspid valves closing (AV valves),
normal. before carotid pulse. loudest at apex.
* changes w/ leaflet mobility & rate of L ventricular rise
Abnormal: short P-R interval, mitral stenosis
S2 heart sound
= semilunar valves closing (aortic and pulmonic)
normal. loudest at base. after carotid pulse.
* physiologic splitting: w/ exhale A closes before P closes
Abnormal:
- wide split w/ exhale: RBB block or pulm. valve stenosis
- wide, fixed split: atrial septal defect
- paradoxical/reverse splitting: LBBB, left ventricular failure, or hypertensive cardiovascular disease
Gallop heart sounds
abnormal. = S3 and S4,
S3 = rapid LV filling (LA P < LV P), after S2.
S4 = vigorous LA contraction, before S1, @ max. LA pressure.
* sign of heart failure.
C-reactive protein
non-specific serum marker of inflammation,
*hsCRP assay (high sensitivity) to ID risk of atherosclerosis
BUT CRP does not CAUSE IHD
** also high CRP if: lupus, rheumatiod arthritis **
(so not useful atherosclerosis test in these patients)
current biomarkers for MI
1. Troponins (I or T):
rise 2-3 hrs after, peak 24 hrs, stay for 10-14 days 2. creatine kinase (CK-MB). Also (older): Myoglobin, White cell count, AST
Forward heart failure
inability of the heart to pump blood forward sufficiently to meet metabolic demands of the body
Backward heart failure
inability of the heart to pump sufficient blood to body to meet metabolic demands EXCEPT when cardiac filling pressures are abnormally high.
preload
ventricular wall tension at the end of diastole.
= end diastolic Pressure
– if high => increased CO
afterload
degree of pressure to overcome during systole.
= wall stress during systole [= (P x r)/(2 x thickness)]
–> measure as systolic pressure
systolic Heart Failure
impaired ventricular contractility
- -> increased afterload
1. normal filling (but enlarged ventricles),
2. decreased % blood pumped out
diastolic heart failure
impaired ventricular filling;
- stiff ventricles –> reduced filling (less volume in)
- ~same % pumped out, but since total volume = less, still less blood out to body
concentric hypertropy
add muscle fibers in parallel, so get thick walls.
can be from:
- Aortic stenosis (HTN)
- pulmonary stenosis (pulm. HTN)
eccentric hypertrophy
add myocyte fibers in series, so dilate chambers (walls not thicker),
from: aortic insufficiency, mitral regurgitation, pulmonic insufficiency, tricuspid regurgitation, shunts
calcific aortic stenosis pathogenesis
increased LDL combines with inflammatory cells, and interacts w/ myocytes –> causes smooth muscle cell proliferation and ossification of cardiac tissue (by osteopontin).
aortic stenosis clinical picture
Sx: syncope, angina, dyspnea
Test findings:
- echo: reduced valve opening, dilated chambers, calcified valve
- ECG: ???
Tx: diuretics, inotropes, vasodilators;
* need surgery to replace valve if have Sx!
3 possible causes of aortic stenosis
- bicuspid stenosis
- calcific stenosis
- rheumatic stenosis
3 main types of lesions in congenital heart defects
- Left to right shunt - increased BF to lungs
- Right to Left shunt
- Obstruction(s)
Left to right shunt (a congenital heart defect)
shunt of oxygenated blood into pulmonary flow, => increase pulmonary BF
ie: ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus
Long-term: pulmonary HTN (w/ sm m hypertrophy) –> SWITCH to Right-Left Shunt (BAD!)
Eisenmenger Syndrome
Central cyanosis, exercise and risk of sudden death
bc de-oxygenated blood is being pumped into systemic circulation (w/ congenital R-L shunt)
Long term complications of Cyanotic Heart Disease
- Failure to thrive (low O2 perfusion to body)
- Polycytemia (too many RBCs)
- Digital clubbing (chronic hypoxemia)
- Cerebral hypoxemia (poor neuro f(x))
Right to Left Shunt (congenital defects)
- Problem - Causes
Problem: mix deoxygenated blood in LV, pump to systemic circ., --> hypoxemia, cyanotic heart disease Causes = "terrible T's" - Transposition of the Great Vessels - Tetralogy of Fallot - Truncus Arteriosus
Common causes of Congenital Heart Obstruction
- Aortic atresia
- Aortic coarctation
- Pulmonary stenosis
- often occur w/ shunt (structural “defect”) which allows for circulation & survival! (ie: VSD, ASD, patent ductus)
Ductus Arteriosus (normal)
in the fetus, connects RV/Pulm. artery to aorta
–> shunts blood into systemic circulation bc all blood is oxygenated by mom (enters via placenta), so no need to go to lungs
Closure of ductus arteriosus
stimulated by decrease in prostaglandin levels.
–> when placenta cut (placenta secretes prostaglandins)
–> when take NSAIDs
*may be dangerous if need the shunt to provide blood to body!
=> prevent closure by giving exogenous prostaglandins
Ductus-dependent Lesions (congenital)
(when ductus shunt provides most or all oxygenated blood for body)
- neonatal emergency, MUST give prostaglandin E until fixed!
- transposition w/ intact septa
- aortic atresia
- interrupted aortic arch
- hypoplastic left heart
Ventricular Septal Defect (congenital)
L to R shunt, (bc LV has higher P)
- Large –> heart failure @ birth; => failure to thrive bc can’t meet metabolic need (from high work of breathing).
- Small –> holosytolic murmur w/ mid-diastolic rumble only after 2-6 wks bc pulm. vascular resistance changes; LA & LV hypertrophy; heart failure @ 3 mo.
Atrial Septal Defect
L to R shunt btwn atria, w/ diastolic flow murmur & fixed wide splitting of S2, classic RSR’ on ECG.
- may be asymptomatic in adults,
- secundum: incomplete closure of foramen ovale (gap persists)
- primum
- sinus venosus defect
- flow determined by ventricular compliance
Atrioventricular canal (aka atrioventricular septal defect)
failure of endocardial cushions to fuse.
Complete = 3 problems:
- atrial septal defect
- ventricular septal defect/membranous ventricular septum
- AV valve abnormalities
** 50% of Down syndrome (trisomy 21) pts have AV canal**
“Conotruncal” abnormalities
= defects in arterial outflow tracts; cause cyanotic heart disease.
- transposition of great arteries
- truncus arteriosus
- strong connection w/ Del 22q11 syndrome**
transposition of the great arteries
defect where connections to aorta & pulmonary artery = switched
(R ventricle to aorta, L ventricle to pulmonary artery)
* NEED shunt to survive!
- 40% stable VSD,
- 60% UNstable patent foramen ovale OR ductus arteriosus)
Tx: arterial switch surgery
Truncus Arteriosus
(aka: common arterial trunk)
failure of aorta and pulmonary artery to separate;
* often underlying VSD or other anomaly
–> cyanosis & high pulmonary blood flow
Del 22q11 syndrome
abnormal migration of neural crest cells to neck & upper thorax;
can cause conotruncal defects:
- transposition of great vessels
- tetralogy of Fallot
- Interrupted aortic arch
Also: thymic hypoplasia/aplasia, parathyroid defects
Tetralogy of Fallot
4 main features
most common cyanotic congenital heart defect
problems bc displaced “infundibular” (outflow) septum;
4 features:
1. pulmonary outflow tract stenosis
2. overriding aorta
3. Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
4. R ventricular hypertrophy
Tetralogy of Fallot symptoms
- cyanotic episodes (“Tet spells,” bc of RV outflow tract spasms)
- R to L shunt in 1st 6 months if “classic” (moderate/severe)
- systolic ejection murmur
- 2/3 pts also have valvar pulmonary stenosis, fewer pts: pulmonary atresia, NO associated CHF
Aortic Coarctation
= narrowing of the aorta, near ductus arteriosus;
=> infant heart failure, & BP higher in upper extremities than lower extremities
Often w/: bicuspid aortic valve, VSD (ventricular septal defect), other lesions
** some association w/ Turner’s Syndrome (monosomy X, aka 45X)
incidence of congenital heart disease
in live births
8/1000! (fairly common)
– most common = VSD
heart response to increasing metabolic demands
- near maximal O2 extraction from coronary vessels at rest!
- -> MUST increase coronary blood flow to increase oxygen supply to heart.
3 factors influencing blood flow to heart
- basal viscous resistance (blood quality)
- autoregulatory resistance (resistance vessels dilate)
- compressive resistance (increase R w/ activity, highest in systole)
Effect of systole on heart tissue perfusion
In Systole: endocardium gets disproportionately LOW perfusion
(in diastole, all layers ~equal perfusion)
endogenous triggers for coronary vasodilation
Metabolic: hypoxia, high pH, high PaCO2, high adenosine
Neurologic: a-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic innervation
Endothelial factors (NO, adenosine indirectly)
Coronary stenosis (physiology, consequences)
coronary vessels become thickened –> increase resistance,
—> vessels dilate to compensate (even at rest).
=> worse w/ exercise (get ischemia) bc vessels are already @ max dilation.
* no significant Sx until 70%+ lumen narrowing!
2 main treatment strategies for ischemic heart disease
- Limit heart’s oxygen demand (beta blockers)
- Increase dilation capacity (nitrates, angioplasty/re-vascularization)
* Re-vascularization treats Sxs, but does NOT change mortality rate.
4 determinants of O2 demand
- Wall tension
- heart rate
- contractility
- basal cost
equation for calculating wall tension
wall tension = P*d/h
= (systolic LV pressure x LV chamber diameter)/wall thickness