Cardiology Flashcards
how would you manage a patient with mitral regurgitation?
asymptomatic
- monitoring with serial echocardiography
managing AF
- rate control: digoxin, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers
- rhythm control: amiodarone, sotalol or flecanide
- anticoagulation: DOAC or warfarin
managing heart failure
- aldosterone antagonist, beta blocker and ACE-I/ARB
- diuretics for symptom control
- if symptomatic on optimum medical therapy then consider mitral valve replacement
what are the common complications of prosthetic heart valves?
- thromboembolism
- valve dysfunction (leakage, obstruction or dehiscence)
- haemolysis (jaundice)
- bleeding from anticoagulation
- endocarditis
what are the causes of aortic stenosis?
common
- degenerative calcification (old age)
- bicuspid aortic valve
- rheumatic heart disease
- rare
- infective endocarditis
- paget’s disease of the bone
how do you describe the pulse of aortic stenosis?
low volume and slow-rising character (carotid)
NB: do not say this if the patient also has AF because you will be lying.
‘the pulse is of variable but diminished volume’
how do you treat mitral stenosis?
medical
AF = rate control and anticoagulation
LHF = diuretics to relieve preload and pulmonary venous congestion
surgical
closed/open valvuloplasty
closed - inflate baloon between leaflets
open - push finger through valve
closed/open valve replacement
what is the main differentiating factor between aortic sclerosis and degenerative calcification leading to aortic stenosis?
stenosis = aortic outflow obstruction
signs = low volume, slow-rising pulse, LVH etc…
which valvular disease gives a malar flush?
what does this signify?
mitral stenosis
represents a low cardiac output state with pulmonary hypertension
what are roughly the indications for an aortic valve replacement in aortic stenosis?
- symptomatic
- asymptomatic, and
- having heart surgery for another reason
- severe AS with LVF
- severe AS with small valve area
- severe AS with arrythmia
- severe AS with haemodynamic compromise
what are the complications of mitral stenosis?
left atrium
- dilation
- thrombus formation
- atrial fibrillation
- ortner’s syndrome (hoarseness)
elevated left atrial pressure
- pulmonary hypertension, congestion and oedema
- right heart failure
what are the causes of mitral stenosis?
rheumatic heart disease
others (all very rare)
- carcinoid
- SLE
- rheumatoid arthritis
- mucopolysaccaridoses
how do you describe the apex beat in mitral regurgitation ?
thrusting and displaced apex beat
mitral regurg leads to left ventricular overload and subsequent cardiac remodelling, increase in ventricular dimension, which is appreciated as a displaced apex beat
what are the causes of mitral regurgitation?
-
structural
- mitral valve prolapse
- functional mitral regurgitation (LV dilitation)
- chordae tendinae rupture (post-MI)
- papillary muscle dysfucntion (post-MI)
-
infective
- rheumatic heart disease
- infective endocarditis
-
rheumatological
- SLE/Libman-Sachs disease
- connective tissue disorder (ED, Marfan)
what are the causes of chronic aortic regurgitation?
bicuspid aortic valve
hypertension
rheumatic heart disease
aortitis (takayasu, syphilitic)
connective tissue (Marfan, Ehlers-Danlos, Osteogenesis Imperfecta)
what are the causes of acute aortic regurgitation?
infective endocarditis
aortic dissection
what investigations do you want for a patient with suspected aortic stenosis?
-
ECG
- for information on conduction and structure
-
Echo
- for information on structure and function
-
CXR
- post-stenotic dilatation of the aorta
- valvular calcification
- sternal notching (seen in coarctation of the aorta, which is associated with bicuspid aortic valve)
-
coronary angiography
- to rule out atherosclerosis or narrowing as the cause of anginal symptoms
what are the factors that influence the choise of bioprosthetic valve versus mechanical valve?
- patient life expectancy is shorter than the expectancy of the valve
- recipient age >70 usually increases the life expectancy of the valve (less wear and tear)
- anticoagulation would be inappropriate for the patient
how do you describe the apex beat in aortic stenosis?
undisplaced, heaving character
what happens to the pulse pressure typically in aortic stenosis?
narrow pulse pressure in severe cases
what is the differential diagnosis for pansystolic murmur ?
- mitral regurgitation
- tricuspid regurgitation
- ventricular septal defect
what does a apex beat presystolic impulse indicate?
what other sign would be associated with this?
impulse of atrial contraction at the end of diastole against a stiffened, hypertrophied left ventricle shortly before ventricular contraction
is essentially the same thing as an S4, so always mention these together