Cardiovascular Flashcards
What is an atheroma?
Accumulation of degenerative material in the tunica intima of artery walls
(Macrophage cells, debris, lipids)
How can an atheroma develop?
Atheroma > atheromatous plaque > atherosclerosis
Can develop as we age
What is atherosclerosis?
Hardening of arteries, lipids build up on the side of the wall (tunica intima + medium)
(Atherosclerotic) what could be a result of plaques growing and spreading in the lumen?
The plaques can rupture and cause thrombosis (collapse) and vasoplasms (vessel spasms)
What is Arteriosclerosis?
Degeneration of arterial walls caused by ageing and hypertension (high pressure in veins)
Hardening of arteries occurs when arterial walls thicken and then harden as calcium deposits
What is an aneurysm?
Breakdown in wall of vessel > swell
Abnormal local dialations (ballooning of the vessel)
The risk factors of an aneurysm?
Atheroma
Arteriosclerosis
Hypertension
Defective form of collagen in walls
Trauma
What are the types of aneurysm?
Saccular - looks like a sac
Fusiform - round
Pseudo - looks like something it’s not
Dissecting - split blood flow - trauma
AAA (abdominal aortic aneurysm)
What is Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)?
Disease process that causes blockage of the extremity arteries
What is the result of PVD?
Reduces overall blood flow - reduces oxygen to extremities
Ischemia and necrosis as a result of demand for oxygen
What is the main symptom of PVD?
+ other symptoms
Intermittent claudication (cramp-like) pain while walking stops on rest
Discolouration - pale, blue, red (skin)
Poor skin and nail health
Cold to touch
High infection risk - takes time to heal
What is cardiac failure?
Cardiac output is unable to maintain the circulation of sufficient blood to meet the needs of the body
What does the body do to combat chronic cardiac dailure?
Compensentory mechanisms
Body has time to adapt
Increased HR to increase output
Increased cardiac muscle fibres - enlarge walls thicker - work harder (hypertrophy)
Heart chambers dilate
What is the result of systolic failure?
Output under 40% is normal
LV struggles to contract due to Ischemia
What is the result of diastolic failure?
Output is normal or increased
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Due to chronic hypertrophy there is a decrease in distension of LV
What are the types of chronic cardiac failure?
CCF - congestive cardiac failure
LVF - left ventricle failure
What are the radiological appearances of CCF?
enlarged heart
Pulmonary oedema (+-) bat wing appearance
Pleural effusions
Septal lines - kerley B lines
What does acute cardiac failure cause?
MI - myocardial infarction
PE - pulmonary oedema
Severe arrhythmia - Abnormal pattern
Rupture of chamber or vulve cusp
Heart infections - which can lead to chronic heart failure
ROSC - return of spontaneous circulation
Spontaneous life threatening a heart attack
What is MI?
MI - Myocardial infarction
Known as a heart attack
Signs and symptoms of MI?
Skin pale - cynotic + grey
Cackle cough
Foam > white sputum
Naesua
Weak pulse
Cold to touch
Decreased O2
Confused
Unconscious
What is pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade?
Abnormal accumulation of fluid in space between heart and pericardium
Cardiac tamponade - pericardial effusion with enough pressure to effect heart function
What is an arrhythmia?
Wave of electrical stimulation is altered and output becomes disorganised
What should the sinus bradycardia and tachycardia rhythm be between?
(At rest)
Sinus bradycardia below - 60
Sinus tachycardia above - 100
How can arythmias be treated/managed?
Can be managed using pace makers
And fibrillation
What are the risk factors for an atheroma?
Hereditary
Males - female equal after menopause
Increased with age
Diabetes Melitus
Hypertension (increased BP)
Hyper lipidaemia (increased lipid levels)
Obesity (increased cholesterol and sat fat)
Cigarettes
Chronic stress
Sedentary lifestyle (not active)
Alcoholism
What can atherosclerosis lead to?
Can result in bleeding which can then lead to a thrombus (clot)
What is the result of the small arteriosclerosis?
The vessels are Narrowed, there is hyaline material deposits and there is ischemia (restriction of blood flow)
What is the result of a large/medium arteriosclerosis?
Inelastic dialated tortuous arteries
What is the cause of systolic cardiac failure?
Usually a result of coronary disease
What is the result of chronic cardiac failure?
Incompetence (regurgitation) blood flows in wrong direction
 Ischaemic heart disease
Cardiothoracic ratio - CTR
Angina - Attacks of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to your heart
What is the most common type of chronic cardiac failure?
LVF - left ventricle failure
What is dystolic dysfunction?
It is when the heart muscles don’t relax properly and the blood cannot enter sufficiently
What is systolic dysfunction?
When the heart muscles of the left ventricle don’t contact efficiently to pump the blood around the body
What is the cause of MI?
Branch of coronary artery is blocked
Most common - atheromatous plaques complicated by thrombosis
Damage depends on site
What is ischaemic heart disease?
Ischemic heart disease - The heart is not getting enough blood and oxygen
What causes Ischemic heart disease?
Caused by narrowed heart (coronary) arteries that supply blood to the heart muscles
What is hypertrophy?
Due to the increased heart rate + output the cardiac muscle fibre in walls of the heart thicken - due to increased growth of muscle
What are the different types of Hypertrophy
End diastole - Chambers (ventricles) relax (filled with blood)
End systole - chambers pump blood out when the blood pressure is at the highest
What is the two types of pericardial effusions?
and what is pericarditis
Pericarditis means the heart Wall is either inflamed or has an infection

Cardiac tamponade means there is blood in the pericardial sac
