Cardiovascular and Peripheral Vascular Assessment Flashcards
What is contained within the mediastinum
- Heart
- Great Vessels: aorta, pulmonary artery, & superior/inferior vena cava
- Esophagus
- Trachea
- Thoracic duct
- Thoracic lymph nodes
What chamber of the heart is the most anterior ?
Right ventricle
Where can the RV and pulmonary artery be found?
To the left of the sternum @ the level of the sternal angle (base of the heart)
What intercostal space represents the level of the base of the heart
2nd intercostal space
Point of maximal impulse (PMI)
LV behind the RV & to the Left forms the L lateral margin
5th ICS @ left midclavicular line
- 1 to 2.5 cm in supine
- PMI > 2.5 cm = LVH
Where is the PMI in right & left hypertrophy?
RVH - PMI @ xiphoid or epigastric area
LVH- PMI > 2.5 cm
- PMI displaced laterally to MCL
- PMI > 10 cm from midsternal line
What are the atrioventricular valves
Tricuspid & Mitral
What are the semilunar valves
Aortic & Pulmonic
Which valves closing cause S1? vs S2?
S1 = AV closure S2 = SL closure
Where is the aortic valve located?
Right sternal border 2nd ICS
Where is the pulmonic valve located?
Left sternal border 2nd ICS
Where is the tricuspid valve located?
Right sternal border 5th ICS
Where is the mitral valve located?
Left midclavicular 4th ICS
What is an S3 murmur
Mitral valve opens, allowing abrupt blood flow, filling the left ventricle (compliant/ dilated)
- right after S2 (early diastole)
- during LV PASSIVE filling
- can be normal in kids & teens
- heard best at the cardiac apex
- In older adults it represents pathology
What is the pathology of an S3 in an older adult?
the myocardium is usually overly compliant, resulting in a dilated LV
- CHF (systolic)
- Mitral regurg
What is an S4
Increased LV end diastolic stiffness which decreases compliance
- right before S1 (late diastole)
- during LV active filling
- Pathological ventricular stiffness
What is the pathology of an S4?
Non-compliant heart trying to fill but meeting resistance
- HTN
- MI
- Diastolic HF (problem w/ end diastolic filling)
- Worse d/t not feeding coronary arteries
What causes a heart murmur?
Turbulent blood flow
- distinguished by their pitch and longer duration
- indicate valvular heart disease in the older adult
What is the difference between a stenotic valve and a regurgitant valve?
Stenotic = narrowed orifice that obstructs blood flow
Regurgitant = close abnormally and allows backward flow
Murmurs detected during pregnancy should be immediately evaluated especially ________ & ________.
Aortic stenosis & pulmonary hypertension
Where is the SA node located and what is the intrinsic rate?
In the RA at the junction of vena cava inferior & superior)
- Pacemaker rate 60-100
Where is the AV node located and what is the intrinsic rate?
In the distal atrial septum.
- Pacemaker rate 40-60
HR x SV =
Cardiac output
What is a normal EF
60%
What are the 3 components of SV
- Preload
- Afterload
- Contractility
What are causes for decreased RV preload:
- Exhalation (increase intrathoracic pressure in end exhalation in negative press. breathing)
- Dehydration
- Blood pooling
What are causes for increased preload/afterload:
Volume or pressure overload
Pulse pressure =
Systolic - Diastolic
Name 4 factors affecting Blood pressure:
- LV stroke volume
- Distensibility of the aorta & large arteries
- PVR (particularly at arteriolar level, medium size vessel level)
- Volume of blood in the system
Jugular veins can be used to assess what?
Index of right heart pressures & cardiac function
Right Jugular venous pressure (JVP) =
right atrial pressure = CVP & RV-end-diastolic pressure
Jugular venous pulsations
Changing pressures in the right atrium during diastole & systole produce oscillations of filling & emptying in jugular veins
Retrograde blood flow from the atrial contraction just before S1 and systole =
a wave followed by the x descent of continued atrial relaxation
As right atrial pressure begins to rise during right ventricular systole there is a second elevation in the CVP wave form______.
v wave followed by the y descent as blood passively empties from the right atrium into the RV during early & mid-diastole
3 Questions related to the most common manifestations of cardiac disease:
- Is the blood supply to the heart adequate?
- Is the electrical system of the heart functioning normally?
- Is the heart adequately moving blood through the circulation & supplying the organs?
What are the most common or concerning symptoms found in a cardiac health history?
- Chest pain
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath: dyspnea, orthopnea, or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
- Edema
- Syncope
What is the most common symptom of coronary heart disease (CHD)?
Chest pain
What is classic exertional pain?
Pressure or discomfort in the chest, shoulder, back, neck, or arm in angina pectoris is seen in 18% of patients with acute MI
What is atypical descriptors of chest pain?
- Cramping
- Grinding
- Pricking
- Tooth or jaw pain (rarely)
Anterior chest pain descriptions
- Tearing or ripping
- Radiating into the back or neck
- Occurs in acute aortic dissection (won’t ever be comfortable, look gray, feeling of impending doom, mottled chest)
Acute coronary syndrome is used to describe what?
The clinical syndromes caused by acute myocardial ischemia = unstable angina, non-ST & ST elevation MI
- Considered life threatening diagnoses such as angina pectoris, MI, dissecting aortic aneurysm, & PE
Women over 65 yo commonly report what type of chest pain?
Atypical.
- Upper back, neck or jaw pain, SOB, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, N/V, & fatigue
What are palpitations?
Unpleasant awareness of the heartbeat.
- Not necessarily a heart disease
- The most serious, VTach, do not produce palpitations
Name 3 ways shortness of breath can present?
- Dyspnea
- Orthopnea
- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND)
What are clinical considerations if a patient has sudden dyspnea
- Pulmonary embolus
- Spontaneous pneumothorax
- Anxiety
Your patient presents with orthopnea and PND what cardiac pathology do you suspect?
- Left ventricular heart failure
- Mitral stenosis
- Obstructive lung disease
Edema
The accumulation of excessive fluid in the extravascular interstitial space.
- the interstitial tissue can absorb up to 5 L of fluid (10% weight gain) before pitting
What are some causes of edema?
- Cardiac: R or L ventricular dysfunction; pulmonary HTN
- Pulmonary: obstructive lung disease
- Nutritional: hypoalbuminemia
- Positional: dependent edema in feet and lower legs when sitting, or the sacrum when bedridden.
- Renal: periorbital puffiness & tight rings of nephrotic syndrome
- Liver failure enlarged waistline from ascites
Anasarca
Severe generalized edema extending to the sacrum & abdomen
Syncope
A transient loss of consciousness followed by recovery
- Usually caused by vasovagal syncope (most common)
What is the most concerning cause of syncope?
The heart not providing adequate blood flow to the brain, as occurs in end-stage heart failure & arrhythmias
Orthostatic hypotension
- Gravitational redistribution of 300-800 mL of blood
- Due to decreased venous return, inadequate adrenals (norepi) or hypovolemia
Cough syncope (episode of vigorous coughing)
- Reflex vaso-depressor- bradycardia, cerebral hypoperfusion, increased CSF pressure
Micturition syncope
Vasovagal response from emptying bladder
- usually in the elderly when urinating at night
Arrhythmias and syncope are caused from what?
From decreased CO
How does Aortic stenosis or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cause syncope?
Vascular resistance falls with exercise but CO does not rise due to outflow obstruction - not meeting demand
How does an MI cause syncope?
From decreased CO
What are common disorders that can resemble syncope?
- Hyperventilation: hypocapnia & constriction of cerebral blood vessels & passout
- Hypoglycemia: Unable to maintain cerebral metabolism, epinephrine released
- Fainting from conversion disorder: unknown
General cardiac exam includes:
- BP & HR
- JVP
- Carotid bruit
- Carotid pulse/ upstroke & presence of a thrill
- Anterior chest wall inspection
- Palpate & locate PMI or apical impulse
- Auscultate S1 & S2 in 6 positions from the base to the apex
When listening for murmurs what should you try and distinguish?
- Identify their timing
- Shape
- Grade
- Location
- Radiation
- Pitch
- Quality
When should you use the diaphragm ?
To detect higher frequency sounds
When should you use the bell?
To detect lower frequency sounds: higher grades of stenosis
Where should you place the stethoscope to auscultate a carotid bruits
At the upper edge, level of the thyroid cartilage (on either side)
What usually causes a bruits
CAD or atherosclerosis but can also be:
- tortuous artery
- aortic stenosis
- hypervascularity of hyperthyroid
- external compression from thoracic outlet syndrome
What are the risks of Carotid Stenosis
- 10% risk of ischemic stroke
- Doubles risk of CAD
- 50-69% stenosed = stroke rate is 22% at 5 years
70% stenosed = stroke rate is 24% at 1.5 years
Where do you palpate the carotid?
Palpate the lower 1/3 of the neck
- Avoid pressing on the carotid sinus (@ the top of the thyroid cartilage) = reflex brady & decrease BP