Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
What is diastole?
The state of the cardiac cycle where the ventricles are relaxed and filling
What is systole?
The state of the cardiac cycle where the ventricles are contracting
What is the normal heart rate for a dog?
60-180 bpm
What is the normal heart rate for a cat?
120-240 bpm
What is a congenital heart disease?
A disease which is present from birth
What are some examples of congenital cardiac disease?
Aortic or pulmonic stenosis
Patent ductus arteriosus
Ventricular septal defect
What is aortic/pulmonic stenosis?
Narrowing of the aortic/pulmonic valves
What are acquired heart diseases?
Diseases which present in adult animals
What are some examples of acquired heart disease in dogs?
Dilated cardiomyopathy
Pericardial effusion
Myxomatous mitral valve disease
What is a common acquired heart disease in cats?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
What are the 2 main types of cardiac arrhythmias?
Bradyarrhythmia
Tachyarrhythmia
What methods can be used to diagnose heart disease?
History and physical examination Blood tests Blood pressure ECG (+/- Holter monitor) Echocardiography Thoracic radiographs
What is a Holter monitor?
24hr ECG
What are the typical presentations for cardiac disease?
Incidental finding Exercise intolerance and weakness Syncopal episodes Difficulty breathing Sudden death
What specific presentation often results from right-sided heart disease?
Distended abdomen
Which factors are important to heck during a physical examination for suspected CV disease?
Body condition Respiratory rate Mucous membranes and CRT Jugular vein Peripheral pulses
What is cardiac cachexia?
Loss of lean muscle mass despite good appetite in dogs with CV disease
What could be the cause of distended jugular vein?
Right-sided heart disease
What is the normal respiratory rate for a dog?
<30 brpm (sleeping)
What happens to the respiratory rate in animals with chronic heart failure?
Increases >35-40 breaths per minute
What should you be checking for during heart auscultation?
Heart rate
Rhythm
Assess pulses simultaneously
Presence of heart murmurs
Why is it important to check the peripheral pulses alongside heart beat?
Assess pulse quality and pulse deficits
What are pulse deficits?
Where there is a heart beat heard but no pulse felt
What is a precordial thrill?
A very loud heart murmur
What is important to check for when auscultating the lungs?
Respiratory rate
Adventitious sounds
Crackles
What are the typical clinical cardiovascular findings when an animal has heart failure?
Reduced cardiac output Weak peripheral pulses Tachycardia Pale MM, prolonged CRT Heart murmur Arrhythmias Gallop sounds
In what type of heart diseases are gallop sounds more commonly heard?
Myocardial diseases
What are the typical findings with left-sided heart congestion?
Pulmonary oedema
Tachypnoea and dyspnoea
Cough
What are the typical findings with right-sided heart congestion?
Distended peripheral veins
Ascites
Pleural effusion
What type of blood testing is used for diagnosing CV disease?
Haematology
Biochemistry
Cardiac biomarkers
Why is haematology used in diagnosing CV disease?
Checking for systemic diseases
Anaemia
What is a haemic murmur?
A ‘whooshing’ sound on auscultation because anaemic blood passes through the heart faster
Why is biochemistry used in diagnosing CV disease?
Assessing kidney values
Monitoring electrolytes
Which cardiac biomarkers are used when testing for heart disease?
Cardiac troponin I (marker for myocardial cell damage)
NT-proBNP (marker for myocardial stretch)
What is the normal systolic BP in a dog?
120-140mmHg
Why should you measure blood pressure at the same level as the heart?
To give the most accurate measurement
What effect does hypertension have?
Increases cardiac workload
Can contribute to progression of disease
What effect does hypotension have?
Might indicate decompensated heart failure
How low does blood pressure need to be to be a concern?
<80mmHg
Why might you use ECG?
To further characterise auscultatory findings (bradycardia, tachycardia, irregular rhythm, pulse deficits)
What are the benefits of using a Holter monitor?
Can investigate intermittent arrhythmias (frequency, severity)
Monitoring response to antiarrhythmic therapy
Why might you use echocardiography?
To diagnose cardiac disease (plus severity and prognosis)
Monitor progression of disease
Assess treatment options and monitor response to treatment
What are thoracic radiographs indicated for?
Cough
Tachypnoea
Dyspnoea
How many views are needed when taking thoracic radiographs?
At least 2 - right lateral and dorsoventral
What is cardiomegaly?
An enlarged heart (seen on x-ray)
How is heart size measured on thoracic radiographs?
Using vertebral heart size
What is the normal vertebral heart size for dogs and cats?
Dogs <10.7
Cats <8
Aside from vertebral heart size, what other signs of cardiomegaly can be seen on a radiograph?
Elevation of trachea
Increased sternal contact
In what locations can a stenosis form?
Subvalvular
Valvular
Supravalvular