Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
Why know anything about cardiovascular disease? Questions you should ask when faced with cardiovascular disease What are the cardiovascular diseases you might encounter? What are the symptoms and signs of cardiovascular disease? (will expand on this in clinical session) How are these conditions investigated and treated? What are the specific considerations for dentists?
Chest pain
Angina/MI
GTN spray
Makes veins dilate
Tachycardia
Palpitations/breathlessness
Heart failure
Breathlessness
Bradycardia
Dizziness/fatigue/N
Endocarditis
Usually treated outside of surgery
Questions to ask
Tolerant of Tx?
Will Tx complicate the condition? - very rarely - bleeding risk
Tell anyone about cardiac symptoms
Myocardial issue
Heart failure
Valve malfunction
Heart failure/endocarditis if infected
Conduction malfunction
- consequences
Arrhythmia (tachycardia, bradycardia, sudden death)
Coronary blood supply failure
Angina, myocardial infarction
Heart failure caused by
Common causes
Any conditions affecting efficiency of pump –> reduced cardiac output
Previous MI, hypertension, genetic causes, drugs and idiopathic
Assessment of pump fx
Transthoracic echocardiography (ultrasound) Allows for viewing of valves and ventricles and pick up on heart failure
Symptoms of heart failure
Breathlessness after little exercise
Swelling
Dizziness, tiredness and weight loss
Heart failure mechanism
Reduced cardiac output increases fluid pressure in lungs (L heart failure)
Venous returns to heart via VC its reduced (R heart failure)
Fluid retention and vasoconstriction results
Clinical signs of heart failure
Low BP High pulse Crepitations in lungs Raised jugular venous pressure Pitting ankle oedema
Valves can become
and causes of it
Regurgitant or stenosed Same symptoms as heart failure Degeneration (ie it just happens) Rheumatic fever Congenitally abnormal valve Endocarditis Papillary muscle rupture after MI
Vascular stenosis
Valve becomes thicker and stiffer and doesn’t open sufficiently