Cardiovascular Diseases Flashcards
What is the normal presentation of atherosclerosis?
Normally asymptomatic until complications. If severe, can cause angina or neurological problems.
In which arteries can atherosclerosis occur?
Aorta, cerebral, common iliac/femoral, coronary, carotid
What is the normal pathology of atherosclerosis?
Endothelial damage causes LDLs to be attracted to the wall. Chemoattractants are released from the endothelium. Neutrophils are attracted and phagocytose LDLs to form foam cells. These are inflammatory and cause an accumulation. Fibrous cap forms. This can then occlude flow or rupture.
How is atherosclerosis normally diagnosed?
Patients over 40 should be assessed for their risk during their NHS health check every 5 years
What is a fatty streak?
The earliest lesion of atherosclerosis. Aggregation of lipid-laden macrophages (foam cells), and T lymphocytes within the intima
What are the risk factors for atherosclerosis?
Hypercholesterolaemia, Hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, smoking, poorly controlled diabetes, males, older age, social deprivation, family history, south Asian African or Caribbean descent
What are some natural preventative measures for atherosclerosis?
Smoking cessation, controlling blood pressure, weight reduction, lower alcohol consumption, exercise, managing diabetes
What medications can be used to prevent progression of atherosclerosis?
Statins (satorvastatin, fluvastatin),
Blood pressure medications= CCB, ARBs, ACE
Low dose aspirin
What surgical interventions can be used for atherosclerosis?
Coronary angioplasty, coronary artery bypass
What are some possible complications of atherosclerosis?
Coronary artery disease, angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, TIA, peripheral artery disease
What is the normal presentation of hypertension?
Usually asymptomatic
What are the risk factors for hypertension?
Obesity, high salt, caffeine, alcohol, low exercise, over 65s, family history, black African or Caribbean descent, some medications such as the pill, steroids, Eclampsia, renal disease
What are the types of hypertension?
Primary= Unknown cause Secondary= Caused by another condition
What is the aetiology for secondary hypertension?
Kidney disease, diabetes, hormonal problems
What is CBP?
Clinic blood pressure
What is ABPM?
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
What is HBPM?
Home blood pressure monitoring
What CBP would imply stage 1 hypertension?
> 140/90
How is a diagnosis of hypertension made?
CBP of over 140/90 on two separate readings, then offered ABPM or HBPM to confirm
What CBP would imply stage 2 hypertension?
> 160/100
What CBP would imply stage 3 hypertension?
> 180/120
What extra investigations would be offered to someone with hypertension?
Urinalysis= for haematuria and proteinuria (Renal disease)
Urine albumin creatinine ratio (End organ damage)
ECG for cardiac arrhythmias
Blood U&E for renal impairment
HbA1c for diabetes
What preventative measures can be taken for hypertension?
Exercise, smoking cessation, lower salt intake, lower alcohol and caffeine, healthy BMI
What would be the first line of treatment for someone with type II diabetes or is under 55 and non-black, who has hypertension?
ACE inhibitor or angiotensin II inhibitor (ARB)
What would be the second line of treatment for someone with type II diabetes or is under 55 and non-black, who has hypertension?
Ace inhibitor or angiotensin II inhibitor
+ Calcium channel blocker or thiazide-like diuretic
What is the third line of treatment for anyone with hypertension?
ACE inhibitor or angiotensin II inhibitor
Calcium channel blocker
Thiazide diuretic
What is the first line of treatment for someone over 55 or black African/Caribbean with hypertension?
Calcium channel blocker
What is the second line of treatment for someone over 55 or black African/Caribbean with hypertension?
Calcium channel blocker
ACE inhibitor or Angiotensin II inhibitor or Thiazide diuretic
What are some complications of hypertension?
Myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, aortic aneurysm, kidney disease, vascular dementia
What is the epidemiology of patent ductus arteriosus?
Affects girls more than boys
0.02% of live births
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of patent ductus arteriosus
If the baby is premature or in cases of maternal rubella etc. the ductus ( between the proximal left pulmonary artery and descending aorta) does not close. This leads to an abnormal shunt from the aorta to the pulmonary artery, and eventually leads to pulmonary hypertension and right side cardiac failure.
What is the clinical presentation of patent ductus arteriosus?
- Continuous machinery murmurs
- Bounding pulse
- If large- large heart and breathlessness
- Tachycardia
- Eisenmenger’s syndrome
How is patent ductus arteriosus diagnosed?
- CXR: With large shunt, the aorta and pulmonary arterial system may be prominent
- ECG: May demonstrate left atrial abnormality and left ventricular hypertrophy
- Echocardiogram: May show dilated left atrium and left ventricle
How is patent ductus arteriosus treated?
- Can be closed surgically or percutaneously
- Low risk of complications
- Venous approach may require an AV loop
- Indometacin (prostaglandin inhibitor) can be given to stimulate duct exposure
What is the epidemiology of ventricular septal defect?
Common, 20% of all congenital heart defects
What is the aetiology of ventricular septal defect?
Unknown, some genetic factors
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of ventricular septal defect?
A hole connects the ventricles, leading to a higher pressure in the left ventricle than the right ventricle. Thus left to right shunt. Increased blood flow through the lung
What is the clinical presentation of a large ventricular septal defect?
- Pulmonary hypertension and eventual Eisenmenger’s complex
- Small breathlessness baby
- Increased respiratory rate
- Tachycardia
- CRX: Big heart
- Murmur varies in intensity
What is the clinical presentation of small ventricular septal defect?
- Large systolic murmer
- Thrill (buzzing sensation)
- Well grown
- Normal heart rate
- Normal heart size
How is ventricular septal defect diagnosed?
EchoCG: Normal (small), LAD and LVH (Medium), LVH and RVH (Large)
CXR: Pulmonary plethora and cardiomegaly, large pulmonary arteries
How is ventricular septal defect treated?
- Surgical closure
- Medical initially since many will spontaneously close
- If small, no intervention required
- Prophylatic antibiotics
- If moderately sized lesion; ACE inhibitor, Furosemide
What are some possible complications of ventricular septal defect?
- Aortic regurgitation
- Cardiac Failure
- Infundibular stenosis
- Infective endocarditis
- Subacute bacterial endocarditis
- Pulmonary hypertension
What is the epidemiology of abdominal aortic aneurysm?
- Present in 5% of population over 60
- More common in men
What is abdominal aortic aneurysm?
- A diametre of over 3cm
- Most occur below renal arteries
What are the causes/ risk factors of abdominal aortic aneurysm?
- Normally no identifiable cause
- Severe atherosclerotic damage
- Family history
- Tobacco
- Male
- Increasing age
- Hypertension
- COPD
- Trauma
- Hyperlipidaemia
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Degradation of the elastic lamellae resulting in leukocyte infiltrate causing enhanced proteolysis and smooth muscle cell loss
- The dilation affects all 3 layers of the vascular tunic
What are the clinical features of unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm?
- Often asymptomatic- only picked up via abdominal examination/ x ray
- Pain in abdomen, back, loin or groin
- Pulsatile abdominal swelling
What are the clinical features of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm?
- Intermittent or continuous abdominal pain (radiates to back, iliac fossa or groin)
- Pulsatile abdominal swelling
- Collapse, hypotension, tachycardia, profound anaemia, sudden death
How is abdominal aortic aneurysm diagnosed?
- Abdominal ultrasound- Can assess aorta to 3mm degree
- CT and/or MRI angiography scans
How is abdominal aortic aneurysm treated?
- Small aneurysms are generally just monitored
- Treat underlying cause
- Modify risk factors (diet, smoking)
- Vigorous BP control
- Lowering of lipid in blood
- Surgery; open surgical repair, endovascular repair= stent inserted via femoral or iliac arteries
What is the epidemiology of aortic dissection?
- Affects men more than women
- Most common between 50-70 yrs
What are the causes of aortic dissection?
- Inherited
- Degenerative
- Atherosclerotic
- Inflammatory
- Trauma
Briefly explain the pathophysiology of aortic dissection
- A tear in the intima of the aorta allows a column of blood to enter the aortic wall, creating a false lumne
- This extends for a variable distance in either direction; anterograde (Towards bifurcations) or retrograde (towards aortic root)
What are the clinical features of aortic dissection?
- Sudden onset of severe, central chest pain that radiates to back and down the arms
- Patients may be shocked and have neurological symptoms
- May develop aortic regurgitation, coronary ischaemia, cardiac tamponade
- Absent peripheral pulses
- Hypertension
How is aortic dissection diagnosed?
- CXR= Widened mediastinum
- Urgent CT, Transoesophageal endocardiography or MRI will confirm
How is aortic dissection treated?
- Urgent antihypertensives to reduce blood pressure to less than 120 mmHg= IV beta blockers or vasodilators
- Adequate analgesia
- Surgery to replace aortic arch
- Endovascular intervention with stents
- Long term follow up with CT or MRI
What are the 3 acute coronary syndromes?
- ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)
- Non-ST-Elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)
- Unstable angina
What causes a STEMI?
- A complete occlusion of a major coronary artery previously affected by atherosclerosis
- Causes a full thickness damage of heart muscle
What causes a NSTEMI?
- A complete occlusion of a minor or a partial occlusion of a major coronary artery affected by atherosclerosis
- Partial thickness damage of heart muscle
What is the difference between a UA and a NSTEMI?
In a NSTEMI, there is occluding thrombus which leads to myocardial necrosis and a rise in serum troponin or creatinine kinase- MB
What are the clinical features of mitral stenosis?
- Pulmonary hypertension leading to dyspnoea and pink frothy sputum
- Left atrial dilation and AF
- RV hypertrophy and palpitations
- Malar flush due to low CO
- Mid diastolic low rumbling murmer
- Haemoptysis
What causes mitral stenosis?
Rheumatic valvular disease (usually strep pyogenes) causes thickening of the mitral valve, obstructing normal flow. This raises the left atrium pressure, causing left atrium hypertrophy and dilation, causing palpitations. Raised left atrial pressure also leads to pulmonary hypertension thus RV failure.
How is mitral stenosis diagnosed?
- ECG= AF, LA enlargement, RV hypertrophy
- Echocardiography= Definitive diagnosis, measure mitral orifice
How is mitral stenosis treated?
- Diuretics (furosemide)= rate control and anticoagulation
- Valvotomy
- Excise segments of valve, or valve replacement
- Infective endocarditis prophylaxis
What are the clinical features of mitral regurgitation?
- Variable haemodynamic effects
- Pansystolic murmer
- Mid-systolic click and late systolic murmer in mitral prolapse
- Deviated apex beat- towards the axilla
- AF and palpitations
- Haemoptysis
- Progressive dyspnoea and fatigue
What causes mitral regurgitation?
Mitral valve fails to prevent blood pressure reflux due to dilation of mitral valve annulus, valve prolapse, infective endocarditis or rheumatic valvular disease. Regurgitation into the left atria, causes a raise in LA pressure. This increases the pulmonary pressure, causing pulmonary oedema.
How is mitral regurgitation diagnosed?
- Echocardiography
How is mitral regurgitation treated?
- Repair preferred over replacement
What is the epidemiology of atrial flutter?
- More common in men
- Prevelance increases with age
What is atrial flutter?
An organised atrial rhythm with an atrial rate typically between 250-350 bpm
What are the causes of atrial flutter?
- Idiopathic
- Coronary heart disease
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Heart failure
- COPD
- Pericarditis
- Acute excess alcohol
What are the clinical features of atrial flutter?
- Palpitations
- Breathlessness and dyspnoea
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Syncope
- Fatigue
How is atrial flutter diagnosed?
- ECG: Regular sawtooth-like atrial flutter waves (F waves) between QRS complexes due to continuous atrial depolarisation