Cardiovascular-Fung Flashcards
How much does a female heart weigh? Male heart weight?
Female heart: 250-300 grams
Male heart: 300-350 grams
What is the vascular wall thickness of the right atrium & left atrium?
RA: 0.3-0.5 cm
LA: 1.3-1.5 cm
What are the 3 layers of cardiac tissue?
intima: endocardium w/ endocardial cells
media: cardiac myocytes w/ centrally located nuclei & striations
adventita: epicardium
What is the main distinguishing feature b/w cardiac muscle & skeletal muscle on histo?
cardiac: has intercalated discs & centrally located nuclei
skeletal: has peripherally located nuclei
What causes the striations in muscle?
myosin & actin
myosin-heavy chains
actin-light chains
Which valves have leaflets & chordae tendinae attached? Which side of the heart?
Tricuspid valve–right side
bicuspid valve-left side
the cuspids are the leaflets…
The chordae tendiae that attach to the tricuspid & bicuspid valves attach to what structure?
papillary muscles in the ventricular wall
T/F Semilunar valves have chordae tendinae which attach them to the ventricular wall of the heart.
False. Only the tricuspid & bicuspid valves.
Which are the semilunar valves?
aortic & pulmonic
Briefly describe the coronary arteries supplying the heart.
L has a short main branch & then divides into L circumflex & L anterior descending
R takes longer to branch
Where do the L & R coronary arteries pop off from?
the aorta!
What is the function of the endothelial cells in blood vessels?
Maintain non-thrombogenic blood-tissue interface Modulate vascular resistance Metabolize hormones Regulate inflammation Regulate cell growth
What is the fcn of smooth muscle cells in blood vessels?
Proliferate when stimulated Synthesize Collagen Elastin Proteoglycans Growth factors Cytokines
What is the ECM of blood vessels composed of?
elastin
collagen
glycosaminoglycan
Describe the structure of veins v. arteries.
arteries:
intima-endothelial lining
media-thick b/c they need to handle blood at high pressure-lots of smooth muscle!
adventitia-contains vaso vasorum to deliver nutrients to bv
veins:
same except media thinner
What are the main types of arteries?
Elastic artery–common carotid, aorta etc. Need recoil & resistance–lots of elastin
Muscular artery-radial artery etc. not as much elastin
Arteriole
Where does gas & nutrient exchange occur?
at the level of the capillaries…
Although muscular arteries have less elastin than elastic ones, they still have some in strategic places. Describe.
found in the internal & external elastic lamina
external elastic lamina separates the media from the adventitia
What is the vascular system besides the blood system?
the lymphatic system
uses skeletal muscle as its pump
includes lymph nodes
returns extra fluid to the cardiovascular system
How do veins get blood to move?
thru contraction of skeletal muscle
one-way valves prevent backflow
What are 6 mechanisms of dysfunction seen in cardiovascular disease?
Failure of the pump (heart)
Obstruction to flow
Regurgitant flow (regurgitant valve)
Shunted flow
Disorders of cardiac conduction (bundle branch blocks)
Rupture of the heart or a major blood vessel
What would be some ways to get failure of the pump?
MI
cardiac hypertrophy
What would be some ways to get obstruction of flow?
stenosis of a valve
What would be a way to get shunted flow?
congenital heart disease
How might you get a rupture of the heart or a major blood vessel?
aortic dissection
massive MI
What is the stereotypical response of cardiovascular disease?
intimal thickening after injury
smooth muscle cell recruitment to intima
macrophages & T cells get in there
deposition of matrix intima
What is the role of the kidney in HTN?
juxtaglomerular apparatus senses blood volume
if it senses it is too low–>will release renin
renin ultimately leads to increased BP via increased blood volume via increased sodium reabsorption
What exactly does renin do?
converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin I
in the lungs & other places w/ ACE, Ang I is converted to Ang II.
Ang II causes vasoconstriction.
Ang II also goes to the adrenal glands & causes the secretion of aldosterone.
THis prompts the reabsorption of sodium. Therefore, blood volume increases.
What happens if you get volume overload & your BP is too high?
get atrial natriuretic peptide released from the heart.
This causes the excretion of sodium & water.
also causes vasodilation.
What is considered a normal BP?
less than 120/80
What is considered pre-HTN?
over 120/80
What is considered HTN?
over 140/90
What is considered malignant HTN?
200/120 & above
What is essential HTN?
HTN w/ a primary identifiable cause.
What are some genetic causes of essential HTN?
gene defects of aldosterone metabolism
defects of sodium reabsorption
What are some polymorphisms that can cause essential HTN?
at the loci of…
angiotensin
angiotensin receptor
RAAS
What are some vascular causes of essential HTN?
vasoconstriction
structural changes
What are some environmental factors that can cause essential HTN?
Diet Stress Obesity Smoking Physical inactivity
What is secondary hypertension?
HTN that is secondary to some disease process
Happens only 5-10% of the time
What are some renal causes of secondary HTN?
Acute glomerulonephritis Chronic renal disease Polycystic disease Renal artery stenosis Renal vasculitis Renin-producing tumors
What are some endocrine causes of secondary HTN?
Adrenocortical dysfunction Exogenous hormones Pheochromocytoma Acromegaly Hypothyroidism Hyperthyroidism Pregnancy-induced
What are some cardiovascular causes of secondary HTN?
Coarctation of aorta Polyarteritis nodosa Increased intravascular volume Increased cardiac output Rigidity of aorta
What are some neurologic causes of secondary HTN?
Psychogenic
Increased intracranial pressure
Sleep apnea
Acute stress
When would you see hyaline arteriolosclerosis? What would you see?
benign essential HTN
see: Eosinophilic deposition around the arterioles in the kidney. Kidney would look blown up. Kidney would have a rough outer surface b/c of the hyaline arteriosclerosis.
When would you see hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis? What would you see?
malignant HTN
proliferation of the smooth muscle cells around the arterioles of the kidney.
more smooth muscle cells in the media
see hemorrhages along the outside of the kidney
What is an atheroma? What are its 3 main parts?
raised lesions w/ a soft, yellow core of lipid covered with a fibrous cap
- media
- necrotic center
- fibrous cap
What are 3 negative consequences of atheromas in the lumen of a blood vessel?
- obstruct blood flow-stenosis
- rupture & cause vessel thrombosis
- lead to aneurysm formation
What is found in the necrotic center of an atheroma?
cell debris
cholesterol crystals
foam cells
calcium
What is found in the center of a fibrous cap?
smooth muscle cells macrophages foam cells lymphocytes collagen elastin proteoglycans neovascularization
What are some constitutional risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis?
- age
- genetics
- gender
What are some modifiable risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis?
- Hyperlipidemia
- HTN
- Cigarette Smoking
- Diabetes
What are some other risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis?
Inflammation Hyperhomocystinemia Metabolic syndrome Lipoprotein a Hemostatic factors Sedentary life style Type A personality Obesity
What is the response to injury hypothesis for atherosclerosis?
atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory and healing response to arterial wall and endothelial injury
What are some of the pathological events leading to atherosclerosis?
Endothelial injury Lipoprotein accumulation monocyte adhesion Formation of foam cells platelet adhesion smooth muscle cell recruitment smooth muscle cell proliferation & ECM production lipid accumulation
SO…the first step in atherosclerosis is endothelial injury. What are some possible causes of injury?
Mechanical denudation
Immune complex deposition
Irradiation
Chemicals
What are some possible causes of endothelial dysfunction?
Hemodynamic disturbances Hypercholesterolemia Hypertension Smoking Infectious agents Homocysteine
What are hemodynamic disturbances? How do they contribute to the formation of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis?
principle of plaques being deposited at areas of disturbed blood flow, like branch points and ostia of exiting vessels
ALSO the posterior wall of the abdominal aorta
What is a protective hemodynamic factor against atherosclerosis?
non-turbulent laminar flow
What are the dominant lipids found in plaques?
cholesterols & cholesterol esters
What are 2 conditions that predispose to hyperlipidemia, and therefore increased risk of atherosclerosis?
diabetes type II
hypothyroidism
HOw do lipids lead to atherosclerosis?
- lipids increase oxygen free radical formation–which decrease NO & the ability of a bv to vasodilate.
- oxygen free radicals make LDL oxidized. THis is eaten by macrophages=foam cells.
- Oxidized LDL increases release of growth factors, cytokines, chemokines–more monocytes!
- Oxidized LDL causes endothelial dysfunction (also bad for smooth muscle cells).
What does it take to convert a fatty streak into a mature atheroma?
smooth muscle cell proliferation & extracellular matrix synthesis.
promoted by chemokines & growth factors
What are 4 serious possible consequences of atherosclerosis?
- MI
- Cerebral infarction
- aortic aneurysm
- peripheral vascular disease
HOw can atherosclerosis lead to an aortic aneurysm?
with the atheroma formation, increased distance is created b/w the lumen where the nutrients are & the media…necrosis ensues with time
the medial wall gets thinner
rupture becomes possible-aneurysm formation.
called cystic medial degeneration
T/F Females’ estrogen levels are protective for a time against atherosclerosis.
True. The process is delayed longer. More common in men, therefore.
How does peripheral vascular disease from atherosclerosis present?
patients will get pain when they walk b/c their legs don’t get enough oxygen
When has atherosclerosis accomplished stenosis of a blood vessel?
Critical stenosis when the blood vessel is 70% occluded from the atheroma.
What are some possible negative consequences that result from chronic decreased perfusion ?
Bowel ischemia
Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease
Ischemic encephalopathy
Intermittent claudication
What is an acute plaque change?
Rupture or fissure exposing highly thombogenic plaque contents
Erosion or ulceration exposing the thrombogenic subendothelial basement membrane to blood
Hemorrhage into the atheroma
What is the process of atherosclerosis at the preclinical stage? What age group does this usu occur in?
usu younger people
- normal artery
- fatty streak
- fibrofatty plaque
- advanced/vulnerable plaque
In which step of atherosclerosis formation does the organization of a thrombus & calcification occur?
b/w fibrofatty plaque & advanced vulnerable plaque
What are some possible outcomes at the clinical stage once you have an advanced vulnerable plaque? Which age group does this occur in?
- Aneurysm & Rupture
- Occlusion by Thrombus
- Critical STenosis
What is ischemic heart disease? What is it also known as?
syndromes involving myocardial ischemia
aka coronary artery disease
What is myocardial ischemia?
Myocardial ischemia is an imbalance between the supply and demand of the heart for oxygenated blood
What are some things that can cause ischemic heart disease?
> 90% blockage of coronary arteries with plaque
coronary emboli
blockage of coronary arteries
severe hypotension
What are some of the symptoms of IHD?
Tachycardia
Myocardial hypertrophy
Hypoxemia
What are some acute coronary syndromes that fall within ischemic heart disease?
Angina pectoris
Myocardial infarction
Chronic IHD with heart failure
Sudden cardiac death
What is angina pectoris? WHat are its 3 variants?
Paroxysmal and recurrent attacks of substernal and precordial chest discomfort
Caused by transient myocardial ischemia that falls short of inducing myocyte necrosis
Variants:
Stable
Prinzmetal
Unstable
What is stable angina? What provokes & alleviates the symptoms?
Caused by an imbalance of perfusion (75% occlusion) relative to myocardial demand
Physical activity, emotional excitement or increased cardiac workload
Relieved by rest or vasodilators
What is prinzmetal angina? What provokes and alleviates those symptoms?
Caused by coronary artery spasm unrelated to physical activity, heart rate or BP
Relieved by vasodilators and calcium channel blockers
COCAINE ABUSE
WHat is unstable angina? What can it indicate?
Pattern of increasingly frequent pain of prolonged duration that is precipitated at low levels or activity or at rest
Seen in artery occlusion of 90% or greater
Warning of impending acute MI
What is unstable angina caused by?
Acute plaque change with superimposed thrombosis/embolism
Vasospasm