Cardiovascular Pathology 1 Flashcards
what is the preload and what does it approximate
initial stretch of cardiac fibres prior to contraction
related to sarcomere length and dependent on venous return
approximates to end diastolic volume (EDV)
what is the afterload
resistance
pressure (squeeze) that chambers must develop to eject blood during systole
dependent on aortic pressure
what is frank starling’s law
force of muscle contraction is proportional to initial length of muscle fibre
as heart rate increases, cardiac output increases linearlly until plateau reached then further heart rate increase results in cardiac output decrease due to decreased diastolic filling
what is stroke volume
SV = EDV - ESV
end diastolic volume - end systolic volume
what is the significance of frank starling’s law and heart disease
as the volume of blood entering the heart increases, the amount leaving the heart must also increase
the heart adjusts for this by increasing the contractile force and stroke volume to move more blood out (this allows the heart to compensate for increased work-load)
if it can’t keep up –> heart failure
what is heart failure
progressive clinical syndrome –> impaired pumping, decreased ventricular ejection, impedes venous return
how does heart failure occur
- decreased blood pumping into pulmonary artery or aorta
- failure to maintain arterial pressure
- low output heart failure (depression, lethargy, syncope, hypotension)
or inability to adeqautely empty the venous reservoirs –> congestive heart failure (ascites, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema)
end result of a wide range of causes NOT a specific disease
what is acute heart failure
usually decompensation of chronic disease
de novo disease uncommon
what is chronic heart failure
congestive heart failure
what are the pathophysiologic mechanisms of heart failure
- pump failure
- obstruction to forward flow
- regurgitant blood flow
- shunted blood flow from congenital defects
- heart/major vessel rupture
- cardiac conduction disorders (arrythmias)
what is pump failure
weak contractility and emptying of chambers
impaired filling of chambers
what causes obstruction to forward flow
valvular stenosis, valvular narrowing
systemic or pulmonary hypertension
what causes regurgitant blood flow
volume overload of chamber behind failing valve
what causes shunted flow from congenital defects
septal defects, shunts between vessels
what causes heart/major vessel rupture
cardiac temponade, massive internal hemorrhage
what causes cardiac conduction disorders (arrhthymias)
failure of synchronized cardiac contraction
what are the mechanisms that lead to systolic failure
- failure of myocardium
- volume overload
- pressure overload
what is failure of myocardium leading to systolic failure
dilated cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, doxorubicin toxicity, myocardial infarcts
what is volume overload leading to systolic failure
valvular diseases, PDA(patent dutuctus arteriosus)/VSD(ventricular septal defect)/ASD (atria septal defect), chronic anemia
what is pressure overload leading to systolic failure
subaortic stenosis, pulmonic stenosis, systemic hypertension, pulmonary hypertension
what are mechanisms of diastolic failure
- impaired E-dependent ventricular relaxation or abnormal ventricular chamber or muscle properties
- obstruction to ventricular filling at veins, atria and AV valves
- pericardial abnormalities
what are examples of impaired E-dependent ventricular relaxation or abnormal ventricular chamber or muscle properties
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
pulmonic/subaortic stenosis
heartworms
systemic hypertension
DCM, RCM (restrictive cardiomyopathy)
what is obstruction to ventricular filling at veins, atria, and AV valves
mitral/tricuspid stenosis
intracardiac neoplasia