Cardiovascular Physiology Flashcards
Describe the important aspects of Cardiac function
Transport Oxygen CO2 Wastes Nutrients Hormones Heat Immunity
Determinates and regulation of cardiac output
- Heart rate: Nerves and hormones
- Contractililty: Stroke volume
- Preload
- afterload
Neural control
- PNS via vagus: Ach on muscarinic receptors affects only HR
- SNS - T1-4: Noradrenaline -> B1 receptors. Affects HR and Contractility (preload and afterload)
Hormonal : direct via adrenaline and indirectly
Determines of SVR
Neural
- SNS: - noradrenergic (Vasoconstrictor (α1) – eg. gut, skin. β1 inotropy. Vasodilator (β2) – eg. airways, muscle. β3 Heat production)
- PNS: Cholinergic – vasodilator eg M3 eg gut, M2 negative- chrontropy
Hormonal
- Systemic factors: Catecholamines, ADH, Angiotensin II, Aldosterone, ANP
- Endothelial factors: NO, Prostaglandins, thromboxane A2, Leukotrienes, Histamine, bradykinin, serotonin (5-HT)
Local
- Reactive hyperaemia: Adenosine, CO2, PO2, pH, K+, Temp
Myogenic
Describe the processes that facilitate venous return
Intravascular volume Venomotor tone Valves Pumps - MSK, Thoracic and abdominal pumps Suction by the heart
Describe the central control mechanisms of the CVS
Centro-lateral medulla Input - High pressure - baroreceptors — Carotid sinus - Low pressure - Volumereceptor - Chemoreceptors in the kidney - higher centres - Pain and stress
Cardiovascular physiology in aviation
G tolerance: Maintaining arterial blood pressure and cerebral perfusion
Hypoxia: Maintaining tissue oxygenating
Cardiovascular stresses of flight: Thermal, exertional, accident survival
CV disease causing incapacitation
General principles of Haemodynamimcs
Pascal’s principle: pressure at a point in a fluid is the same in all directions
Hydrostatic pressure: Ph=pgh
No flow means pressure anywhere at the same horizontal level is the same
Flow occurs from height to low pressure.
Moving fluid has momentum
Dynamic of flow - laminar vs turbulent.
Hydrostatic effects on blood pressure
Heart level 100mmHg Lower above heart Higher pressure below heart 22mmHg pressure drop heart to brain in the upright human at +1G Effects are multiples with G
Pressure in Vein
Low pressure 0-15mmHg
Effect of the environment on CVS disorders
Hypoxia of all types sustained G G countermeasures stress physical activity/workload
Effect of CVS disorders on aviation operations
Distracting symptoms - pain and palpitations Suddenly incapacitation, haemodynamic compromise - hypotension - syncope - silent disease - sudden death - thromboembolism
medication side effect
questions to ask referring specialist
What is the diagnosis
what is the % risk of incapacitation per year
what is the prognosis and risk of recurrence
what treatment, and what side effects?
what follow-up or monitoring is required?
cardiac investigations
Resting ECG: very poor sensitivity
Exercise stress ECG: easy, non-invasive, 1st line for CAD
Holter Monitoring: for rhythm and conduction disturbances, syncope and pre-syncope, post-ablation success.
MPS - assesses functional ischaemia even in the absence of anatomical lesions
Echocardiography: useful for ix for murmurs, suspicion of structural heart disease, pressure gradients/velocities, pericardial conditions, cardiomyopathy, EF estimation.
Stress ECHOcardiography: more sensitivity than exercise stress ECG, assesses functional ischaemia. useful if ECG uninterpretable eg LBBB
Coronary angiography: gold standard test for IHD
Calcium score:independent risk factor but expensive. stress echo is a better predictor of events
considerations for treatment of HTN
lifestyle changes first
don’t need to TMUFF if <160/100mmHg and overall CVD risk score acceptable
If failure to improve after maximum 6 months trial of conservative Mx then TMUFF and commence on pharmacological therapy
TMUFF 14 days initial
- 7 days with subsequent change
UMECR required
pharmacological tx of HTN
ACEi/ARB 1st line agents
Thiazide diuretics
Ca channel blockers - unfit for high-performance flying duties.
Beta - blockers: unfit for high - performance flying duties
alpha blockers NOT permitted for flying duties
some combination therapies may be unfit high performance or multi crew.