Circulatory Disturbances Flashcards
The relative proportion of intracellular to extracellular body fluid, and what are the extracellular fluid spaces? Make a distinction between extravascular and intravascular
2/3 intracellular
1/3 extracellular
Major of extracellular fluid is interstitial fluid (extravascular)
Intravascular spaces (plasma) make up a smaller component
Smallest component is third space fluid in body cavities (also extravascular)
Where in the capillary is water driven out of the plasma and reabsorbed?
Driven out at arterial end by hydrostatic pressure
Uptaken at venous end by colloid osmotic (oncotic) pressure via plasma proteins
How does capillary permeability affect oncotic pressure?
If permeability is too high, there is a loss of oncotic pressure because plasma proteins will seem into the extravascular interstitium, so there will be no forces to reuptake water (as in exudative edema in acute inflammation)
Define: edema vs anasarca vs hydrothorax vs ascites.
Edema - increased interstitial fluid
Anasarca - Widespread, severe systemic edema
Hydrothorax - edema in thoracic cavity
Ascites - edema fluid in peritoneal cavity
What are the protein, cellular, and specific gravity characteristics of transudative edema?
Protein - low (not exudative)
Specific gravity - low (few proteins)
Cells - few
What is the definition of transudative edema and what are its two umbrella causes?
Edema due to NORMAL vascular capillary permeability
- Increased intravascular hydrostatic pressure
- Decreased plasma oncotic pressure
What things can cause increased intravascular hydrostatic pressure?
- Venous obstruction
- Heart failure -> leads to congestion and fluid buildup
Left side -> pulmonary edema
Right side -> generalized systemic edema
What two things can lead to decreased plasma oncotic pressure?
- Decreased protein synthesis -> liver disease or kwashiorkor
- Increased protein loss -> nephrotic syndrome
What is a frequent exacerbating complication of edema?
Decreased plasma volume activates the RAA system, reabsorbing more sodium and water. If edema source is not corrected, this new extra water + sodium will accumulate further in interstitium.
What are the protein, cellular, and specific gravity characteristics of exudative edema?
Protein - high (exudative)
Specific gravity - high (many proteins)
Cells - many
What is the definition of exudative edema and give two causes?
Edema due to INCREASED vascular permeability
- Acute inflammation
- Angiogenesis of malignancies (new vessels are very leaky)
What is the final type of edema other than exudative and transudative and give two causes.
Edema due to lymphatic obstruction
- Infection blocking lymph drainage -> i.e. filariasis
- Maligancy physically blocking lymph drainage
What does severe edema of the subcutaneous soft tissue cause, and what is it depend on (in terms of where it’s located)?
Causes a pitting edema
-> dependent on gravity. If you are standing, edema will be in your legs. If you are lying down, edema may be in your pelvis
How does edema of the lungs appear grossly?
Heavy & wet lungs
What is the microscopic progression of lung edema and when does this lead to dyspnea? What does this lead to on radiograph?
- First spills out of capillaries into alveolar septae
- > leads to Kerley B lines on X-ray - Pneumocyte occluding junctions burst due to increased pressure -> fluid accumulates in alveolar airspace
- > this leads to dyspnea and interstitial fluid on X-ray
Why is transudative edema in the lung very bad news?
It predisposes to infection
-> sitting fluid can house bacteria which will cause exudative edema later (pneumonia)
How does edema appear grossly in the brain, and what are the clinical consequences?
Gyri become flattened and compressed, with a heavy / swollen brain.
Complications:
- Herniation -> i.e. cerebellar tonsils through foramen magnum
- Vascular compression
What is the definition between congestion and hyperemia?
Congestion -> increased intravascular blood due to impaired outflow
- PASSIVE process, will result in more deoxygenated blood reaching capillary
Hyperemia -> increased intravascular blood due to expanded inflow
-ACTIVE process, will result in more oxygenated blood reaching capillary
How are you likely to tell the difference between hyperemia and congestion in the lung?
Both will have pulmonary capillaries filled up with RBCs
Congestion: More likely in the setting of transudative edema and few immune cells
Hyperemia: More likely in the setting of acute inflammation, as inflammatory cells are actively inducing the increased RBCs
How does chronic congestion of the lung appear different grossly than acute congestion?
Acute - lung will be heavy and wet, as edema
Chronic - lung will be heavy and dry, rusty brown due to iron accumulation from chronic RBCs
What cells are definitive for chronic congestion in the lungs?
Heart failure cells - hemosiderin-laden macrophages in the alveoli
-> eating up RBCs which sometimes leak out of capillaries from microhemorrhages due to congestion
What happens to the alveolar septae in chronic lung congestion?
Alveolar septal fibrosis
due to fibroblasts losing contact with ECM when they are exposed to so much edema chronically
What can cause congestion in the liver and what is its appearance grossly?
- Right-sided heart failure
- Obstruction of hepatic venous drainage
Grossly: “Nutmeg liver” -> looks like the inside of a nutmeg
What are the acute vs chronic effects of liver congestion? What areas of the liver are susceptible?
Acute: centrilobular sinusoids expand (central vein is the drain)
Chronic:
Centrilobular necrosis or atrophy, with accumulation of fibrosis and hemosiderin-laden macrophages
Periportal - normal or fatty change