Clinical Cardiovascular Flashcards
What is thrombophilia and what is it a risk factor for?
Heriditary tendency to develop thrombosis
Deficiencies in anticoagulant factors Protein C, S and antithrombin or mutations in factor V and prothrombin
What are the risk factors for DVT? 6
immobilisation (surgery, hospitalisation, flights), age, obesity, infection, combine contraception (makes blood more prone to clotting), hereditary factor (thrombophilia)
What are the symptoms of DVT?
Swelling and redness of leg, pain in leg, dilatation of surface veins (offer alternative channel to blockage), tenderness over surface veins
What must be carried out in order to exclude or confirm DVT?
Physical examination = unreliable to exclude DVT, need an ultrasound which shows absence or reduction of venous flow/presence of a thrombus
When would D dimer levels be tested?
In low probability situations where DVT is suspected
What is immediately given to someone with DVT?
Immediate anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin
Then 3-6 months on warfarin
How can DVT be prevented?
Walking, compression stockings (stroke patients), long term warfarin, hospitalised patients given low molecular weight heparin
Atherosclerosis and atrial fibrilation with dilated atria can lead to what?
Cerebral infarction
What are risk factors for cerebral infarction?
Smoking, High BP, High cholesterol, diabetes, AF and possible warning TIAs (reversible min strokes)
What are the symptoms of cerebral infarction?
Weakness of arm/leg, slurring of speech (dysarthria), mouth drooping, dysphagia, expressive dysphasia,
What clinical signs may be found in cerebral infarction?
Evidence of AF, hypertension, possible bruit (noise of turbulent flow through stenosed vessel) heard over carotid in neck
What imaging would be done on a patient with cerebral infarction and what would they show?
Brain CT and MRI - swelling (cerebral oedema, this may further damage nerve cells due to increased cranial pressure) and infarction
Ultrasound of carotid - narrowing of carotid
ECG - AF
Echocardiogram - evidence of blood clot in atrial appendage
What prevention should be given to patients with AF or carotid atherosclerosis to prevent cerebral infarction?
AF - given warfarin
Carotid atherosclerosis - antiplatelets (aspirin), manage BP
Aortic stenosis affects what part of the heart?
Aortic valve
What is the difference between congenital and aquired artic stenosis?
Congenital - bicuspid not tricuspid valve
Aquired - due to aging get calcification of the aortic valve
Other than a narrowed aortic valve what other structural abnormality may be seen in aortic stenosis?
LV hypertrophy
Patients of which age and gender are at greatest risk of aortic stenosis?
Males over 65
What are the symptoms of aortic stenosis?
1) Angina
2) Breathlessness
3) Light headedness with exercise
What are the clinical signs of aortic stenosis?
1) Reduced pulse pressure (difference between systolic and diastolic BP)
2) Forceful apex beat
3) Ejection systolic heart murmur
What would the ECG of a patient with aortic stenosis show?
QRS increased in size (because of more muscular LV)
What would the echocardiogram of a patient with aortic stenosis show?
narrowed aortic valve and hypertrophied LV
When would a patient with aortic stenosis undergo surgery and what would that involve?
When the left ventricle starts to dilate
Involve valve replacement either prosthetic (metal and plastic) and require warfarin or tissue valves (pig valves) which dont require warfarin
What structural abnormalities would be seen in someone with systolic heart failure?
1) Dilated ventricles
2) May see regurgitation of mitral or tricuspid valve due to stretching of the valve ring
What is the most common prior event to systolic heart failure?
MI
Other than MI what 2 things can lead to systolic heart failure?
Viral myocarditis (also a common cause) Chemotherapy - poisons heart muscle
What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea and what is it a symptoms of?
Sudden breathlessness in the night - symptom of systolic heart failure
What is orthopnoea and what is it a symptom of?
Breathlessness when lying flat - systolic heart failure
What are the symptoms of systolic heart failure?
1) Fatigue
2) dyspnoea
3) orthopnoea
4) paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
5) nocturia (passing excess urine in night)
6) ankle oedema
What are the clinical signs of systolic heart failure?
1) High JVP
2) Ankle oedema
3) Tachypnoea
4) Tachychardia
5) Hypotension
6) Loss of skeletal muscle mass (cachexia)
7) Anorexia
What is cachexia and what cardiovascular problem is it a clinical sign of?
Loss of skeletal muscle mass
Sign of systolic heart failure
What would an echocardiogram of a patient with systolic heart failure show?
Dilated ventricles
Possible leaky valves (due to stretching of the valve ring)
What would an ECG of a patient with systolic heart failure look like?
Abnormal due to underlying disease
What peptide would be raised in a blood test of a patient with systolic heart failure?
Brain natiuretic peptide
What medication is used to treat systolic heart failure?
1) Loop diuretic (furosemide)
2) Potassium retaining diuretic (spiralatone)
3) ACE inhibitor
4) Beta blocker
Why might some patients with systolic heart failure be given a pacemaker?
To resynchronise right and left ventricular systolic contraction