Common Cardiovascular Pathology Flashcards
Describe ventricular septal defect
- oxygen rich blood then gets pumped back to the lungs instead of out to the body, causing the heart to work harder & fatigue
Symptoms of an atrial septal defect
- dyspnea especially when exercising
- fatigue
- swelling of legs
- heart palpitations
- stroke
- heart murmur
- blood goes from the left atrium to the right atrium
Describe tetralogy of fallot
- combination heart defects
- pulmonary stenosis (narrowing of pulmonary artery)
- ventricular septal defect (large hole)
- aortic communication with both ventricles
- ventricular hypertrophy (right)
Define hypertension
- 140/90 defined by WHO with no other CVD risk factors, otherwise 130/90 with CVD risk factors
Relationship between blood pressure and risk of CVD
- as BP increases your risk for CVD increases
Normal BP
- < 120/80
Describe primary hypertension
- essential hypertension
- idiopathic
- 90% of all hypertension cases
Define idiopathic
- disease or condition arising spontaneously or cause is unknown
Describe secondary hypertension
- non-essential hypertension
- diabetes, polycystic kidney disease, Cushing syndrome, thyroid problems, sleep apnea, obesity, & pregnancy
- identifiable cause
- 5 to 10% of hypertension cases
Pathogenesis of hypertension
- Blood pressure: blood flow & cardiac output
- Peripheral vascular resistance: diameter of blood vessels & viscosity of blood, sympathetic nervous system, & renin-angiotensin system
Symptoms of hypertension
- usually asymptomatic
- headache
- vertigo
- flushing
- blurred vision
- spontaneous epistaxis (nosebleed)
- nocturnal urinary frequency
- sleep disordered breathing
Complications of hypertension
- aneurysms
- congestive heart failure
- renal insufficiency
- hypertensive encephalopathy
- hypertensive retinopathy
What is the most common aneurysm
- abdominal aortic aneurysm
Describe atherosclerosis
- group of diseases of fatty deposits in arteries
- thickening & loss of elasticity of the arterial wall due to build up of: lipids, macrophages, T lymphocytes, smooth muscle cells, extracellular matrix, & calcium
Endothelial cell injury leading to atherosclerosis
1) arterial wall damage
2) infiltration of macromolecules (may include cholesterol)
3) macrophage & fibroblast aggregation/foam cells
4) platelet aggregation
5) thrombus formation
Define foam cells
- white blood cell covered in LDL cholesterol
Complications of atherosclerosis
- thrombus formation
- aneurysm
Clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis
- symptoms result from loss of blood supply
- palpitations
- dyspnea
- paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
- cardiac syncope
- fatigue
- cough
- cyanosis
- claudication
Symptoms of acute coronary syndrome
- levine sign (clenched fist over sternum
- ischemia -> angina -> infarction
- EKG changes & blood tests
Describe STEMI
- ST elevation MI
- complete occlusion
Describe NSTEMI
- Non-ST elevation MI
- incomplete occlusion
Describe ischemia
- reduced blood flow
- need 70% occlusion to get symptoms
- temporary decreased contractility & increased stiffness
Causes of myocardial ischemia
- atherosclerotic narrowing
- spasm
- coronary arthritis
- hypertension
- hyperthyroidism
- artery-venous fistula
- exercise
- emotions