Common Terms in Cardiology Flashcards
White coat hypertension
- Three clinic-based blood pressures > 140/90 mmHg
- Two non-clinic-based blood pressures
Orthostatic hypotension
Fall in SBP > 20 mmHg or DBP > 10mmHg in response to change in posturefrom a supine to upright position within 3 minutes
Resistant hypertension
Blood pressure consistently >140/90 mmHg despite >3 antihypertensive agents, including a diuretic
Chronotropic incompetence
- Failure to appropriately increase heart rate during exercise
- Unable to achieve 85% of predicted maximal heart rate at peak physical exercise
Stable angina pectoris
- Chest discomfort associated with physical exertion or stress
- Relieved within 5-10 minutes of rest and/or sublingual nitroglycerin
Unstable angina
Angina pectoris with at least one of three features:
- Occurs with minimal exertion or at rest, usually lasting >10 minutes
- Severe and of new onset (within the prior 4-6 weeks)
- Has a crescendo pattern (i.e. distinctly more severe, prolonged, or frequent than previous)
Abdominojugular reflux
- Apply pressure on right upper quadrant for 10 sec
- Positive response: rise of >3cm of JVP for at least 15 seconds after release of pressure
Carvallo’s sign
Holosystolic murmur of tricuspid regurgitation becomes louder with inspiration and diminishes during expiration
Gallavardin effect
- Murmur of aortic stenosis is transmitted downward to the apex
- Confused with the systolic murmur of mitral regurgitation
Graham Steell mumur of pulmonary regurgitation
- High-pitched, diastolic, decrescendo blowing murmur along the left sternal border due to the dilation of the pulmonary valve ring
- Occurs in mitral valve disease and severe pulmonary hypertension
Pulsus parvus et tardus
Weak and late peripheral pulse in aortic stenosis
Corrigan’s pulse
- A rapidly rising “water-hammer” pulse
- Collapses suddenly as arterial pressure falls rapidly during late systole and diastole
Quincke’s pulse
- Capillary pulsations
- Alternate flushing and paling of the skin at the root of the nail while pressure is applied to the tip of the nail
Traube’s sign
A booming “pistol-shot” sound heard over the femoral arteries
Duroziez sign
To-and-fro murmur audible over the femoral artery
Broadbent’s sign
Apical pulse is reduced and may retract in systole (in constrictive pericarditis)
Ewart’s sign
Patch of dullness and increased fremitus below the left scapula due to pericardial effusion
Kussmaul’s sign
Rise of lack of fall in JVP with inspiration due to constrictive pericarditis
Pulsus paradoxus
Fall in SBP >10 mmHg with inspiration associated with cardiac tamponade
Homan’s sign
Calf pain on dorsiflexion of foot, suggestive of deep vein thrombosis
Hamman’s sign
Crunching noise synchronous with the heart beat in pneumomediastinum
