Conditions Flashcards
Peripheral vascular disease
Reduced circulation of blood to body (other than heart or brain) often caused from atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
The buildup of fatty deposits where there is damage to intima lining of arteries. This restricts blood flow leading to conditions such as angina and eventually could lead to an infarction.
Stable angina
Centralised chest pain after exertion which resolves with rest.
Unstable angina
A form of acute coronary syndrome where an incomplete occlusion of the artery causes ischaemia without necrosis. This is harder to manage than stable angina and is indicative of high risk of MI.
NSTEMI
A form of acute coronary syndrome where an incomplete occlusion of the artery causes necrosis. This causes an increase in troponin levels and requires urgent treatment.
STEMI
Complete occlusion of a coronary artery cuasing rapid cell necrosis. This requires urgent treatment from PPCI clinic.
Aortic dissection
Intimo-medial tear in the aorta. This can be categorised by location through stanford or DeBakey systems. Stanford type 1 is thoracic aorta and type 2 is abdominal. DeBakey type 1 is ascending and descending, type 2 is ascending and type 3 is descending. This requires urgent treatment.
Aortic Aneurysm
The widening of the aorta over time which can be in the thoracic or abdominal aorta. As this gets larger, the risk of rupture into dissection increases.
Musculoskeletal pain
Any damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments or bone
Asthma
Hypersensitivity reaction causing inflammation of the airways and excess mucus production from a range of stimuli.
COPD
Chronic inflammation of the lungs from emphysema, chronic bronchitis or chronic obstructive airways disease. There is a higher number of protease destroying lung tissue with not enough antiprotease to prevent.
Heart failure
When the cardiac output is unable to keep up with the bodys demand for oxygen rich blood. This can be due to decreased stroke volume or decreased heart rate
Pulmonary Embolism
Thrombus forms (through abnormal blood flow/ hypercoagulability/ altered vessel wall) and is dislodged to become embolus which then gets lodged in the lungs disrupting blood flow causing shortness of breath and eventually will lead to heart failure.
Anaphylaxis
A severe hypersensitivity reaction to drugs, food, or toxin that causes life threatening breathing and circulation problems.
Pneumonia
Infection causing inflammation and excess mucus production in the lung tissue. This can affect the bronchi, the alveoli or the interstitial space.