Congenital Heart Defects

Question 1

Which type of congenital heart defect is the most common and the least consequential?

Answer 1

Atrial septal defects

Question 2

Which type of heart defect is important to manage because of the pressure differential between the left and right sides of the heart?

Answer 2

Ventricular septal defects

Question 3

what is patent ductus arteriosis?

Answer 3

A congenital heart defect where there is a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading to the heart

Question 4

What cardiac diseases is “finger clubbing” commonly associated with?

Answer 4

1. Congenital cyanotic heart disease
2. Infective endocarditis
3. Atrial myxoma

Question 5

What term describes a bluish or purplish discolouration of tissues

Answer 5

Cyanosis

Question 6

What is finger clubbing?

Answer 6

Swelling of the Tamil digits of the hand and also changes in the nail bed angle to the finger, where there is flattening of the normal dip between finger tissue and nail bed.

Question 7

What is atrial myxoma?

Answer 7

A tumour that can be found in the atria of the heart

Question 8

What lung diseases is finger clubbing associated with?

Answer 8

1. Lung cancer
2. Cystic fibrosis
3. Bronchiectasis

Question 9

What is cyanosis?

Answer 9

A lack of oxygenised haemoglobin OR an increase (5g/dl or more) in the deoxygenated HB in the blood

Question 10

what is the most common cause of peripheral cyanosis?

Answer 10

Cold environment

Question 11

What disease most commonly causes central cyanosis?

Answer 11

Congenital heart disease

Question 12

In what two ways can congenital heart disease cause central cyanosis?

Answer 12

1. Poor flow of blood through the lungs to the tissues
2. Oxygenated and deoxygenated blood mixing after the lungs (reduce oxygen levels)

Question 13

How is central cyanosis detected?

Answer 13

By looking at warm tissues and seeing them as blue (e.g. tongue)

Question 14

What disease involves the spasm of the blood vessels to the peripheral tissues in cold circumstances, causing peripheral cyanosis?

Answer 14

Raynaud’s disease

Question 15

What area of the heart are 20-40% of all septal defects?

Answer 15

Atrium

Question 16

Which atrium is under more pressure, left or right?

Answer 16

Left

Question 17

A patient with atrial septal defect often shows central cyanosis. True or false?

Answer 17

False, the blood that makes it from the atria to the ventricle and then out into the aorta will be properly oxygenated.

Question 18

Why do ventricular septal defects have a higher endocarditis risk than atrial septal defects?

Answer 18

Because there is more turbulent blood flow associated with ventricular septal defects

Question 19

What type of ventricular septal defect is the most common?

Answer 19

Defect in the muscle between the ventricles

Question 20

What is co-arctation of the aorta?

Answer 20

A birth defect in which part of the aorta is narrower than usual

Question 21

Why does co-arctation of the aorta occur?

Answer 21

The ductus arteriosis in the foetus, which carries blood from pulmonary artery into the aorta has constricted. This constriction has continued around the aorta more than it should do. The narrowing restricts blood flow to the systemic arteries of the lower body.

Question 22

which parts of the body are unaffected when co-arctation of the aorta has occured?

Answer 22

The brain, head, neck and the right arm.

Question 23

Which parts of the body are affected when co-arctation of the aorta occurs?

Answer 23

The left arm and lower limbs