Congenital Heart Defects Flashcards
Which type of congenital heart defect is the most common and the least consequential?
Atrial septal defects
Which type of heart defect is important to manage because of the pressure differential between the left and right sides of the heart?
Ventricular septal defects
what is patent ductus arteriosis?
A congenital heart defect where there is a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading to the heart
What cardiac diseases is “finger clubbing” commonly associated with?
- Congenital cyanotic heart disease
- Infective endocarditis
- Atrial myxoma
What term describes a bluish or purplish discolouration of tissues
Cyanosis
What is finger clubbing?
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.
What is atrial myxoma?
A tumour that can be found in the atria of the heart
What lung diseases is finger clubbing associated with?
- Lung cancer
- Cystic fibrosis
- Bronchiectasis
What is cyanosis?
A lack of oxygenised haemoglobin OR an increase (5g/dl or more) in the deoxygenated HB in the blood
what is the most common cause of peripheral cyanosis?
Cold environment
What disease most commonly causes central cyanosis?
Congenital heart disease
In what two ways can congenital heart disease cause central cyanosis?
- Poor flow of blood through the lungs to the tissues
- Oxygenated and deoxygenated blood mixing after the lungs (reduce oxygen levels)
How is central cyanosis detected?
By looking at warm tissues and seeing them as blue (e.g. tongue)
What disease involves the spasm of the blood vessels to the peripheral tissues in cold circumstances, causing peripheral cyanosis?
Raynaud’s disease
What area of the heart are 20-40% of all septal defects?
Atrium
Which atrium is under more pressure, left or right?
Left
A patient with atrial septal defect often shows central cyanosis. True or false?
False, the blood that makes it from the atria to the ventricle and then out into the aorta will be properly oxygenated.
Why do ventricular septal defects have a higher endocarditis risk than atrial septal defects?
Because there is more turbulent blood flow associated with ventricular septal defects
What type of ventricular septal defect is the most common?
Defect in the muscle between the ventricles
What is co-arctation of the aorta?
A birth defect in which part of the aorta is narrower than usual
Why does co-arctation of the aorta occur?
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.
which parts of the body are unaffected when co-arctation of the aorta has occured?
The brain, head, neck and the right arm.
Which parts of the body are affected when co-arctation of the aorta occurs?
The left arm and lower limbs
