Congenital Heart Defects

Question 1

what are the congenital heart defects?

Answer 1

atrial septal defects, ventricular septal defects, patent ductus arteriosus, great vessel malformations

Question 2

what diseases is finger clubbing seen in?

Answer 2

congenital cyanotic heart disease, infective endocarditis, atrial myxoma, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, broncheictasis, inflammatory bowel diseases and liver cirrhosis

Question 3

when does cyanosis exist?

Answer 3

when there is 5g/dl or more of deoxygenated Hb in the blood

Question 4

when is central cyanosis seen?

Answer 4

congenital heart disease

Question 5

what happens in congenital heart disease?

Answer 5

poor oxygenation of the blood, oxygenated ad deoxygenated mixing

Question 6

what does it feel like with peripheral cyanosis?

Answer 6

cold

Question 7

what does central cyanosis look like?

Answer 7

warm body tissues are blue (tongue and lips)

Question 8

what is seen in peripheral cyanosis?

Answer 8

cold extremities, vascular spasm (reynauds disease)

Question 9

what investigation is used for congenital defects?

Answer 9

doppler ultrasound

Question 10

where are the atrial septal defects?

Answer 10

between left and right atria

Question 11

what is the blood flow like with atrial septal defects and why?

Answer 11

blood flows from left to right (oxygenated and deoxygenated mix) and then flows back up to the lungs as the pressure in the left is greater than right

Question 12

does an atrial septal defect present with central cyanosis

Answer 12

no

Question 13

what is the commonest ventricular septal defect?

Answer 13

between the ventricles

Question 14

where does the blood flow with ventricular septal defects?

Answer 14

into the right hand side and up pulmonary artery

Question 15

does ventricular septal defect present with cyanosis?

Answer 15

no

Question 16

which septal defect has a higher endocarditis risk?

Answer 16

ventricular

Question 17

how do you close septal defects?

Answer 17

some shrink naturally, open heart surgery, patch repair over the defect, insertion of mesh on each side of the defect by arterial access

Question 18

what is coarctation of the aorta?

Answer 18

narrowing of aorta after carotid artery on the left side has exited or ductus arteriosus in foetus which has constricted but continues around aorta more than it should

Question 19

what is the consequences of a coarctation of the aorta

Answer 19

restricted blood flow to the lower parts of the body

Question 20

what is a patent ductus arteriosus?

Answer 20

the ductus arteriosus fails to close so blood flows through the aorta and back into the heart and lungs

Question 21

what risk do patent ductus arteriosus patients have?

Answer 21

endocarditis