CVS Flashcards
Define aortic dissection
Where there is a break in the lumen of the aorta that causes blood to flow between the layers of the wall creating a false lumen.
Most commonly affects around the ascending aorta and aortic arch.
What is the presentation of aortic dissection?
- Tearing chest pain of sudden onset
- Radiating to back
- HTN
- Hypotension as the dissection becomes more severe
What is the management of aortic dissection?
Type A (ascending aorta): - surgical management but manage HTN to between 120-100 systolic
Type B (descending aorta):
Supportive
Manage HTN with IV labetalol
What are the possible end results of atherosclerosis?
- Angina
- Acute coronary syndrome
- TIA
- Strokes
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Chronic mesenteric ischaemia
Define peripheral arterial disease
PAD results from atherosclerosis and narrowing of the arteries supplying the limbs and periphery
Define critical limb ischaemia
is the end stage of peripheral arterial disease where there is an inadequate supply of blood to a limb to allow it to function normally at rest
Define intermittent claudication
is the symptom of having ischaemia in a limb during exertion that is relieved by rest. it is typically a crampy, achy pain in the calf muscles associated with muscle fatigue when walking beyond a certain intensity.
What is Leriche’s syndrome and what is the clinical presentation?
Associated with occlusion in the distal aorta or proximal common iliac artery
Clinical triad:
- thigh/buttock claudication
- Absent femoral pulses
- Male impotence
What are the examination findings in peripheral vascular disease?
Weak peripheral pulses Pallor Cold Skin changes Buerger's test
What are the investigations in peripheral vascular disease?
ABPI (>0.9 normal)
Arterial doppler
Angiography (CT or MRI)
What are the 6P’s in critical limb ischaemia
Pain Pallor Paraesthesia Pulselessness Paralysis Perishing cold
What is the management of intermittent claudication?
- Lifestyle changes to reduce risk factors
- Optimal medical tx for comorbidities
- Medical treatments: Atorvastating 80mg, Clopidogrel 75mg, naftidrofuryl oxalate (vasodilator).
- Surgical treatments: angioplasty and stenting, bypass surgery
What is the management for critical limb ischaemia?
Urgent referral to vascular Analgesia Urgent revascularisation by: - angioplassty and stending - bypass surgery
What are the causes of primary and secondary hypertension?
Primary has no particular cause
Secondary: ROPE - Renal diseease Obesity Pregnancy induced Endocrine
What are the complications of HTN?
Ischaemic heart disease Cerebrovascular accident Hypertensive retinopathy Hypertensive nephropathy Heart failure
What are the investigations done in order to assess for end organ damage in HTN?
Urine albumin:creatinine ratio for proteinuria and dipstick for microscopic haematuria to assess for kidney damage
Bloods for HbA1c, renal functiona nd lipids
Fundus examination for hypertensive retinopathy
ECG for cardiac abnormalities
What is the medical options of HTN?
ACE inhibitor Beta blocker Calcium channel blocker Diuretic (thiazide like) ARB
What is the medical management ladder in HTN?
Step 1:
- Aged less than 55 and non-black use ACE inhibitor
- Aged over 55 or black use Calcium channel blocker
Step 2: A+C or A+D or C+D (if black use ARB instead of A)
Step 3: A+C+D
Step 4: A+C+D+additional
Additonal: if K+ <4.5mmol then spironolactone. If >4.5 alpha or beta blocker
Give the pathophysiology of venous ulcers
Occurs due to pooling of blood and waste products in the skin secondary to venous deficiency (varicose veins, DVT, phlebitis etc)
What are the distinguishing features of venous ulcers?
- Odematous flushed skin
- Hyperpigmentation to skin
- Varicose eczema
- Tend to be larger
- Irregular boarder
- More likely to bleed
- Pain relieved by elevation and worse on hanging
What is the management of venous ulcers?
Treat underlying cause
Good wound care
Tissue viability nurse
Plastic surgery input
Define Patent ductus arteriosis
The ductus arterosus normally stops functioning within 1-3 days of birth but when it doesn’t it’s called patent ductus arterosus.
It can be due to maternal infections such as rubella or genetic. Prematurity is a key risk factor.
Small PDA can be asymptomatic throughout childhood and present with heart failure like symptoms later in life.
Describe the pathophysiology of patent ductus arteriosus
pressure in the aorta is higher than that in the pulmonary vessels, so blood flows from the aorta to the pulmonary artery.
This creates a left to right shunt where blood from the left side of the heart crosses to the right side increasing the pressure in the pulmonary vessels thus causing pulmonary hypertension leading to right sided heart strain.
Pulmonary hypertension and right sided heart strain lead to right ventricular hypertrophy.
The increased blood flowing through the pulmonary vessels and returning to the left side of the heart leads to left ventricular hypertrophy.
Describe the presentation of the patent ductus arteriosus
Can be picked up during newborn examination if a murmur is heard but may also present with:
- SOB
- difficulty feeding
- poor weight gain
- LRTI
What murmur is heard with a patent ductus arteriosus?
A normal first heart sound with a continuous crescendo-decrescendo “machinery” murmur
How is a patent ductus arteriosus diagnosed?
confirmed by echo
Describe the management of patent ductus arteriosus
typically patients monitored until 1 year of age using echos.
After 1 year, highly likely that PDA will close spontaneously and trans-catheter or surgical closure can be performed.
Indomethacin
Give the pathophysiology of atrial septal defects
ASD leads to shunt with blood moving from left to right.
This means blood continues to flow to the lungs and pt does not become cyanotic but increased flow to right side leads to right sided overload and right heart strain.
This can lead to right heart failure and pulmonary hypertension.
What are the different types of atrial septal defects?
- Ostium secondum where the septum secondum fails to fully close leaving a hole in the wall
- Patent foramen ovale, where the foramen ovale fails to close
- Ostium primum where the septum primum fails to filly close. This tends to lead to atrioventriculalr valve defects .
What are the complications of atrial septal defects?
Stroke with VTE**
AF or atrial flutter
Pulmonary HTN or R sided HF
Eisenmenger syndrome
Give the presentation of atrial septal defects
mild-systolic, crescendo-decrescendo murmur loudest at the upper left sternal border with fixed split second heart sound.
May be asymptomatic and present later with dyspnoea, HF or stroke.
Childhood symptoms are: SOB Difficulty feeding Poor weight gain LRTI
What is the management of atrial septal defects?
Refer to paeds cardio
Surgically closing with a transvenous catheter closure or open heart surgery.
Anti-coagulants to reduce risk of clots and stroke in adults
What is the condition association and pathophysiology of ventricular septal defects?
Commonly associated with Down’s syndrome and Turner’s syndrome.
Left to right shunt leads to right sided overload, R HF and increased flow into the pulmonary vessels.
Describe the presentation of ventricular septal defects
Typically asymptomatic but if symptomatic: Poor feeding Dyspnoea Tachypnoea Failure to thrive
What are the examination findings in ventricular septal defect?
pan-systolic murmur more prominently heard at the left lower sternal border in the third and fourth intercostal spaces.
There may be a systolic thrill on palpation
What are the causes of a pan-systolic mumur?
Ventricular septal defect
Mitral regurg
Tricuspid regurg
What is the management of ventricular septal defects?
Can be corrected surgically using a transvenous catheter closure via the femoral vein or open heart surgery.
There is an increased risk of infective endocarditis therefore prophylactic antibiotics should be considered during surgical procedures
Define tetralogy of fallot
There are four coexisting pathologies:
- Ventricular septal defect
- Overriding aorta
- Pulmonary valve stenosis
- Right ventricular hypertrophy
Give the pathophysiology of tetralogy of fallot
Overriding aorta and pulmonary stenosis encourage blood to be shunted from the R heart to the left causing cyanosis.
Right ventricular hypertrophy develops due to increased resistance leading to right to left cardiac shunt.
Blood bypasses the lungs and thus cyanosis occurs. The degree to which this happens depends on severity of pulmonary stenosis.
What are the risk factors for tetralogy of fallot?
Rubella infection
Increased age of the mother
Alcohol consumption in pregnancy
Diabetic mother