FINALS: Cardiac Evaluation Flashcards
What is Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)?
A pathological process involving atherosclerosis that affects the entire arterial circulation.
A form of atherosclerosis affecting coronary arteries, including conditions like angina, myocardial infarction (MI), silent ischemia, and sudden cardiac death.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
What causes atherosclerosis?
Lipid-laden plaques form within the intimal layer of medium and large arteries, narrowing the lumen and reducing blood flow.
What is heart failure, and how is it classified as congestive?
Heart failure is impaired left ventricular (LV) function. It is called congestive heart failure (CHF) when accompanied by edema (congestion).
What are examples of malignant arrhythmias?
Sustained ventricular tachycardia (V-tach) and ventricular fibrillation (V-fib).
What blood pressure defines hypertension (HTN)?
Systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg.
What are the three tissue layers of the heart?
Pericardium: Outer double-walled sac (parietal and visceral layers).
Myocardium: Thick muscular middle layer.
Endocardium: Inner endothelial lining.
What are the main coronary arteries?
Right coronary artery
Left anterior descending artery
Left circumflex artery
What are the atrioventricular valves, and their functions?
Tricuspid valve (RA → RV)
Mitral (bicuspid) valve (LA → LV)
Function: Prevent backflow into the atria during systole.
What are the semilunar valves, and their functions?
Pulmonic valve: Prevents backflow from pulmonary artery.
Aortic valve: Prevents backflow from aorta.
What is cardiac output (CO), and how is it calculated?
CO = Stroke Volume (SV) × Heart Rate (HR). Normal CO is 4–6 L/min at rest.
What are the three factors influencing stroke volume (SV)?
Preload: LVEDV at the end of diastole.
Contractility: Strength of ventricular contraction.
Afterload: Resistance the LV must overcome during systole.
What are the phases of the cardiac cycle?
Systole: Contraction phase.
Diastole: Filling phase.
What do the components of the ECG represent?
P wave: Atrial depolarization.
PR segment: AV node conduction.
QRS complex: Ventricular depolarization.
ST segment: Ventricular repolarization starts.
T wave: Ventricular repolarization completes.
What is VO2max?
Maximum oxygen consumption during intense aerobic exercise, expressed in mL/kg/min.
What electrolyte imbalances affect cardiac function?
Hypokalemia: Causes arrhythmias, muscle cramping, flattened T waves, and U-waves.
Hypocalcemia: Increases ventricular ectopy.
Hypomagnesemia: Increases risk of arrhythmias.
: What is 1 MET?
The amount of oxygen consumed at rest, approximately 3.5 mL O2/kg/min.
What are common symptoms of cardiovascular disease (CVD)?
Chest pressure, dyspnea, fatigue, syncope, and palpitations.
What factors influence activity limitations in heart disease?
Peripheral muscle strength.
Compensatory mechanisms.
Pharmacological management.
What are common cardiac biomarkers elevated in ACS?
Troponins I & T: Most sensitive markers of myocardial damage.
CK-MB: Isoenzyme specific to myocardial damage.
Define White Coat Hypertension.
Blood pressure consistently elevated in a medical office but normal in out-of-office readings.
List two main types of hypertension and their key characteristics.
Primary (Essential) HTN: No identifiable cause (90–95% cases); influenced by genetics, stress, obesity, etc.
Secondary HTN: Caused by identifiable medical conditions (renal disease, endocrine disorders, etc.).
What is the hallmark sign of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)?
Ischemic chest pain due to an imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand.
Differentiate between unstable angina, stable angina, and Prinzmetal (variant) angina.
Unstable angina: Occurs at rest, increases in severity/frequency, refractory to treatment.
Stable angina: Triggered by activity, relieved by rest or reducing oxygen demand.
Prinzmetal angina: Caused by coronary artery vasospasm, managed with NTG or calcium channel blockers.
