Heart & Blood vessels

Question 1

What is heart failure?

Answer 1

When the heart is unable to pump blood at a rate required for normal functioning.

Question 2

Clinically, how would you be able to tell if someone is in heart failure?

Answer 2

Breathlessness, ankle swelling and crackles in chest.

Question 3

What ejection fraction percentage on an echocardiography indicates heart failure?

Answer 3

less than 40%

Question 4

Causes of heart disease

Answer 4

Ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, arrhythmias, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy and congenital heart disease.

Question 5

Drugs used in the treatment of heart failure

Answer 5

ACE inhibitors, B-blockers, loop diuretics

Question 6

What happens if heart valves undergo stenosis?

Answer 6

Valve is narrowed and impedes forward flow,

Question 7

What happens is heart valves undergo regurgitation?

Answer 7

The valve is leaky and allows reverse flow

Question 8

What are vegetations on heart valves?

Answer 8

Abnormal tissue growth on the vale which can cause stenosis or regurgitation.

Question 9

What can cause vegetations on heart valves?

Answer 9

Bacteria (endocarditis), Inflammation or clots

Question 10

Valvula heart disease signs and symptoms

Answer 10

Breathlessness, ankle swelling, angina, stroke, arrhythmias, cardiac murmurs.

Question 11

What is pericarditis?

Answer 11

Infection/inflammation of the pericardium

Question 12

What is myocarditis?

Answer 12

Infection/inflammation of the myocardium

Question 13

What is endocarditis?

Answer 13

Infection/inflammation of the endocardium

Question 14

Signs and symptoms of endocarditis

Answer 14

Fever, weight loss, malaise, swelling in legs, orthopnoea, emboli etc

Question 15

Causes of pericarditis and myocarditis

Answer 15

Infection (viral, bacterial, TB, parasitic), uraemia, carcinoma, MI, connective tissue disease, radiation and idiopathic.

Question 16

Signs and symptoms of pericarditis and myocarditis

Answer 16

Chest pain and heart failure

Question 17

What is cardiomyopathy?

Answer 17

Disease of the heart muscle itself.

Question 18

What are the 3 types of cardiomyopathy and what are main causes of each?

Answer 18

Dilated caused by alcohol.
Hypertrophic caused by genetics.
Restrictive caused by amyloidosis.

Question 19

Causes of hypertension

Answer 19

Renal problems, endocrine problems, physical obstruction and neurogenic (stress)

Question 20

What is malignant hypertension?

Answer 20

When there is a sudden rapid rise in BP. It is a medical emergency that can be a sign for organ damage (eyes, brain, kidneys, heart)

Question 21

Organs affected by hypertension?

Answer 21

Blood vessels, heart, kidneys, eyes & brain.

Question 22

What is an aneurysm?

Answer 22

Localised abnormal dilation of a blood vessel

Question 23

Causes of aneurysm

Answer 23

Weakened vessel walls, pressure, congenital, atheroma & infection

Question 24

Where would you find an atherosclerotic aneurysm?

Answer 24

Lower abdominal aorta & iliac arteries

Question 25

Where would you find an aortic dissection aneurysm?

Answer 25

Aorta and major branches

Question 26

What are some of the complications of diabetic vascular disease?

Answer 26

Gangrene, renal failure, peripheral neuropathy and blindness

Question 27

What is DVT?

Answer 27

When normal venous return is impeded, predisposes t thrombosis.

Question 28

What are the causes of DVT?

Answer 28

Immobility, malignancy, pregnancy & childbirth, oestrogens and haematological disorders.

Question 29

What are the symptoms of pulmonary embolism?

Answer 29

Chest pain, breathlessness, calf swelling, syncope/collapse and sudden death.

Question 30

What are varicose veins? What are the causes?

Answer 30

Tortuous and distended veins. Caused by incompetent valves in legs and impaired venous return

Question 31

What is congenital heart disease?

Answer 31

When there is a hole in the heart in babies between the left and right sides.

Question 32

What percentage of babies born with congenital heart disease die in infancy?

Answer 32

30%