HEART- cardiovascular diseases Flashcards
What is hypertension?
Raised blood pressure.
What drugs are a risk factor for hypertension?
Non steroidal/ Corticosteroids and the oral contraceptive pill.
What is essential hypertension?
When we cannot find a cause for the hypertension.
What is renal artery stenosis?
A rarer cause of hypertension where the narrowing of an atery reduces the nutrients reaching the kidney. This makes the kindey smaller.
What is a phaeochromocytoma?
A tumour of the adrenal gland. This affects the hormone adrenaline.
What is Conn’s syndrome?
An increased production of aldosterone that can be due to a tumour of the adrenal gland
What is Cushing’s syndrome?
Excessive cortisol production by the adrenal gland that increases water retention. This causes hypertension.
How can we investigate hypertension?
- A urinalysis - to check the patient’s renal function
- Serum biochemistry- to check the patient’s plasma for electrolytes e.g. sodium. (too much salt absorption will be reflected in the plasma)
What drugs are used to reduce blood pressure?
The go to drugs are:
- Ace inhibitors for young patients or caucasians
- Calcium channel antagonists for older patients or coloured
We could also use
- Thiazide diuretic
- beta blocker
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Compare the two types of heart arythmias?
Tachy arythmia- when the heart is beating too quickly which reduces coronary artery flow
Brady Arythmia- when the heart beat is too slow.
What are pacemakers used to treat?
Brady arythmias
What is shown in this ECG
This shows Asystole which is a lack of electrical activity (there is a wandering line)
What is shown in this ECG?
Ventricular fibrillation- where there is electrical activity but the heart isn’t beating.
What is shown in this ECG?
This is atrial fibrillation where there are irregular heart beats. Notice the different lengths between the firings.
Compare the two types of valve failure
Stenosis- When the valve doesn’t open so blood flow is restricted
Incompetence- When the valve doesn’t close (C for close)