Heart Valves and Murmurs Flashcards
Define pericarditis
Inflammation of the visceral and/or parietal serous pericardium
What are the possible causes of pericarditis?
- Idiopathic
- Viral (e.g. Coxsackie)
- Secondary to autoimmune
- Malignancy
- Post MI
Describe the clinical presentation of pericarditis
- Retrosternal chest pain
- Pleuritic and positional
- Pericardial friction rub
- Widespread concave ST elevation on ECG
Define pericardial effusion
Describe the pathology
What are the possible causes?
Accummulation of fluid within the pericardial space (blood, exudate, transudate)- inelastic pericardium limits how much fluid can accumulate.
Causes:
- Secondary to pericarditis or systemic disease, e.g:
- SLE
- RA
- Malignancy
- Uraemia
- Infection
- Trauma
- Idiopathic
- Post cardiac surgery
Describe the clinical features of pericardial effusion
- Features of underlying disease
- Quiet, muffled heart sounds
- Look for features of cardiac tamponade
- Chronic effusions may give enlarged globular heart on CXR
Define cardiac tamponade and its pathology
Medical emergency where accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac restricts cardiac filling and compromises cardiac output. Inelastic pericardium restricts how much fluid can accumulate- pericardial pressure rises and compromises cardiac filling.
What are some possible causes of cardiac tamponade?
- Pericardial effusion causes:
- SLE
- RA
- Malignancy
- Uraemia
- Infection
- Trauma
- Post MI (ventricular rupture)
- Aortic dissection
Describe the clinical presentation of cardiac tamponade
- Tachypnoea
- Dyspnoea
- Beck’s triad:
- Hypotension (falling)
- Muffled heart sounds
- Jugular venous distension (rising)
- Needs urgent decompression
Define myocarditis
Describe the pathology
What are the possible causes?
Group of conditions characterised by inflammation of the myocardium in the abscence of predominant ischaemia.
Causes:
- Wide range of infectious causes (e.g Coxsackie virus)
- Non infectious, immune and toxin/drug related causes
Inflammatory cell infiltrate with or without evidence of myocyte injury
Describe the clinical presentation of myocarditis
- Acute or chronic presentations
- Mainly clinical features of heart failure
- Prognosis related to underlying cause
Define cardiomyopathies
Wide group of myocardial diseases (many have a strong genetic component) associated with mechanical and/or electrical dysfunction of the heart.
What should be excluded before diagnosing cardiomyopathies?
Ischaemic, hypertensive, valvular and congenital causes should be excluded.
What are the clinical features of cardiomyopathies?
Features of HF (systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction, arrhythmias, sudden death)
What are the main types of cardiomyopathies?
- Dilated
- Hypertrophic
- Restrictive
Define hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
What are the causes?
Describe the clinical features
The most common cardiomyopathy. Hypertrophy of left ventricle and interventricular septum
Caused by genetic mutations in sarcomeric proteins.
Pathology:
- Disorganised enlarged myofibres
- Asymmetrical septal hypertrophy may obstruct LV outflow tract
Clinical presentation:
- Manifests in adolescents/young adults
- Complications include arrhythmias and sudden death
Define dilated cardiomyopathies
Describe the pathology
What are the clinical features?
Characterised by left ventricle dilation and often hypertrophy (after ischaemia/abnormal loading excluded)
Pathology:
- Dilated left ventricle +/- hypertrophy and systolic dysfunction
Clinical notes:
- Features of progressive cardiac failure