History, PE, & Diagnostics for Cardiac Disease Flashcards
How can age help with diagnosing cardiac disease? What is unique in cats?
- YOUNG = congenital conditions most likely —> aortic stenosis, PDA, pulmonic stenosis
- OLD = acquired conditions most likely —> myxomatous valvular degeneration, DCM
HCM can occur at ANY age
What breeds of dogs most commonly develop DCM? Valvular degeneration?
DCM = large breeds —> Doberman, Irish Wolfhounds, Great Danes
VD = small breeds —> Poodles, Chihuahuas, CKCS
In what breeds of cats is HCM most common?
- Maine Coons
- Ragdolls
- British Shorthairs
- Sphynx
- Persians
- Chartreux
What is indicative of right-sided heart disease?
decreases flow from the body to the right side or from the right side to the lungs, so it backs up in the body (high venous pressure)
- ascites
- jugular distention
- enlarged liver
(rare in cats)
What is indicative of left-sided heart disease?
impairs blood flow out of the left side, so it backs up in the lungs (chest cavity in cats)
- cough
- dyspnea
- pulmonary edema
- syncope
- pleural effusion and aortic thromboembolism in cats
Why do cats get pleural effusion more commonly compared to pulmonary edema in cases of left-sided heart disease?
cats have poorer LA function nd increased RV dimensions
(can still get pulmonary edema!)
What are 4 times where a heart murmur is considered an issue?
- puppy or kitten - must differentiate from physiologic
- new murmur
- worsening murmur
- symptoms accompany murmur
What are some cardiac diseases that do not present with murmurs?
- HCM
- DCM
- effusions that muffle heart sounds
What is occult cardiac disease? Mild?
subclinical disease lacking signs
mildly enlarged heart causes a cough due to bronchial compression, but no other symptoms other than a murmur
What are some presenting complaints that can be associated with cardiac disease?
- coughing
- dyspnea
- tachypnea
- lethargy
- collapsing
NONSPECIFIC
What are the differences between acute, chronic, and intermittent symptoms that may be contributed to cardiovascular disease?
ACUTE = more likely cardiac in origin, often historic murmur
CHRONIC = less likely cardiac; coughing, but fine between episodes
INTERMITTENT = must rule out common cardiac origins —> pericardial effusion, pulmonary hypertension (exertional), arrhythmias - all with the ability to possibly resolve
What are 3 indications of end-stage cardiac disease?
- severe coughing in dogs
- dyspnea from pulmonary edema in dogs and cats (left sided)
- dyspnea from pleural effusion in cats - L > R
cats do NOT cough with cardiac disease
When do cats cough with “cardiac” disease?
heartworm —> spread to pulmonary arteries (mostly a lung disease)
Cardiac vs. primary airway disease - history:
What is syncope? What are some causes?
transient loss of consciousness and postural tone caused by decreased cerebral perfusion
- pulmonary hypertension
- heart failure
- hypotensive shock
- arrhythmias
- pulmonic stenosis
- low blood pressure
- drugs
- hypoglycemia
- vasovagal
How are temperature affected by heart failure?
often normal or low
What is the palpable pulse? How is it most commonly affected by heart failure?
perceived difference between systolic and diastolic pressures
- increased HR (> 150) with heart failure, fear, excitement, exercise, pain, fever
- decreased HR (< 60) with feline heart failure, sleep, excessive parasympathetic tone, conduction disturbances (AV block, cardiac disease)
Why should auscultated heart rate be compared to pulse rate?
gives a clue into beating inefficiencies —> blood is likely not getting where it needs to be
What are hyperkinetic and hypokinetic pulses?
large/strong —> abnormal distension common during exercise or anemia
small/weak —> obliterated by finger pressure and short due to poor LV stroke volume caused by DCM, shock, aortic stenosis, or pericardial effusion
What are waterhammer and alternating pulses?
strong pulse with sharp rise and fall in pressure indicative of marked variation between systolic and diastolic pressures —> severe anemia, AV shunts
marked difference from pulse to pulse —> arrhythmias
What is sinus arrhythmia? What is the most common cause?
regularly irregular arrhythmia caused by a gradual increase and decrease with respiration and inhalation (decreases with exhale)
high vagal tone —> NOT heart failure or pathologic in dogs, but animals in heart failure are unable to do this
What is indicative of a pathologic arrhythmia?
irregularly irregular or regular with premature beats
- atrial fibrillation
- frequent VPCs
How does breed commonly affect the degree of murmur?
SMALL BREEDS = typically have loud murmurs Grade III or larger + valvular disease
LARGE BREEDS = typically have softer murmurs, often caused by DCM
(young dogs in CHF due to congenital disease typically have significant murmurs)
Why is it important to assess mucous membranes and CRT in patients with cardiovascular disease?
can cause anemia, hypotension, and poor perfusion = cyanosis
- could be a reverse PDA (R to L)
How can cardiovascular disease affect the mucous membranes?
- pale/grey/muddy = fear, hypoxia, shock, poor perfusion, anemia
- cyanotic = hypoxia, left heart failure, end-stage respiratory disease, airway obstruction
- slow CRT = decreased LV output or peripheral vasoconstriction
How can cardiovascular disease affect respiratory rate and effort?
increased rate and effort = key feature to monitor improvement or worsening
What 3 respiratory sounds can be heard with cardiovascular disease? What sound is typically considered a respiratory cause?
- harsh lung sounds - common with CHF due to increased effort needed to breath with the interstitial fluid dampening expansion of airways
- muffled lung sounds - effusion blocks sound
- crackles - alveoli opening due to severe pulmonary infiltrates (dyspneic with heart disease)
wheezes
How does right-sided heart disease affect the cardiovascular system?
increases venous pressure
- right-sided failure
- tricuspid disease
- pulmonary hypertension
- caval syndrome
- pericardial disease
- volume overload
- cranial mediastinal mass
What cardiovascular cause is related to ascites? What are some rule outs?
right-sided disease
- hemoabdomen
- lymph buildup
- uroabdomen
- peritonitis
- pregnancy
- hyperadrenocorticism
- splenomegaly, other organomegaly
What is cardiac cachexia? What typically exacerbates this disorder?
loss of muscle/lea body mass due to heart failure associated with shortened survival time in dogs —> end-stage, negatively impacts appetite and mobility
protein restricted diet
What is an apex beat? Where is it normally found? What does it mean if it’s shifted?
area near the mitral valve where the heartbeat is strongest —> 5-6th ICS on the left in the mid ventral third of the thorax
- CRANIAL = masses, hernias
- CAUDAL = anterior thoracic masses