Ischaemic Heart Disease & Heart Failure Flashcards
What is ischaemic heart disease?
Inadequate blood supply to the myocardium, resulting in lack of oxygen and decreased availability and removal of metabolites
What is cause of ischaemic heart disease in 90% of cases?
Decreased coronary blood flow due to obstruction of the coronary arteries by atheroma
Often referred to as coronary heart disease
Why is there often a coexisting component of myocardial hypertrophy in IHD?
Systemic hypertension - that increases the workload of the heart
How significant is IHD?
Is the leading cause of death globally
Difference between acute and chronic IHD in terms of coronary atherosclerosis?
Chronic: due to a progressive narrowing of the lumen leading to stenosis (chronic, fixed, blockages) Acute: due to acute plaque disruptions with thrombosis (sudden)
When is stenosis critical?
75% vessel occlusion - symptomatic during exercise
90% vessel occlusion - symptomatic even at rest
When may collateral vessels develop during IHD?
Slowly developing occlusions may lead to the development of collateral vessels over time, which can be protective
When does myocardial necrosis begin after coronary occlusion? What type of necrosis is this (histologically)?
- Approx 30 mins after coronary occlusion with class features of an MI seen after reduced perfusion for 2-4 hours
- Of coagulative type
How soon is reperfusion needed to prevent cell loss?
<20 mins
What is angina pectoris?
Complex of symptoms characterised by paroxysmal attacks of chest pain (constricting, squeezing, choking, knife-like) caused by transient (secs-to-minutes) myocardiac ischaemia that doesn’t induce the cellular necrosis that defines ischaemia
What are the 3 types of angina pectoris?
- Typical/stable 2. Crescendo/unstable 3. Variant/Prinzmetal
What characterises typical/stable angina?
- Symptoms brought on at a predictable level of exertion - Relieved by rest / or nitrates (vasodilator)
What characterises crescendo/unstable angina?
- Pain occurs with increasing frequency, or occurs at rest. - Lasts longer than “typical” angina
What is typical/stable angina due to?
Due to reduction of coronary perfusion to a critical level by chronic narrowing by atherosclerosis
What is crescendo/unstable angina due to?
Due to disruption of an atherosclerotic plaque (plaque rupture) with partial thrombosis and or embolism and or vasospasm Often occurs before an acute MI
What characterises variant/prinzmetal angina?
- Occurs at rest - Unrelated to exertion, heart rate or blood pressure
What is variant/prinzmetal angina due to?
Coronary artery spasm (can be seen in cocaine use)
What is acute coronary syndrome?
Encompasses a range of conditions that are due to a sudden reduction of blood flow to the heart.
What are 3 types of acute coronary syndrome?
- Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) 2. Unstable angina 3. ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)
What is sudden cardiac death?
A sudden, unexpected death caused by loss of heart function
What is sudden cardiac death usually due to?
Usually due to a lethal cardiac arrhythmia: - Could be due to ischaemia impinging on the conduction system itself - Usually due to electrical irritability of the myocardium away from the conduction system
What is the acute ischaemia underlying unstable angina or acute MI, or even sudden cardiac death usually due to?
An abrupt change in the atherosclerotic plaque, followed by thrombosis
What are 3 possible abrupt changes to the atherosclerotic plaque?
- Plaque rupture 2. Plaque erosion or ulceration 3. Haemorrhage into plaque
How can plaque rupture lead to acute ischaemia?
Exposes the thrombogenic components of the plaque to the blood -> superimposed thrombus
How can plaque erosion or ulceration lead to acute ischaemia?
Causes endothelial injury and exposes the thrombogenic basement membrane to the blood -> superimposed thrombus
How can haemorrhage into the plaque lead to acute ischaemia?
Expands its volume (non-occlusive -> occlusive)
Which plaques are most at risk?
Lipid rich with a thin fibrous cap
What are extrinsic factors affect plaque rupture?
- Blood pressure - Emotional stress - Adrenaline (MI more common on waking)
What is transmural myocardial infarction? How does this differ from a subendocardial infarct?
Transmural: - Results when myocardial necrosis extends throughout the entire thickness of the myocardium - Due to complete occlusion of an epicardial coronary artery (i.e. STEMI) Subendocardial: - Results in necrosis exclusively involving the innermost aspect of the myocardium. - Usually a result of a partially occluded epicardial coronary artery (i.e. NSTEMI).
MI - Gross Morphology 1-2 days?
<24h normal 1-2 days: Pale, oedematous, myocyte necrosis, neutrophils
MI - Gross Morphology 3-4 days?
Yellow with haemorrhagic edge, myocyte necrosis, macrophages