Lecture 20: Va;vular Heart Disease Flashcards
what are the valvular heart diseases?
Valvular heart diseases can take the form of stenosis, insufficiency (regurgitation), or a combination of the two. These defects are typically acquired as the result of infections, underlying heart disease, or degenerative processes. However, certain congenital conditions can also cause valvular heart diseases. Acquired defects are found primarily in the left heart as a result of higher pressure and mechanical strain on the left ventricle. The type of valvular disease determines the type of cardiac stress and subsequent symptoms. Valvular stenosis leads to a greater pressure load and concentric hypertrophy, while insufficiencies are characterized by volume overload and an eccentric hypertrophy of the preceding heart cavities
what is the concentric hypertrophy?
Cardiac remodeling that occurs due to pressure overload and results in increased left ventricular wall thickness. Characterized by sarcomeres duplicating in parallel.
what is the eccentric hypertrophy?
A type of cardiac remodeling associated with dilated cardiomyopathy in which sarcomeres duplicate in series, causing muscle fibers to increase in length and width.
how valvular heart diseases are classified?
- -according to
1) valve involved - -Mitral
- -Tricuspid
- -Aortic
- -Pulmonary
2) nature of lesion - -Stenosis – valve opening is narrowed (blood flow through valve is restricted)
- -Regurgitation – valve is leaking (blood flows in opposite direction to normal flow)
congenital vs acquired valvular heart diseases?
1)Congenital
–Heart valve malformation/dysplasia (Bicuspid aortic valve)
–Tetralogy of Fallot
–Ebstein’s anomaly of TV
2)Acquired
–Rheumatic
–Degenerative
–Age related
–Myxomatous change
–Radiation
Rheumatological disorders
what is the rheumatic heart disease (RHD)?
A condition of cardiac inflammation and scarring due to an autoimmune reaction following Group A streptococcal infection (i.e., rheumatic fever). More common in children 5–15 years of age and in underdeveloped areas with minimal access to antibiotics. Acutely manifests with pancarditis; chronically, it causes valvular heart disease (e.g. stenosis and/or regurgitation). Most frequently causes mitral and/or aortic valvular dysfunction.
what is the pathophysiology of rheumatic fever?
Most commonly accepted mechanism : Group A β-hemolytic streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) (GAS): acute tonsillitis or pharyngitis (“strep throat”) without antibiotic treatment → antibodies develop against streptococcal M protein → cross-reaction of antibodies with nerve and myocardial proteins due to molecular mimicry → type II hypersensitivity reaction → acute inflammatory sequela
Rheumatic fever is not associated with streptococcal skin infections (e.g., erysipelas, impetigo, cellulitis).
does RF develop after streptococcal skin infection?
GAS infections of the skin tend to be complicated by poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis rather than rheumatic fever.
how many days after infection does RF develop?
2–4 weeks of acute infection
clinical features of acute RF?
The symptoms of acute rheumatic fever can be remembered with the JONES criteria, written with a heart-shaped O : J = Joints, ♥ = Pancarditis, N = Nodules, E = Erythema marginatum, S = Sydenham chorea
what are the heart manifestations of acute RF?
1) Pancarditis (endocarditis, myocarditis, and pericarditis)
2) Valvular lesions
- –Mitral valve (∼ 65% of cases)
- -Early mitral regurgitation or prolapse
- -Late mitral stenosis: Rheumatic fever is the most frequent cause of mitral stenosis.
- -Mixed mitral stenosis/regurgitation also possible
- –Aortic valve (∼ 25% of cases)
- -Aortic regurgitation
- -Aortic stenosis
- –Tricuspid valve (∼ 10% of cases)
3) Dilated cardiomyopathy due to severe valvular disease, myocarditis
what are the 2 most common valves involved in RF?
MV then AV
what is the Jones criteria?
Evidence of previous infection with streptococcal upper airway infection and 2 major criteria or 1 major criteria and 2 minor criteria
- -Major
1) Polyarthritis
2) Carditis
3) Sydenham’s chorea
4) Erythema marginatum
5) Subcutaneous nodules - -Minor
1) Fever
2) Arthralgia
3) Elevated c-reactive protein or Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
4) Prolonged PR interval on ECG
what is the most common clinical manifestation of RF?
- -Arthritis
- -Most common feature: present in 80% of patients
- -Painful, migratory, short duration,
- -Usually,>5 joints affected and large joints
- -Preferred (Knees, ankles, wrists, elbows)
what are the preferred joints in RF?
Knees, ankles, wrists, elbows
what is the most serious clinical manifestation of RF?
- -Carditis
- -Most serious manifestation
- -May lead to death in acute phase or at later stage
- -Any cardiac tissue may be affected
- -Valvular lesion most common: mitral and aortic
- -Seldom see isolated pericarditis or myocarditis
what is Sydenham’s chorea?
- -Extrapyramidal disorder
- -Fast, clonic, involuntary movements, Muscular hypotonus, Emotional lability
- -Usually a late manifestation: months after infection
- Streptococcal antigens lead to antibody production → antibodies cross-react with structures of the basal ganglia (particularly the striatum) and cortical structures → reversible dysfunction of cortical and striatal circuits
what is the erythema marginatum?
- -Present in 7% of patients
- -Highly specific to ARF
- -Cutaneous lesion:
- -Reddish pink border, pale center, round or irregular shape, often on trunk or abdomen
- -Location: The trunk and limbs are affected; the face is spared. May rapidly appear and disappear at different locations.
- -Painless and nonpruritic
name skin manifestation of ARF except for erythema marginatum
- -Firm, non-tender, isolated or in clusters
- -Most common: along extensor surfaces of joints (Knees, elbows, wrists)
- -Last a few days only
- -Occur in 9 - 20% of cases
what is the aortic stenosis?
A valvular disease characterized by narrowing of the aortic valve, resulting in obstruction of the outflow of blood from the left ventricle into the aorta during systole.
what are the types of aortic stenosis?
- -Valvular: most common
- -Supravalvular
- -Subvalvular
what is the most common valvular lesion in the elderly?
aortic stenosis
aortic stenosis severity is defined according to…
- -Size of valve area
- -Velocity ratio
- -Pressure gradient across the valve
what is the epidemiology of aortic stenosis?
- -Prevalence of critical aortic stenosis (Helsinki Aging Study)
- -1-2% in 75-76 yr old
- -6% in 86 yr old
most patients with AS are symptomatic.T/F
False
- -Most of these patients are asymptomatic. Only 3.4% of individuals ≥ 75 years have severe aortic stenosis, which is typically symptomatic.
- -Symptoms usually present when the valve area is < 1 cm2 (normal 3–4 cm2) and when the pressure gradient across the stenotic valve is > 40–50 mm Hg.
what are the causes of aortic stenosis?
- -Degenerative calcification of tricuspid valve
- -Rheumatic heart disease
- -Congenital calcification of bicuspid valve
- -Radiation
- -CTD connective tissue disorder
what are the risk factors of AS?
- -Congenital valve abnormality
- -Atherosclerosis
- -Genetic factors
- -Hypercholesterolaemia
- -End-stage renal disease
what is the pathophysiology of AS?
1) Narrowed opening area of the aortic valve during systole → obstruction of blood flow from left ventricle (LV) → increased LV pressure → left ventricular concentric hypertrophy →
- -Increased LV oxygen demand
- -Impaired ventricular filling during diastole → left heart failure
- -Reduced coronary flow reserve
2) Initially, cardiac output (CO) can be maintained. Later, the decreased distensibility of the left ventricle reduces cardiac output and may then cause backflow into the pulmonary veins and capillaries → higher afterload (pulmonic pressure) on the right heart → right heart failure (see congestive heart failure)
why coronary blood supply to the ventricles is reduced in AS?
Impaired ventricular filling during diastole results in a reduced stroke volume; compensatory tachycardia maintains cardiac output but tachycardia is associated with a shortened diastole, thereby reducing the coronary filling time. The hypertrophic LV also compresses the coronary arteries, further reducing the coronary reserve.
what are the common presenting symptoms of AS?
- -Dyspnoea on exertion or decreased exercise tolerance
- -Exertional dizziness and pre syncope
- -Exertional angina (Remember mnemonic SAD –Syncope/angina/dyspnoea)
what are the end-stage symptoms of AS?
- -Heart failure
- -Syncope
- -Angina
what are the cardiac exam signs of AS?
- -Slow rising pulse – “parvus and tardus”
- -Apex beat sustained and later in disease displaced
- -Palpable systolic thrill
- -S2 soft, Split S2, S4
- -Early disease – ejection click
- -Murmur becomes softer as condition progresses due to LV dysfunction-low flow low grade AS
pulse pressure is decreased in AS. T/F
True
- -Small blood pressure amplitude, decreased pulse pressure
- -increased in AR
describe the murmur of AS
- -Harsh crescendo-decrescendo (diamond-shaped), late systolic ejection murmur that radiates bilaterally to the carotids
- -Best heard in the 2nd right intercostal space
- -Hand grip decreases the intensity of the murmur. (Due to increased afterload)
- -Valsalva and standing from squatting (Decreases preload) decreases or does not change the intensity of the murmur (in contrast to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) –Loudest on expiration and with leaning forward
- -Radiating to carotids and apex but not axilla
- -Accentuated by expiration