Module 4: Cardiovascular Flashcards
What are the two types of cardiac disorders?
- Congenital heart disease (anatomic defects present at birth)
- Acquired heart disorders (develop after birth due to infection, autoimmune response, environmental, or familial factors)
What is the most common congenital heart defect?
Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
Define atrial septal defect (ASD)
An abnormal opening between the atria, allowing left-to-right shunting of blood, potentially causing HF and atrial dysrhythmias
What are the four main types of congenital heart defects classified by blood flow?
- Increased pulmonary blood flow
- Decreased pulmonary blood flow
- Obstructive defects
- Mixed blood flow
What are the primary symptoms of heart failure in children?
Impaired myocardial function: tachycardia, fatigue, decreased urinary output
Pulmonary congestion: tachypnea, cyanosis
Systemic venous congestion: weight gain, hepatomegaly (enlarged liver)
What congenital heart defect is associated with cyanotic “tet spells”?
Tetralogy of Fallot (defect that changes the way blood flows to the heart and lungs)
What are the clinical signs of coarctation of the aorta (CoA)?
High BP and bounding pulses in the arms, weak femoral pulses, and cool lower extremities
What are two physiological responses to chronic hypoxemia?
Polycythemia (over production of RBC) and clubbing (swollen finger tips or toes)
Name a major risk of untreated Kawasaki disease.
Coronary artery aneurysm
What is the main treatment goal for heart failure in children?
Improve cardiac function, remove fluid and sodium, decrease cardiac demands, and improve oxygenation
What is ventricular septal defect (VSD)
An opening between the ventricles that can cause heart failure. Many close spontaneously
What is patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
The ductus arteriosus fails to close, causing left-to-right shunting of blood from the aorta to the pulmonary artery
What are obstructive defects?
Blood flow is restricted due to stenosis, causing increased pressure before the obstruction
Define aortic stenosis (AS).
Narrowing of the aortic valve, leading to left ventricular hypertrophy and decreased cardiac output
What is pulmonic stenosis (PS)?
Narrowing at the pulmonary artery entrance, causing right ventricular hypertrophy and decreased pulmonary blood flow
What is the hallmark of cyanotic heart defects?
Decreased pulmonary blood flow with right-to-left shunting, leading to hypoxemia and cyanosis
What is tricuspid atresia?
Absence of the tricuspid valve, with blood flowing through an ASD or foramen ovale
What characterizes mixed blood flow defects?
Mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, leading to desaturation and pulmonary congestion
What is total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC)?
Pulmonary veins connect to the right atrium instead of the left, causing mixed blood flow
Define heart failure (HF) in children.
The heart is unable to pump adequate blood into systemic circulation
List symptoms of right-sided HF.
Weight gain, hepatomegaly (ENLARGED LIVER), peripheral edema, neck vein distention
List symptoms of left-sided HF.
Tachypnea, dyspnea, orthopnea, cyanosis, pulmonary congestion
What is bacterial endocarditis?
Infection of the heart lining, often requiring prophylactic antibiotics
What is rheumatic fever (RF)?
Inflammatory disease following group A streptococcal infection, potentially causing rheumatic heart disease (RHD)
How is Rheumatic Fever (RF) treated?
Penicillin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and bed rest during acute phases
What is hyperlipidemia?
High cholesterol levels; treated with diet changes and possibly medications
What is cardiomyopathy?
Disease of the heart muscle impairing contraction; includes dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive types
Name a common cause of systemic hypertension in children.
Secondary to renal, cardiovascular, endocrine, or neurological conditions
What is Kawasaki disease?
Acute vasculitis in children under 5, increasing risk of coronary artery aneurysm
What is the first priority in managing septic shock?
Early identification and multidisciplinary collaboration
What circulatory changes occur at birth?
The foramen ovale closes when left atrial pressure exceeds right atrial pressure, and the ductus arteriosus closes with increased oxygen levels
What diagnostic tools are used for cardiovascular dysfunction?
ECG, echocardiography, and cardiac catheterization
What are the nursing care priorities post-cardiac catheterization?
Monitor vital signs, check dressings, assess fluid intake, and monitor blood glucose levels
What are signs of pulmonary artery hypertension?
Dyspnea with exercise, chest pain, and syncope
What are common symptoms of systemic venous congestion in HF?
Weight gain, hepatomegaly, peripheral edema, ascites (excess fluid in abdomen), and neck vein distention
How are congenital heart defects classified hemodynamically?
By blood flow: increased, decreased, obstructive, or mixed
What is transposition of the great arteries (TGA)?
The pulmonary artery and aorta are switched, requiring septal defects for blood mixing
What is truncus arteriosus?
A single vessel overrides both ventricles, leading to mixed blood flow and hypoxemia
What is hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS)?
Underdeveloped left heart structures, with blood flow reliant on a patent ductus arteriosus
What is the clinical significance of “tet spells”?
They are acute cyanotic episodes in children with Tetralogy of Fallot
How is hypoxemia managed therapeutically?
Knee-chest position, oxygen therapy, and medications
How is shock classified?
Hypovolemic, distributive, and cardiogenic
What are the stages of septic shock?
Compensated, decompensated, and irreversible (terminal)
What are the three categories of cardiomyopathy?
Dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive
