Module 5 Cardiac Disorders Flashcards
Does cardiovascular disease “run in families”?
YES
What is the primary cause of CAD (coronary artery disease)?
Atherosclerosis
What % of atherosclerosis is attributed to genetics?
What are many of these genes associated with?
50%
Inflammation
What is multifactorial atherosclerosis?
many different genes working together to cause the problem
What are single gene causes of atherosclerosis/CAD?
Familial hypercholesterolemia- autosomal dominant
Familial hyperlipidemia- Autosomal recessive
Familial apolipoprotein A-deficienc- Autosomal recessive
What is an environmental risk factor for CAD that has genetic influence?
Tobacco / Smoking
What is the most common arrhythmia?
Atrial fibrillation
Is atrial fib caused more often by single gene or multifactorial?
Multifactorial. Very few single gene cases.
What is genetic heterogeneity?
Several different genes can independently cause disease.
What is long QT syndrome (LQTS)?
A group of disorders that involve a delay in repolarization during the cardiac cycle.
How many people are affected by LQTS?
1:2,000-3,000
What is considered a long QT interval for men and women?
Men: >440msec; Women .460msec
Is LQTS dangersous? What can occur?
Yes, potentially lethal. torsade de pointes (a lethal polymorphic ventricular tachycardia can occur.
What can trigger torsade de pointes (deadly arrhythmia) in someone with LQTS?
Electrolyte imbalance, swimming, sudden loud noises, bradycardia, etc.
What are channelopathies?
Arrhythmias caused by problems with genes coding for ion channels (sodium, potassium, and calcium)
Name one channelopathy.
Long QT Syndrome
What ion channel is responsible for the majority of Long QT Syndrome?
Potassium channel.
Besides channelopathy, what are other causes of LQTS?
Private mutation - in one individual
Congenital- present at birth. Can be autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant.
Drug induced- many different drugs are listed
What characterizes coronary heart disease?
Insufficient delivery of oxygenated blood to the myocardium (ischemia), because of atherosclerotic coronary arteries. (vascular disorder that narrows coronary arteries)
How many people die per year from heart disease?
600,000
What is the leading cause of death for men and women?
Heart disease.
What is the most common heart disease?
Coronary heart disease (CHD) also known as Coronary artery disease (CAD)
How many people have an MI per year? Is it usually the first MI of more often a repeat?
720,000. Most of the time it is a first MI.
Does CHD affect all ethnicities?
YES
What are the sequelae of CHD?
Angina MI Dysrhythmias Heart failure Sudden cardiac death
Nonmodifiable risk factors for CHD.
Age: 45 and over for men; 55 and over for women
Gender: male
Family hx of premature CHD:
MI or sudden cardiac death in male 1st degree relative at age less than 55 or female 1st degree relative at age less than 65
Modifiable risk factors for CHD.
Dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, DM,obesity, sedentary lifestyle
Lipid Risk Factors
Total cholesterol >200mg/dl
LDL cholesterol >130mg/dl
Triglycerides >150mg/dl
HDL cholesterol <40mg/dl
Non-traditional risk factors for CHD.
Non-traditional – markers of inflammation and thrombosis – C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, protein C, and plasminogen activtor inhibitor; hyperhomocysteinemia (Lee, 2008), and infection
Differentiate between stable plaques and vulnerable plaques in artherosclerosis.
Stable plaques - have more collagen and fibrin with a stable cap; usually asymptomatic or may be associated with exercise induced angina (stable angina)
Vulnerable plaques - have large lipid core and thin caps; hypertension causes high shear on the thin cap.
Pathogenesis of unstable plaque / thrombus formation
Thin cap - shear/ inflammation, apoptis- rupture of plaque - increased inflammation with release of multiple cytokines / platelet adherance - thrombus formation and vasoconstriction of vessel - decrease in coronary blood flow - unstable angina or MI
When does ischemia of the cardiac cells occur?
When the oxygen supply is insufficient to meet metabolic needs.````
What are two factors that can cause ischemia?
Impaired coronary perfusion: large, stable atherosclerotic plaque, acute platelet aggregation and thrombosis, vasospasm, and failure of autoregulation by microcirculation (Chronic - stable angina; Acute- MI or cardiac arrest)
Increased myocardial workload: heart rate, preload, afterload, and contractility (increasing in these)
What is angina pectoris?
Means chest pain and is associated with intermittent myocardial ischemia.
Stable angina facts.
- Most common
- Predictable, elicited by similar stimuli each time (physical exertion, emotional stress)
- Relieved by rest or nitroglycerin
Prinzmetal variant angina facts.
- Unpredictable
- Unrelated to exertion
- Occurs at rest
- Most people affected have significant coronary artherosclerosis
- Vasospasm is probable cause
- Treated with calcium channel blockers