Pathology Flashcards
Presents with early cyanosis, often diagnosed prenatally or immediately after birth requiring urgent surgical treatment or maintenance of PDA
Right-to-left shunts
Types of right-to-left shunts
Truncus arteriosus (1 vessel) Transposition (2 vessel) Tricuspid atresia (3 vessel) Tetralogy of Fallot (4 vessel) TAPVR (5 letters in name)
Fails to divide into pulmonary trunk and aorta due to lack of aorticopulmonary septum formation
Truncus arteriosus
Defect that usually accompanies truncus arteriosus
VSD
Anatomic anomaly where the aorta arises from the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery from the left ventricle leading to separation of systemic and pulmonary circulations
Transposition of the Great vessels
Required in transposition of the great vessels to maintain life
Shunt (VSD, PDA, or patent foramen ovale)
Cause of transposition of great vessels
Failure of aorticopulmonary septum to spiral
Complication of truncus arteriosus
Fluid overload leading to heart failure
Chromosomal abnormality associated with truncus arteriosus
22q11 deletion (DiGeorge syndrome)
Risk factors associated with transposition of great vessels
Diabetes, rubella, poor nutrition, alcohol, age > 40 years
Anatomic anomaly that causes hypoplastic RV requiring ASD or VSD for viability
Tricuspid atresia
What is tricuspid atresia
Absence of tricuspid valve
Most common cause of early childhood cyanosis and caused by anterosuperior displacement of the infundibular system
Tetralogy of Fallot
Most important determinant for prognosis in Tetralogy of Fallot
Pulmonary infundibular stenosis
CXR finding in tetralogy of Fallot
Boot-shaped heart
Conditions found in tetralogy of Fallot
Pulmonary infundibular stenosis
Right ventricular hypertrophy
Overriding aorta
VSD
How does squatting improve cyanosis in tetralogy of Fallot
Increases SVR and decreases right-to-left shunt
Pulmonary veins fail to enter left atrium and drain into right heart circulation and usually associated with ASD or PDA
Total anomalous pulmonary venous return
Required to maintain cardiac output in TAPVR
ASD or PDA to maintain right-to-left shunting
Anatomic anomaly in which tricuspid valve leaflets are displaced downward into RV, artificially “atrializing” RV
Ebstein anomaly
Most common cause of Ebstein anomaly
Lithium exposure in utero
Associated conditions with Ebstein anomaly
Tricuspid regurgitation and HF
Set of conditions that present as acyanotic early on with cyanosis occurring years later
Left-to-right shunts
Types of left-to-right shunts
VSD > ASD > PDA
Most common congenital cardiac defect presenting as asymptomatic at birth, may manifests weeks later or remain asymptomatic
VSD
Prognosis for VSD
Most self-resolve, larger lesions may lead to LV overload and HF
Structures with increased O2 saturation in VSD
RV and pulmonary artery
Presents with loud S1 and wide, fixed-split S2 and may lead to paradoxical emboli
ASD
Structures with increased O2 saturation in ASD
RA, RV, and pulmonary artery
Cause of ASD
Missing septal tissue between atria
Most common ASD finding
Ostium secundum defects
Maintains patency of PDA
PGE synthesis and low O2 tension
Consequence of uncorrected PDA
Progressive RVH and/or LVH and HF
Findings in PDA
Late cyanosis in lower extremities, continuous “machine-like” murmur
Drug used to maintain patency of PDA
Indomethacin
Consequence of uncorrected left-to-right shunt
Eisenmenger syndrome
Mechanism of Eisenmenger syndrome
Early left-to-right shunt since LVP > RVP then pulmonary vasculature remodels causing pulmonary arterial hypertension leading to RVH; becomes right-to-left shunt since RVP > LVP
Presentation in Eisenmenger syndrome
Late cyanosis, clubbing, and polycythemia
Turner syndrome patient presents with HTN in upper extremities and weak, delayed pulse in lower extremities, and notched ribs on CXR - diagnosis
Coarctation of the aorta
Cause of notched ribs on CXR in coarctation of the aorta
Intercostal arteries enlarge and erode ribs
Preductal coarctation
Coarctation is before ductus arteriosus
Postductal coarctation
Coarctation is after ductus arteriosus
Aortic narrowing near insertion of ductus arteriosus associated with bicuspid aortic valve, other heart defects and Turner syndrome
Coarctation of the aorta
Congenital heart defects associated with alcohol exposure
VSD, PDA, ASD, tetralogy of Fallot
Congenital heart defects associated with congenital rubella
PDA, pulmonary artery stenosis, septal defects
Congenital heart defects associated with Down syndrome
AV septal defects, VSD, ASD
Congenital heart defects associated with infant of diabetic mother
Transposition of great vessels
Congenital heart defects associated with Marfan syndrome
MVP, thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection, aortic regurgitation
Congenital heart defects associated with prenatal lithium exposure
Ebstein anomaly
Congenital heart defects associated with Turner syndrome
Bicuspid valve, coarctation of the aorta
Congenital heart defects associated with Williams syndrome
Supravalvular aortic stenosis
Congenital heart defects associated with 22q11 syndromes
Truncus arteriosus, tetralogy of Fallot
Plaques or nodules composed of lipid-laden histiocytes in skin, especially the eyelids seen in type II familial hypercholesterolemia
Xanthomas
Lipid deposit in tendon, especially Achilles seen in type II familial hypercholesterolemia
Tendinous xanthoma
Lipid deposit in cornea, common in elderly, early in life in type II familial hypercholesterolemia
Corneal arcus
Hardening of arteries, with arterial wall thickening and loss of elasticity in small arteries and arterioles
Arteriosclerosis
Types of arteriosclerosis
Hyaline and Hyperplastic
Type of arteriosclerosis with thickening of vessel walls in essential HTN or DM
Hyaline arteriosclerosis
Type of arteriosclerosis with “onion skinning” in severe HTN with proliferation of smooth muscle cells
Hyperplastic arteriosclerosis
Type of sclerosis causing calcification of internal elastic lamina and media of medium sized vessels
Monckeberg sclerosis
X-ray finding in Monckeberg sclerosis
“Pipestem” appearance of medium sized vessels
Layer of artery not affected in Monckeberg sclerosis
Intima
A form of arteriosclerosis caused by buildup of cholesterol plaques affecting elastic arteries and large to medium-sized muscular arteries
Atherosclerosis
Arteries more commonly affected in atherosclerosis in order of incidence
Abdominal aorta > coronary artery > popliteal artery > carotid artery
Modifiable risk factors in atherosclerosis
Smoking, HTN, hyperlipidemia, DM
Nonmodifiable risk factors in atherosclerosis
Age, sex, family history
Gender and age group most commonly affected by atherosclerosis
Older men and postmenopausal women
Symptoms of atherosclerosis
Angina, claudication or asymptomatic
Complications of atherosclerosis
Aneurysms, ischemia, infarcts, peripheral vascular disease, thrombus, emboli
Common findings in atherosclerosis
Foam cells, fatty streaks
Growth factors involved in smooth muscle cell migration
PDGF and FGF
Foam cells
Lipid-laden macrophages
Important in pathogenesis of atherosclerotic plaque formation
Inflammation
First step in formation of atherosclerotic plaque
Endothelial cell dysfunction
Presents with abdominal and/or back pain, which is a sign of leaking, dissection or imminent rupture
Aortic aneurysm
Associated with atherosclerosis and presenting with palpable, pulsatile abdominal mass commonly below renal arteries caused by oxidative stress, vascular smooth muscle apoptosis or chronic transmural inflammation
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Risk factors associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm
Tobacco use, increased age, male sex, family history
Most common location of abdominal aortic aneurysms
Between level of renal arteries and aortic bifurcation
Mechanism of thoracic aortic aneurysm associated with HTN
HTN causes hyaline sclerosis of vasa vasorum causing ischemia and thinning of aortic wall
Mechanism of thoracic aortic aneurysm associated with 3rdtiary syphilis
Tertiary syphilis destroys vasa vasorum causing endarteritis obliterans
Mechanism of thoracic aortic aneurysm associated with Marfan syndrome
Elastic properties of fibrillin are compromised
Mechanism of thoracic aortic aneurysm associated with Ehler-Danlos syndrome
Collagen proteins disrupted
Complication of thoracic aortic aneurysm
Rupture or aortic root dilatation causing aortic valve regurgitation
Classic signs of abdominal aortic aneurysms
Severe left flank pain, pulsating mass with heartbeat, hypotension
Signs and symptoms of thoracic aortic aneurysms
Usually asymptomatic but can present with severe back and abdominal pain
Most common cause of traumatic aortic rupture
Blunt trauma like rapid deceleration injury or crush injury and penetrating trauma
Most common location of traumatic aortic rupture
Aortic isthmus (just distal to left subclavian artery at site of ductus arteriosus)
Aortic dissection involving ascending aorta, may extend to aortic arch or ascending aorta and result in aortic regurgitation or cardiac tamponade
Stanford type A
Aortic dissection involving only descending aorta below ligamentum arteriosum
Stanford type B
Treatment for Stanford type B aortic dissection
B-blockers then vasodilators
Treatment for Stanford type A aortic dissection
Surgery
Longitudinal intimal tear forming a false lumen that can present with tearing, sudden-onset chest pain, radiating to the back with unequal BP in arms
Aortic dissection
CXR finding in aortic dissection
Mediastinal widening
Complications in aortic dissection
Organ ischemia, aortic rupture or death
Exertional chest pain that resolves with rest or nitroglycerin usually 2ndary to atherosclerosis
Stable angina
Findings in stable angina
ST depression on ECG with no cardiac markers
CP occurring at rest triggered by cocaine, alcohol, or triptans 2ndary to coronary artery vasospasms
Prinzmetal angina
Treatment for Prinzmetal angina
Ca channel blockers, nitrates and smoking cessation
Thrombosis with complete coronary artery occlusion with increased frequency or intensity of CP at rest
Unstable angina
Risk factors associated with Prinzmetal angina
Smoking
Findings in Prinzmetal angina
Transient ST segment elevations on ECG and no cardiac markers
Findings in unstable angina
ST segment depression with T-wave inversions on ECG and no cardiac markers
Condition in which blood is shunted away from areas of heart perfused by stenosed arteries to areas that are well-perfused after administration of vasodilators causing ischemia in areas supplied by stenosed arteries.
Coronary steal syndrome
Caused by progressive onset of HF over many years due to chronic ischemic myocardial damage
Chronic ischemic heart disease
Most common cause of MI
Acute thrombosis due to rupture of coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque causing elevation of cardiac enzymes
Presents with ST elevation on ECG with Q-waves, transmural damage involving full thickness of myocardial wall
STEMI
Presents with ST depression on ECG with subendocardial infarcts and subendocardium ischemic damage
NSTEMI
Commonly occluded coronary arteries in order of incidence
LAD > RCA > circumflex artery
Common symptoms in MI
Diaphoresis, nausea, vomiting, severe retrosternal pain, pain in left arm and/or jaw, SOB and fatigue