Pathology of the Cardiovascular System 3 Flashcards
-Describe mural endocarditis and give common examples in domestic species. -Define conduction disorder/arrhythmia. -Know 3 important inherited arrhythmias in dogs. -Explain heart blocks- first, second and third degree. -Distinguish inherited from congenital, familial and acquired disorders. -Know important differences between foetal and adult circulation -Give good examples of each of the 3 important groups of commonly occurring congenital defects in the domestic species- persistent f
DISEASES OF THE ENDOCARDIUM
(Wall of the heart)
- INFLAMMATION- MURAL ENDOCARDITIS- necrotising endocarditis
- DEGENERATION- calcification, fibrosis.
NECROTISING ENDOCARDITIS
Associated with uraemia of acute or chronic renal failure.
Degeneration and necrosis of the LEFT ATRIAL endocardium (not particularly understood why)
Yellow-white plaques on atrial wall, may see associated ulceration and calcification
-Signs seen due to presumed toxic damage to small blood vessels and necrosis of the overlying cells.
-May be release of ammonia and pro-inflammatory cytokines.
INHERITED ARRHYTHMIAS AND CONDUCTION DISORDERS
In humans and animals, inherited arrhythmias and cardiac conduction system disease occur in very young patients.
Can be congenital heart disease, or occur in a structurally normal heart.
Mutations responsible for the majority of inherited arrhythmias occur in genes encoding for CYTOSKELETAL PROTEINS, SARCOMERIC PROTEINS, ION CHANNELS.
ARRHYTHMIA
Variation in rhythm
CONDUCTION DISORDER
Abnormality in the conduction system of the heart.
PRIMARY ARRHYTHMIAS/CONDUCTION DISORDERS
NO MORPHOLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES.
May be normal in some species/breeds- often disappear with increased activity (horses)
SECONDARY ARRHYTHMIAS/CONDUCTION DISORDERS
Seen secondary to underlying disease.
eg. Atrial fibrillation in cardiomyopathy.
eg. Ventricular tachycardia in ventricular hypertrophy.
eg. Heart block following myocardial damage.
INHERITED
Transmitted through genetic line, but may not be seen at birth. Can manifest when the animal is older.
Hereditary. Transmitted from parent to offspring.
CONGENITAL
Present at birth, may not be inherited.
Congenital anomaly or defect.
INHERITED ARRHYTHMIAS IN DOGS
-Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy- Boxers. Generally only seen in adult/older dogs.
Signs include ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) or ventricular tachycardia (VT)
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy in the Doberman. Increased VPCs or VT are evidence of occult disease.
- Inherited Ventricular Arrhythmias in German Shepherd Dogs- Sudden death syndrome at approximately 4-20 months. Check heart/lung/brain- true sudden death may not have obvious developed pathology.
SICK SINUS SYNDROME
aka. BRADYCARDIA-TACHYCARDIA SYNDROME.
A group of conduction disorders involving the sino-atrial node.
May or may not involve the atrio-ventricular node and bundle of His/branches.
Potentially life threatening- Periods of ventricular standstill cause syncope.
-Paroxysms of supraventricular tahcycardia cause syncope.
Usually idiopathic (spontaneous), but may have ischaemia of SA node. Possibly inherited in some breeds- miniature Schnauzer (especially bitches)
HEART BLOCKS
FIRST DEGREE- DELAY of impulse through AV node.
SECOND DEGREE- Intermittent FAILURE of conduction through AV node, with dropped beats.
Normal in the horse.
First degree can progress to second degree.
THIRD DEGREE- Complete failure of conduction (complete block)
Heart blocks are associated with areas of myocardial scarring in the horse and dog.
FAMILIAL
Present in some families and not others, or occurs more in family members than would be expected by chance.
Usually but not always inherited.
ACQUIRED
Originating after birth- not caused by hereditary or developmental factors, but instead by a reaction to environmental influences outside of the organism.
HEART AND GREAT VESSEL DEVELOPMENT
3 basic development stages.
- Looping
- Septation
- Separation of common truncus arteriosus in to aorta and pulmonary artery