Pathophysiology Of Heart Failure Flashcards
What is the equation for cardiac output?
CO = Stroke volume x Heart rate
What is cardiac output?
The volume of blood expelled per ventricle per minute
What is stroke volume?
The volume of blood ejected by a single ventricle in a single beat
What is the total (total volume of blood available) called available at the end of diastole?
End Diastolic Volume
What is ejection fraction?
The amount of blood ejected by ventricle in a single heart beat as a fraction of total volume available (EDV)
What determines stroke volume?
Pre load
Myocardial contractility
After load
What is pre load?
The stretch on the ventricle just before contraction
What is afterload?
Total peripheral resistance
How does preload release to stroke volume?
The larger the volume in the ventricle at the end diastole (EDV) the more the ventricles stretch
The more stretch = higher stroke vol = higher CO = CARDIAC MYOCYTES CONTRACT HARDER (up until a certain point)
What is the term which describes the increased strength of contraction of the heart?
+ve inotropy
What balances the increased sympathetic activity of the heart (+ve inotropy) as stroke volume increases?
After load increases (as BP increases)
What is after load?
The pressure against the ventricle is ejecting blood
Generally what is the definition of heart failure?
The inability of the heart to meet the demands of the body (cant deliver enough 02 for example)
What is the clinical description of heart failure?
The clinical syndrome of reduced cardiac output, tissue hypoperfusion, increased pulmonary pressures and tissue congestion
What are the 2 ways which lead to reduced CO?
Impaired ventricular filling
Impaired emptying of the heart
What is tissue congestion?
When tissue fluid accumulates in the tissues (oedema)
What is the most common cause of heart failure?
Ischaemic heart disease = lack of blood supply to heart
What can cause heart failure?
Ischaemic heart disease
Hypertension
Valvular disease
Cardiomyopathies (hypertrophic)
Arrhythmias
How can sepsis and thyrotoxicosis cause heart failure?
The body has an extremely high metabolic demand. The cardiac output of the heart cant meet this demand
VERY RARE
How does ischaemic heart damage leading to remodelling affect the heart
Loss of myocytes + fibrosis:
Changes the ventricles ability to function, its size or its shape
This can affect the ventricles ability to fill or eject blood
What is the general problem if heart failure is an issue with ejection?
A contractile problem
What can make it so the heart cant pump with enough force?
Muscle walls thin and fibrosed
Chanmber space enlarged
Abnormal/uncoordinated myocardial contraction
When heart failure is caused be a filling problem how can ventricular volume/capacity for blood be reduced?
Ventricular chambers too stiff/not relaxed enough
Ventricular wall too thick
SPACE AVAILABLE IN VENTRICLE IS REDUCED (EDV/PRE LOAD IS REDUCED)