Pedi Cardio Flashcards
What can congenital heart disease lead to?
Heart failure, arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, and death
What are some of the generalized symptoms we look for in a baby that might have a cardiovascular problem?
Difficulty feeding, increased respiratory rate (or labored breathing), sweating, cyanosis, and syncope
In a little person, how do we make the diagnosis of a cardiovascular problem?
Clinical, PE, IMAGING IS EVERYTHING (echo), ECG, chest x-ray, and cardiac cath
There are 6 major complications of cardiovascular disease in a child, what are they?
CHF, Cyanosis, polycythemia, stroke, retardation of growth, pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary vascular obstructive disease (PVOD)
What is PVOD?
destruction of the pulmonary vascular bed in the presence of continuous pressure overload – leading to an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and elevation of pulmonary artery pressure
What is pulmonary arterial hypertension?
When systemic arterial pressure is very high leading to increased pressures in the right side of the heart; with lower pressures in the pulmonary arterioles it causes constriction to protect the capillaries (that can lead to narrowing and fibrosing)
If we see cyanosis is a baby, what does that commonly indicate?
Common with defects that result in right to left shunting of blood or heart failure
If a child is hypoxic and it is due to heart failure, will they respond to oxygen? What about right to left shunting?
Heart failure = RESPONDS to O2
R to L Shunting does NOT respond to O2
What would we look for on PE with cyanosis?
Clubbing of the finger with long-standing cyanosis
What else would a child have with right to left shunting or chronic hypoxemia?
Polycythemia = Hct >60
What can polycythemia from right to left shunting directly lead to?
Intracranial thrombus (stroke)
What else can cause a stroke in a child?
Paradoxical embolus
A baby presents for a check-up and while listening to their heart, you hear a holosystolic murmur along the left sternal border, what might it be?
VSD
What other murmur in adults has a holosystolic murmur?
Mitral regurg
What part of the ventricle would a child most likely have a ventricular septal defect?
The thin membranous septum (80%)
Muscular septum (20%)
What way does the blood move with a ventricular septal defect?
From left to right
If a child has a large VSD, what can happen?
Pulmonary artery hypertension is common and PVOD develops over time
Large defect results in LV dilation & failure
What would a small “restrictive” VDS cause?
Small L to R shunt that is typically well tolerated
What does a large VSD lead to?
Heart failure early in life
How would you diagnose VSD in a baby?
Echo
How would you manage a small VSD?
Regular follow-up with periodic echo-doppler to confirm closure
Some close by 18 months, 50% by 4 years
How would you treat a moderate to large VSD?
Treat like heart failure in adults
Surgical repair once heart failure is improved
What are the longer term complications of VSD?
If PAH continues over time → irreversible PVOD and then surgery carries high risks
If a 29 year old man presents after a long flight with left arm numbness and weakness with a small visual deficit, what diagnosis?
Atrial septal defect
What is the most common congenital heart defect that is often not detected until adulthood?
Atrial septal defect
How are the two atria formed?
Formed by fusion of 2 overlapping planes of tissue making the atrial septum
What is the problem with an atrial septal defect?
Large enough defect to allow free communication between the atria
Lack of fusion occurs in 25% of adults, leaving a patent foramen ovale
Where do most atrial septal defects occur?
In the mid septum (due to lack of tissue for overlap) AKA Ostium Secundum