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Cardiology > Peripheral Vascular Disease > Flashcards

Peripheral Vascular Disease Flashcards

1
Q

You diagnose a patient with PVD and she asks you how she could’ve developed this disease. How do you answer?

A
  1. Structural changes in vessel wall
  2. Narrowing of vascular lumen
  3. Spasm
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2
Q

What is the normal diameter of the aorta from the base of the heart?

A

3 cm from origin at base of heart

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3
Q

A patients ascending aorta is 7cm. Is this normal?

A

No. The normal ascending aorta diameter is 5 – 6 cm length

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4
Q

A patients descending aorta is 1cm. Is this normal?

A

No. The normal descending aortal diameter 2 – 2.5 cm

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5
Q

If a patients abdominal aorta is 1.8–is this ok?

A

Yes: Narrows 1.7 – 1.9 cm

As the aorta pierces the diaphragm, it becomes the abdominal aorta

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6
Q

What is an Aortic aneurysm?

A

Abnormal localized dilatation of an artery

Diameter has increased by at least 50% compared with normal

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7
Q

T/F: A TRUE aortic aneurysm is a dilation of all 3 layers.

A

True

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8
Q

What is a fusiform aortic aneurysm?

A

Fusiform – symmetrical dilation of entire circumference (most common)

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9
Q

What is a saccular aneurysm?

A

localized out-pouching involving only a portion of circumference

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10
Q

What is the most common type of aortic aneurysm?

A

Fusiform

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11
Q

What is a False/Pseudoaneurysm?

A

Contained rupture of the vessel wall–

–that develops when blood leaks out of the vessel lumen

–through a hole in the intimal and medial layers

–and is contained by layer of adventitia or perivascular organized thrombus

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12
Q

Where do pseudo aneurysms develop? Are they stable?

A

Develop at sites of vessel injury – infection, trauma, puncture

No; they are very unstable and prone to rupture

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13
Q

A patient has an ascending aortic aneurysm, what are some possible causes?

A

Aging
HTN
Connective tissue disorders (Marfan’s)
Bicuspid aortic valve

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14
Q

If a patient had atherosclerosis and its associated risk factors, what could this ultimately cause?

A

Descending thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms

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15
Q

T or F: Ascending aortic aneurysms are more common in women

A

False

More common in men

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16
Q

You suspect your male patient has an aortic aneurysm, what type is it most likely to be?

A

Fusiform

often extend into the aortic arch

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17
Q

What condition predisposes patients to an aneurysm and dissection?

A

Bicuspid aortic valve

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18
Q

Where do descending thoracic aortic aneurysms begin?

A

Often begin distal to left subclavian artery

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19
Q

A patient with a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm may have what other predisposing condition?

A

Coarctation of the aorta

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20
Q

What is the most common type of descending aortic aneurysm?

A

Fusiform

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21
Q

Where are >90% of abdominal aneurysms?

A

distal to the renal arteries

“infrarenal abdominal aneurysms”

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22
Q

What are the risks for an AAA?

A 
1. Smoking 
increases risk 8x in ADAM
2. HTN 
present in 40% of patients
3. Family history and presence of COPD are also cofactors
4. Cholesterol may play a role
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23
Q

What are some other causes of true aneurysms?

A
  1. Infection

2. Vasculitis – Takayasu arteritis, giant cell arteritis

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24
Q

When a patient has a symptomatic aortic aneurysm, what are the symptoms most likely attributed to?

A

compression of other structures

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25
Q

A patient presents with cough, dyspnea, pneumonia, you know this patient has a coarctation of the aorta–what else is going on with this patient?

A

A thoracic aneurysm that is compressing the mainstem bronchus

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26
Q

How would a patient with an aortic aneurysm present if they are having esophageal compression?

A

dysphagia

hoarseness

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27
Q

If a patient with an AA presents with back pain and nonspecific GI symptoms, what should you be suspicious of?

A

AAA

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28
Q

Match these clinical presentations correctly:

  1. Ascending aneurysm
  2. Descending aneurysm
  3. Thoracoabdominal aneurysms

Answer choices:

a. Back / left flank pain
b. Pain anteriorly, under the breast bone
c. Interscapular region / upper back discomfort

A
  1. Ascending aneurysm
    b. Pain anteriorly, under the breast bone
  2. Descending aneurysm
    c. Interscapular region / upper back discomfort
  3. Thoracoabdominal aneurysms
    a. Back / left flank pain
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29
Q

What would you expect to find on physical exam for a patient with AA?

A
  1. Pulsatile mass
  2. Murmur aortic regurgitation*
  3. Features of Marfan’s syndrome

Incidental finding on imaging

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30
Q

What tests would you order when wanting to diagnose AA?

A
  1. U/S
  2. Contrast enhanced CT
  3. MRA
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31
Q

What is the most useful and least expensive mode of diagnosis of an AA?

A

U/S

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32
Q

What is the best used to assess progression of AAA size?

A

U/S

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33
Q

What is the average expansion of an AAA? What about a thoracic aneurysm?

A
  1. 4 cm/year AAA and

0. 1 cm/year thoracic

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34
Q

A patient was brought to the ED with severe pain, LOC, shock, and ultimately unfortunately died. Explain this situation. What was the cause of death? Why did this happen?

A

The patient’s death was a result of massive internal hemorrhage.

There was an aortic rupture

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35
Q

What aortic aneurysm rupture diameter is a “ticking time bomb” ?

A

> 6cm

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36
Q

A patient is diagnosed with AA and refuses treatment. He wants to know how long he has to live?

A

Average survival if untreated is 17 months

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37
Q

How do you treat Aortic Aneurysm?

A

Based on size and patient’s overall medical conditions

Close monitoring every 6 – 12 months if asymptomatic

Elective surgical intervention if symptomatic (regardless of size)

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38
Q

What are Indications for surgical repair for an AA patient?

A
  1. Ascending Aortic Aneurysm
    > 5.5 cm
    Marfan’s syndrome > 5.0 cm
  2. Descending Aortic Aneurysm
    > 6.5 cm
    Marfan’s syndrome > 6.0 cm
  3. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
    >5.5 cm, and/or
    growth > 1.0 cm/year
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39
Q

What is an aortic dissection?

A

Occurs when the blood-filled channel divides medial layers of aorta, splitting intima from adventitia

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40
Q

Paint the “Poster patient” for aortic dissection.

A

A 65 year old men with HTN and a h/o of cocaine abuse

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41
Q

What is the MC cause for dissection in patients <40 years old?

A

Marfan syndrome

pregnancy

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42
Q

Where do most of aortic dissections occur?

A

Ascending thoracic aorta

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43
Q

What is a Type A dissection?

A

Proximal: if ascending aorta involved

2/3 of cases

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44
Q

What is a type B dissection?

A

if occurs beyond left subclavian artery

does not involve ascending aorta

45
Q

Acute vs Chronic dissection?

A

symptoms of less than 2 weeks duration

46
Q

A patient is having anterior, substernal chest pain–what type of dissection is this?

A

Type A

47
Q

Scapular/back pain is associated with which dissection?

A

Type B

48
Q

What should you always consider in your differential diagnosis if the patient is complaining of chest, abdominal or back pain?!

A

aortic dissection and

ruptured thoracic or abdominal aneurysm

49
Q

How helpful is a CT angiography with an aortic dissection?

A

Can effectively exclude the major forms of life-threatening thoracic pathology

50
Q

Biomarker indicating activation of the coagulation system

A

D dimer

51
Q

What does a negative D dimer mean?

A

excludes acute aortic dissection

This is a good thing. You want it to be negative.

52
Q

A patient is diagnosed with Aortic dissection. What complications are a possibility?

A
  1. Pericardial tamponade
  2. Stroke
  3. MI
  4. Renal failure
  5. Limb ischemia
  6. Aortic regurgitation
53
Q

A patient was diagnosed with Aortic dissection and he wants to know what treatments are available. How do you respond?

A
  1. Goal – arrest progression of dissection
  2. If suspicion of dissection
    - -Reduce SBP
    - -Decrease force of LV contraction
    - —IV NTG, sodium nitroprusside, BBs, vasodilators
54
Q

How should you treat Type A aortic dissection?

A

Early surgical correction indicated

High risk for death, intrapericardial rupture, aortic reguritation or MI

55
Q

How is Type B aortic dissection treated?

A

Initially aggressive medical therapy alone

BB + afterload reducer

56
Q

When is surgery indicated for a Type B aortic dissection?

A
  • continued propagation
  • compromise of major branches of aorta
  • impending rupture
  • continued pain
57
Q

For which type (A or B) dissection is early surgical intervention indicated?

A

-Type A

Early surgical intervention does not improve outcome for Type B*

58
Q

Which type of aortic dissection has a high risk for death, intrapericardial rupture, aortic reguritation or MI?

A

Type A

59
Q

Formation of atherosclerotic plaques in large and medium-sized arteries

A

Peripheral Arterial Disease

60
Q

What are risk factors of PAD?

A

Cigarette smoking
Diabetes mellitus
Dyslipidemia
Hypertension

61
Q

A patient is having buttock, thigh and calf discomfort, precipitated by walking, relieved by rest, claudication. What is their diagnosis?

A

Peripheral arterial disease

62
Q

What sxs are associated with Severe PAD?

A

Pain at rest, feet & toes

Prone to ulcerations

63
Q

What can you expect to find on physical exam of a patient with PAD?

A
  1. Bruits
  2. Loss of pulses distal to stenotic segment
  3. Muscle atrophy
  4. Pallor
  5. Cyanotic discoloration
  6. Hair loss
  7. Ischemic ulcers – toes, lateral malleolus, painful
64
Q

This type of ulceration describes what kind of PAD?

Trauma heels / toes
Painful
Discrete edges - “punched out”
Edges covered with crust
Infected --> erythematous
Rapidly developing
A

Arterial

65
Q

Describe the ulceration associated with Venous PAD.

A
  1. Leads to stasis ulceration
  2. Painless
  3. Ankle / lower leg above medial malleolus
  4. Reddened, thickened over medial malleolus
  5. Cobblestone appearance
  6. Occurs with slightest trauma
  7. Slow developing
66
Q

What are the diagnostic studies for PAD?

A
  1. ABI
  2. Duplex ultrasonography
  3. MRA
  4. CTA
  5. Intra-arterial contrast angiography
67
Q

How do you take the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI)?

A

Measure systolic BP with Doppler in
each arm and
dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses

Divide the ankle pressure by the arm pressure bilaterally

68
Q

Which Ankle-Brachial index is diagnostic of PAD?

A

<0.9

Usually with symptoms of intermittent claudication

69
Q

Which Ankle-brachial index is diagnostic of severe PAD?

A
  • Severe PAD with critical leg ischemia

- Often have pain at rest

70
Q

What treatment do you give for all PAD patients?

A
  1. Antiplatelet therapy**
    - - ASA – shown to reduce CV morbidity and mortality
  2. Risk factor modification**
  3. Supportive care of feet / prevent trauma
  4. Formal exercise program – 1st line treatment
  5. Medical therapy
71
Q

What does “medical therapy” consist of with PAD?

A
  1. Cilostazol (Pletal)
    Selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor
    Vasodilator and platelet inhibitor properties
    Improves exercise capacity
  2. Pentoxifylline (Trental)
    Improve deformability of RBC & WBC
    May improve claudication symptoms
72
Q

Cilostazol (Pletal)

A

Used for PAD

Selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor
Vasodilator and platelet inhibitor properties
Improves exercise capacity

73
Q

Pentoxifylline (Trental)

A

Improve deformability of RBC & WBC

May improve claudication symptoms

74
Q

When is revascularization indicated for PAD?

A

–Indicated after failed medical therapy
–Or in cases of severe limb ischemia
Goal – heal ulcers, prevent limb loss
–PTA (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty)
–Surgery

75
Q

What is Acute Aortic Arterial occlusion usually caused by?

A 
embolization or thrombus
Origin of arterial emboli usually cardiac
Mitral stenosis
Atrial fibrillation
Acute AWMI
Infective endocarditis
76
Q

T or F: Acute Arterial Occlusions rarely originate from venous circulation

A

True

77
Q

What is a Paradoxical embolism?

A

Arterial embolism from venous circulation

Clot passes through an abnormal intracardiac communication (ASD, VSD, PFO)

78
Q

A patient comes in with abrupt onset of severe pain in his lumbar area, buttocks, perineum, abdomen and legs. What other associated sxs would you expect to see?

A

Diffuse cyanosis
From umbilicus to feet
Lower limbs pale and cold
Numbness, paresthesia, and paralysis

Absent pulses of lower limbs

79
Q

In a patient with Acute Arterial Occlusion, what does muscle necrosis produce?

A

myoglobinuria, renal failure, acidosis, hyperkalemia and death unless circulation restored promptly

80
Q

What is the treatment of Acute Arterial Occlusion?

A
  1. Anticoagulation
  2. Immediate revascularization procedure: limb viability at risk

High mortality rate

81
Q

“Pulseless disease” or “aortic arch syndrome”

A

Takayasu Arteritis

82
Q

A female asian patient comes in with malaise, fever, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, rash, arthralgia, and Raynaud phenomenon. What state of what specific condition does she have?

A

“Pre-pulseless” phase

Takayasu Arteritis

83
Q

In a Takayasu Arteritis patient, when should you see UE claudication? And what area is this from?

A

Once arterial obstruction develops–and it is from the subclavian artery stenosis

84
Q

In a Takayasu Arteritis patient, what does Absent or diminished carotid or limb pulses mean?

A

Arterial obstruction has developed

UE claudification from subclavian artery stenosis

85
Q

In a Takayasu Arteritis patient, what does malignant HTN suggest?

A

Narrowing of the aorta proximal to renal arteries

86
Q

With a Takayasu Arteritis patient, what causes the cardiac manifestations?

A
  1. Severe HTN,
  2. Dilatation of aortic root,
  3. Coronary artery stenosis
87
Q

How do you diagnose Takayasu Arteritis?

A
  1. Onset by age 40
  2. Upper-extremity claudication
  3. Diminished brachial pulses
  4. Greater than 10mmHg difference between SBP in arms
  5. Subclavian or aortic bruit
  6. Narrowing of the aorta or a major branch

-Presence of 3 of the 6 carries high diagnostic accuracy

88
Q

How do you treat Takayasu Arteritis?

A
  1. Steroid and cytotoxic drugs reduce inflammation

2. Surgical bypass

89
Q

Chronic vasculitis, medium to large arteries

Most commonly involve cranial vessels or aortic arch and branches

A

Giant Cell Arteritis (Temporal)

90
Q

A type of arteritis that may be associated with polymyalgia rheumatica

A

Giant Cell Arteritis (Temporal)

91
Q

A patient comes in complaining of facial pain and claudication of the jaw while chewing. Upon Physical exam you note diminished temporal pulses, Impaired vision (15 – 20% patients), Amaurosis fugax. What is the diagnosis?

A

Giant Cell Arteritis (Temporal)

92
Q

A patient comes in complaining of facial pain and claudication of the jaw while chewing. Upon Physical exam you note diminished temporal pulses, Impaired vision (15 – 20% patients), Amaurosis fugax. What is the treatment?

A

Do not wait on result of biopsy to start treatment!!

High-dose steroids
40 – 60 mg daily
Self-limited course 1 – 5 years

93
Q

A patient comes in complaining of facial pain and claudication of the jaw while chewing. Upon Physical exam you note diminished temporal pulses, Impaired vision (15 – 20% patients), Amaurosis fugax. Explain your lab/study findings.

A
  1. ESR and C-reactive protein elevated
  2. Ultrasound – demonstrates hypoechoic halo around involved vessel
  3. Diagnosis confirmed by biopsy of t`emporal artery
94
Q

Classically defined as episodes of discoloration of white ischemia, then blue stasis, then red hyperemia (recovery phase)

A

Raynaud Phenomenon

95
Q

What is the pathophysiology behind Raynaud Phenomenon?

A

Extreme vasoconstriction that temporarily obliterates vessel lumen
Cold exposure or emotional stress triggers spasms

96
Q

Raynaud Phenomenon

White?
Blue?
Red?

A

White – finger and/or toes interruption of blood flow

Cyanosis – local accumulation of desaturated hemoglobin

Ruddy color – blood flow resumes

97
Q

Secondary Raynaud phenomenon (symptoms caused by another etiology)

A
  1. Connective tissue disorder
    - -Scleroderma, SLE
  2. Arterial occlusive disorders
  3. Thoracic outlet syndrome
  4. Blood dycrasias
  5. Thermal or vibration injuries
  6. Carpal tunnel syndrome
  7. Drugs
98
Q

A patient comes in with atrophy of skin, subcutaneous tissues, muscle. Does not have ulceration, but it seems he has ischemic gangrene. What is your diagnosis?

A

Raynaud Phenomenon

99
Q

What are general measures for Raynaud’s patients?

A
  1. Avoidance of any environmental triggers, e.g. cold, vibration, etc.
  2. Warm clothing for the extremities such as mittens
  3. Smoking cessation.
100
Q

What are some emergency measures for Raynaud’s patients?

A

If white finger occurs unexpectedly and a source of warm water is available
allow tepid to slightly warm water to run over the affected digits while gently massaging the area.
Continue this process until the white area turns pink or a normal healthy color.

If triggered by exposure in a cold environment, and no warm water is available
place the affected digits in a warm body cavity - arm pit, crotch, or even in the mouth.
Keep the affected area warm at least until the whiteness returns to pink or a healthy color, avoid continued exposure to the cold.

101
Q

What are some drug therapies for Raynaud’s patients?

A

Prevent vasospasm
Calcium channel blockers
α-adrenergic blockers

102
Q

Dilated, tortuous superficial vessels

Common in lower extremities, especially saphenous veins

A

Varicose Veins

103
Q

What do Varicose veins result from?

A
  1. Intrinsic weakness of vessel wall
  2. Increased intraluminal pressure
  3. Congenital defects of valves
104
Q

A patient with these factors is likely suffering from which type of varicose veins?

  1. Familial
  2. Superficial system
  3. Pregnancy, prolonged standing, obesity
A

Primary

105
Q

A patient with secondary varicose veins will have what associations?

A
  1. Abnormality of deep venous system causes superficial varicosities
    - -Incompetent perforating veins
    - -Deep venous insufficiency or occlusion (DVT)
    - -Arteriovenous fistulas
106
Q

What are some sxs for Varicose vein patients?

A

Many asymptomatic

  1. Burning, bursting, bruised, or aching
  2. Exacerbated by prolonged standing or volume overload states
  3. Elevation relieves symptoms
107
Q

What is some treatment for patients with varicose veins?

A
  1. Sought for cosmetic reasons
  2. Elevate legs while supine
  3. Avoid prolong standing
  4. Wear external compression stockings
  5. Injection of sclerosing agent
  6. Laser – small veins
  7. Radiofrequency ablation and surgical vein ligation
108
Q

What is a thrombus composed of initially?

A

platelets and fibrin

Later RBCs become interspersed within fibrin

Thrombus tends to propagate in direction of blood flow

Cardiology (8 decks)

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