Pulmonary Vascular Disease Flashcards
Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations (PAVM): definition
- abnormal communication between artery and vein
Why do patients get hypoxemic with an AVM
Shunt: no O2 exchange
Mechanisms of injury to pulmonary vasculature
- pulmonary embolus
- pulmonary arteriovenous malformation
- inflammation of vessels
- scarring of vessels
- pulmonary edema
Types of pulmonary embolisms
- thrombus
- tumor
- fat
- air
What is a saddle PE
lodges in bifurcation of the pulmonary artery
Method of increased mortality of PE
- unstable: hypotesion (SBP15 min
- much higher mortality up to 72 hrs
Individuals at risk for PE
- Women have increased risk
- obesity, smoking, hypertension, prolonged travel, immobilization, oral contraceptives
Populations at risk for PE
- malignancy, pregnancy, stroke, hospitalized patients, nephrotic syndrome, acute spinal cord injury, joint replacements, inherited disorders
Prediction model of PE & probability
- Wells Score
- probability: high>6, moderate: 2-6, low
Diagnosis: labs & imaging
- labs: D-dimer (fibrin degradation product indicating recent coagulation) **do this first, then proceed if positive
- imaging: CT angiogram (gold standard), VQ scan
Why do PEs occur
- Virchow’s Triad: venous stasis, endothelial injury, hypercoagulable state
- arise from lower extremity proximal veins usually
What happens when you get PE
- lung infarction
- low oxygen
- impairs CO
- V/Q mismatch
Why do you get impaired CO w/ PE
- increased PVR leads to RV dilation, flattening IV septum, compressing LV space, which ultimately leads to decreased CO
Treatment of PE
- supportive care: oxygen, vasopressors, ventilator
- thrombolytics
- anticoagulation (minimum of 3 months): heparin or fondaparinux then go home with oral coumadin, factor Xa inhibitors, or direct thrombin inhibitors
- IVC filter (rarely used): net that catches things in IVC
What does presentation with cyanosis tell you?
- CHRONIC hypoxia
Pulmonary AVM: how are they grouped
- defined by size and how many feeding/draining vessels
Pulmonary AVM: location
- usually lower lobe (70%)
Pulmonary AVM associated with
- HHT (30%)
- trauma
- hepatopulmonary syndrome
Causes of mortality with pulmonary AVM
- stroke
- cerebral abscess
- hemoptysis
- hemothorax
Treatment of pulmonary AVM
- embolization: clot off vessels
- surgery
Differential Dx of cavitating lung nodules
- infection: septic emboli, fungal infection
- malignancy
- vasculitis
- primary rheumatologic disease