SA Cardiovascular exam Flashcards
How do you evaluate mucus membranes?
they are uniformly pink and moist to the touch.
animals that have anemia, cardiopulmonary problems, or liver disease may have discolored mucus membranes .
animals that are dehydrated will have dry and tacky mm.
what are the names used to describe abnormal mucus membranes
mm should be moist and shiny.
pallor= pale
cyanosis= blue color
jaundice= yellow color
what is crt? what does it indicate? how is it evaluated?
capillary refill time. it is an indication of the amount of blood reaching the peripheral circulation.
it is evaluated by gently pressing the gums to blank them, then measuring the time it takes for them to resume their normal pink color.
refill should be less than 2 seconds
crt can be affected by cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance.
what are the ways to check peripheral perfusion?
-crt
-temperature of ears and limbs
- color of footpads and nailbeds
how do you check on hydration status?
-evaluate as you are examining mucosa. Look at and touch the mucosa. it should be shiny and moist.
-note how quickly a fold of skin pinched over the shoulders returns to normal position -> hydration status for subcutaneous fascia.
-you can also evaluate by noting the position and moist appearance of the eye. ex) sunken eye = dehydration in calves.
how can you report on hydration, cardiac output, and oxygenation from checking the mucous membranes?
hydration -> mm should be pink and moist
cardiac output -> increased CRT on gums (gingival mm) suggest compromise of the cardiovascular system such as decreased cardiac output
oxygenation -> CRT is an indication of the amount of blood that is reaching the peripheral circulation.
How can you evaluate the pulse?
by palpating the femoral artery.
can also be checked at the dorsal pedal artery, coccygeal artery (COWS) and the lingual artery(useful in anesthetized patients)
what is pulse?
pulse is the difference in pressure within an artery between systole and diastole.
pulse= systole pulse pressure - diastolic pulse pressure
how do you characterize abnormal pulse quality?
hyperkinetic: bounding
hypokinetic: weak, thready.
where is the apex beat of the heart?
the apex beat is visible and palpable, and reflects the left ventricle striking the chest wall during systole.
It is normally found in the left 5th to 6th intercostal space dorsal to the olecranon (point of the elbow)
absence or deviation of the apex beat could be due to…
obesity, fluid, air or mass lesion in the pleural space, or pericardial abnormality.
What is your starting point for cardiac auscultation?
the apex beat, which corresponds to the left AV valve site
left AV (the valve between left atrium and left ventricle)
What cardiovascular events generate S1 and S2?
the first heart sound, S1 is the closure of the left and right atrioventricular valves and is the loudest at the cardiac apex.
the second heart sound, S2, is the closure of the aortic and pulmonic valves and is the loudest at the cardiac base.
what heart sound correlates with systole vs diastole?
S1 and S2 is systole. The interval between S2 and the next S1 is diastole.
what are the location to auscultate the four cardiac valves?
-Pulmonic valve: ventrally in the left 3rd intercostal space
-Aortic valve: left 4th intercostal space at the level of the shoulder
- Left AV: ventrally in the left 5th intercostal space
-Right AV: right 4th intercostal space at the level of the costochondral junction.
Identify the areas for auscultation of the cardiac valves?
1: left AV
2: aortic valve
3: pulmonic valve
4: right AV
