Special pathology - cardiology

Question 1

veterinary cardiology focuses on?

Answer 1

small animal medicine

it just isn’t as applicable to large animal medicine.

Question 2

The heart is

Answer 2

a muscular four-chambered pump that simultaneously supplies blood to the pulmonary and systemic circulatory beds.

Question 3

Vascular system is subdivided: (4)

Answer 3

arterial
capillary
venous
lymphatic segments

Question 4

Heart lies within a fibroelastic sac =

Answer 4

pericardium

Question 5

wall of the heart is composed of three layers:

Answer 5

epicardium
myocardium
endocardium

Question 6

heart contains in order of blood flow four major blood vessels:

Answer 6

vena cava,
pulmonary artery
pulmonary vein
aorta

Question 7

name the heart Valves:

Answer 7

tricuspid / right atrioventricular
pulmonic semilunar
mitral / bicuspid / left atrioventricular
aortic semilunar

Question 8

Stroke volume or systolic volume (SV) is defined as

Answer 8

The amount of blood ejected per beat by the left ventricle into the aorta
(or from the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery).

Cattle 0.5 – 0.6 l (at rest)
Horse 0.8 – 0.9 l

Question 9

Cardiac output (CO) is defined as

Answer 9

cardiac minute volume so the total volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute (denoted with symbol ‘Q’).

Cattle 30 – 35 l
Horse 20 – 30 l

Question 10

Cardiac output can be increased by how much

Answer 10

5 – 6 times.

The maximum and minimum stroke volumes characterise accommodation dynamics, or the extent of adaptation.

Question 11

In the case of short-term physical loads, what type of regulation of cardiac function occurs?

Answer 11

neural regulation (via the parasympathetic and
sympathetic nervous systems), and endocrine regulation

Question 12

Reflex regulation of cardiac function occurs via

Answer 12

the cardiovascular centre of medulla oblongata (myelencephalon).

Question 13

Mechanical pumping of the heart must be preceded by

Answer 13

an electrophysiologic process that triggers a coordinated
chronologic sequence of electrical events that result in muscle contractions.

This electrophysiologic process is made possible by a network of special conducting fibers that are collectively referred to as the cardiac conduction system.

Question 14

the two phases of a cardiac contraction are

Answer 14

-sequential contraction (systole)
-relaxation (diastole)

Question 15

Nerve supply to the heart: (3-4)

Answer 15

is autonomic and includes

-sympathetic-
-parasympathetic &
-nonadrenergic noncholinergic innervation

Question 16

What provides the force of cardiac contraction?
What controls the flow and volume of the heart?

Answer 16

Cardiac myocytes provide the force of contraction;

the conduction system and the nervous system control the flow and volume.

Question 17

Angiocardiography

Answer 17

method of following the passage of blood through the heart and great vessels by means of the intravenous injection of a radiopaque fluid, whose passage is followed by serialized X-ray pictures.

Question 18

purpose of Cardiac catheterization

Answer 18

may be performed to diagnose or evaluate: Causes of congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy.

used to examine your heart valves or take samples of blood or heart muscle.
may also be done to treat some types of heart conditions

Question 19

Cardiac myocardial damage can be detected by increased activity of serum enzymes and isoenzymes such as: (5)

Answer 19

creatine kinase (CK)
lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)

troponin T (TnT)
troponin I (TnI)
aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

Question 20

increased plasma concentrations of what may indicate
cardiac disease

Answer 20

besides serum enzymes, the 2 hormones:
plasma natriuretic peptides (A type [atrial] ANP and B type [brain BNP)

These hormones are synthesized and released by cardiac muscle cells in increased amounts during cardiac dysfunction.

Question 21

Heart failure is

Answer 21

a progressive clinical syndrome in which impaired pumping decreases ventricular ejection and impedes venous return.

Question 22

In heart failure, the heart fails either by

Answer 22

decreased blood pumping into the aorta and/or pulmonary artery to maintain arterial pressure (low-output heart failure)

or by an inability to adequately empty the venous reservoirs (congestive heart failure).

Question 23

low-output heart failure broadly involves

Answer 23

decreased blood pumping into the aorta and/or pulmonary artery to maintain arterial pressure

Question 24

congestive heart failure broadly involves

Answer 24

an inability to adequately empty the venous reservoirs

Question 25

Anamnestic signs of low cardiac output include: (4)

Answer 25

depression
lethargy
syncope
hypotension

Question 26

Anamnestic signs of congestive heart failure include what (3) in addition to the same signs that appear with low-output?

Answer 26

ascites,
pleural effusion,
pulmonary edema

Question 27

Congestive heart failure can be

Answer 27

right-sided, left-sided, or bilateral
and can occur with cardiac dilation and/or hypertrophy.

Question 28

Right-sided congestive heart failure is associated with signs of

Answer 28

congestion in the systemic circulation (i.e., ascites and peripheral edema)

Question 29

left-sided congestive heart failure causes signs of

Answer 29

congestion in the pulmonary circulation (i.e., pulmonary edema and dyspnea)

Question 30

In small animals, pleural effusion is usually associated with

Answer 30

bilateral congestive heart failure.

Question 31

Heart failure may result from: (3)

Answer 31

an inability of the heart to eject blood adequately,
from inadequate ventricular filling,
or both.

The resultant reduction in stroke volume (SV) leads to a decrease in cardiac output (CO) and a decrease in arterial blood pressure.

Question 32

(systolic failure) can be described as

Answer 32

an inability of the heart to eject blood adequately

Question 33

(diastolic failure) can be described as

Answer 33

inadequate ventricular filling

Question 34

reduction in stroke volume (SV) leads to

Answer 34

a decrease in cardiac output (CO) and a decrease in arterial blood pressure.

Question 35

Most Common Cardiac Diseases of Horses (4)

Answer 35

Fibrinous pericarditis
Toxic cardiomyopathy (ionophores, white snakeroot)

Endocardial fibrosis and calcification
Endocarditis

Question 36

Most Common Cardiac Diseases of pigs (3)

Answer 36

Mulberry heart disease (vitamin E–selenium deficiency)

Pericarditis
Endocarditis

Question 37

Most Common Cardiac Diseases of Ruminants (Cattle, Sheep, and Goats) (6)

Answer 37

White muscle disease (vitamin E–selenium deficiency)

Cardiotoxicity (ionophores, gossypol, Cassia occidentalis, Karwinskia humboldtiana)

Brisket disease (high-altitude disease)

Pericarditis
Endocarditis
Malignant lymphoma

Question 38

Most Common Cardiac Diseases in Dogs (6)

Answer 38

myxomatous valvular degeneration (valvular endocardiosis)
congenital heart disease
dilated cardiomyopathy

hemorrhagic pericardial effusion
cardiac neoplasia
dirofilariasis

Question 39

Most Common Cardiac Diseases in cats (4)

Answer 39

hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
dilated cardiomyopathy

hyperthyroidism-associated hypertrophy
congenital heart disease

Question 40

Myocarditis is generally the result of

Answer 40

infections spread hematogenously to the myocardium and occurs in various systemic diseases.

Question 41

Types of inflammation provoked by infectious agents that produce myocarditis include: (5)

Answer 41

suppurative
necrotizing
hemorrhagic
lymphocytic
eosinophilic

Question 42

Suppurative myocarditis results from

Answer 42

localization of pyogenic bacteria in the myocardium that are trapped in thromboemboli most commonly originating from vegetative valvular endocarditis on the mitral and aortic valces.

Question 43

Hypertrophy and Atrophy Cardiomyopathies are divided into five morphologic types:

Answer 43

hypertrophic
dilated (congestive)
restrictive

arrhythmogenic right ventricular
unclassified cardiomyopathies

Question 44

Secondary cardiomyopathies are

Answer 44

(also termed specific heart muscle diseases)

are generalized myocardial diseases of known cause.

Question 45

Cardiomyopathy is defined as

Answer 45

as a primary disease of the myocardium.

Question 46

Most of the cardiomyopathies of animals are

Answer 46

idiopathic diseases that are not the result of any systemic or other primary cardiac disease.

The cause has been identified in some cases as a genetic mutation and in others as an inherited trait.

Question 47

In animals (primarily dogs and cats), cardiomyopathies are classified as (4)

Answer 47

dilated cardiomyopathy,
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,
arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and
restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Question 48

In cats, if a specific cardiomyopathy cannot be identified,
the disease is classified as

Answer 48

cardiomyopathy, nonspecific phenotype.

Question 49

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by

Answer 49

the progressive loss of myocyte number and/or function, along with a decrease in cardiac contractility.

DCM is most prevalent in dogs, it typically occurs in middle-aged to older male dogs.

Causes of DCM include chemical (eg, doxorubicin), viral (eg, parvovirus), nutritional (taurine deficiency), genetic (in Doberman Pinschers and Boxers), or idiopathic.

Question 50

Myocardial necrosis and mineralization can result from a number of causes: (6)

Answer 50

-nutritional deficiencies
-chemical and plant toxins

-ischemia
-metabolic disorders

-heritable diseases
-physical injuries

Question 51

What is Myxomatous Valvular Degeneration (Valvular Endocardiosis)?

Answer 51

non-inflammatory progressive disarray of the valve structure caused by a defect in the mechanical integrity of the leaflet due to the altered synthesis and/or remodeling by type VI collagen. = becomes floppy and no longer does its job right

Degenerative changes in the valves are frequently seen in older dogs.

Question 52

Pericarditis is

Answer 52

Inflammation of the pericardium frequently seen with bacterial septicemias and typically results in fibrinous pericarditis.

Question 53

pericarditis grossly

Answer 53

both the visceral and parietal pericardial surfaces are covered by variable amounts of yellow fibrin deposits, which can result in adherence between the parietal and visceral layers.

Question 54

Pericardial Dilatation is

Answer 54

when The pericardium responds to excess fluid in the pericardial space by dilation.

outcome requires adequate time to allow adjustments in size

Question 55

In hemopericardium,

Answer 55

blood rapidly fills the pericardial cavity and death often occurs
unexpectedly from cardiac tamponade

Question 56

cardiac tamponade is

Answer 56

a condition with compression of the heart caused by blood accumulation leading to reduced cardiac output.

Question 57

Hydropericardium is

Answer 57

the accumulation of clear, light yellow, watery, serous fluid (i.e., transudate) in the pericardial sac.

Question 58

Most Common Diseases with Thrombosis and/or Embolism in Animals (up to 8)

Answer 58

Pulmonary thromboembolism
Aortic thromboembolism with cardiomyopathy: “Saddle” thrombi.

Aortoiliac thrombosis in horses
Verminous arteritis in horses: Strongylus vulgaris

Septic embolism from lesions of vegetative endocarditis
Fibrocartilaginous emboli: dogs

Conditions accompanied by DIC
Thrombosis of caudal vena cava: Cattle

Question 59

the 3 predisposing conditions that may result in thrombi

Answer 59

altered blood flow, hypercoagulability, endothelial damage

Question 60

most common site of Arterial Thromboembolism and Thrombosis in dogss

Answer 60

Aortoiliac thromboembolism

Question 61

Dirofilariasis (immitis)

Answer 61

(heartworm disease) an infection by parasites of the genus Dirofilaria. It is transmitted through a mosquito bite; its main hosts include dogs.

the parasites accumulate in the pulmonary arteries and as the numbers increase, they are present in the right ventricle, then in the right atrium, and finally may occupy the vena cavae.

Pulmonary hypertension results from vascular blockage and pulmonary vascular lesions produced by the parasites, and right ventricular hypertrophy follows.

Right-sided heart failure may eventually develop.