STRUCTURAL HEART DISEASE Flashcards

1
Q

List examples of congenital structural heart diseases

A

Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
Atrial septal defect (ASD)
Coarctation of the aorta

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2
Q

Describe the condition of ventricular septal defect (VSD) and the presentations

A

Septum fails to develop normally causing holes between ventricles causing the mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood

Presentations:

  • poor weight gain
  • poor feeding
  • palpitations
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3
Q

What is the treatment of VSD?

A

Open heart surgery/cardiac catherization to manually close it .

Sometimes if hole is small enough it closes when child grows older

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4
Q

Describe the condition of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)

A

Occurrence 4 different effects which can happen together

  • VSD
  • Pulmonary stenosis
  • Widening of aortic valve (causes mixing of blood)
  • Right ventricular hypertrophy
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5
Q

Describe the condition of atrial septal defect (ASD)

A

Wall between atria fails to develop properly causing a hole and mixing of blood

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6
Q

Describe the condition of coarctation of the aorta

A

Narrowing of the descending aortic artery increasing afterload and causing hypertrophy of ventricles and heart failure

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7
Q

List some valvular defects

A

Aortic stenosis
Aortic regurgitation

Mitral stenosis
Mitral regurgitation

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8
Q

Which valve disease is more prevalent in all age ranges, mitral or aortic?

A

Mitral valve disease

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9
Q

What is the most common valvular disease in the UK and Europe?

A

Aortic stenosis

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10
Q

What age group does aortic stenosis mainly affect?

A

Older people 70-80 yrs old

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11
Q

What is aortic stenosis often preceded by?

A

Aortic sclerosis

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12
Q

How is aortic stenosis often suspected?

A

Presence of an early-peaking, systolic ejection murmur and confirmed by echocardiography

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13
Q

What are the risk factors of aortic stenosis?

A
Hypertension
LDL levels
Smoking
Elevated C-reactive protein
Congenital bicuspid valves (more prone to wear and tear)
CKD (more exposed to infection)
Radiotherapy
Older age
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14
Q

What are the causes of aortic stenosis?

A

Rheumatic heart disease
Congenital heart disease
Calcium build up causing calcification

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15
Q

Describe the pathophysiology of an aortic stenosis?

A

Valvular endocardium is damaged due to abnormal blood flow across congenital bicuspid aortic valve or by unknown trigger

Inflammation causing fibrosis and deposition of calcium on valve

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16
Q

What is the pathophysiology of aortic stenosis in rhuematic disease?

A

Autoimmune inflammation triggered by prior streptococcus infection that targets the valvular endothelium eventually leading to calcification

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17
Q

How does aortic stenosis lead to systolic heart failure?

A

The pressure overload causes left ventricular hypertrophy as an adaptive mechanism to maintain normal wall stress
As stenosis gets worse, adaptive mechanism fails and wall stress increases eventually causing systolic heart failure

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18
Q

What investigations can you undergo to diagnose aortic stenosis?

A

Transthoracic echocardiography
ECG chest X ray
Cardiac catheterisation
Cardiac MRI

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19
Q

For what aortic stenosis patients should aortic valve replacement be done for?

A

Primary treatment of symptomatic aortic stenosis

Asymptomatic patients with severe AS with LVEF < 50% or who are undergoing other cardiac surgery

Asymptomatic patients with severe AS with rapid progression, abnormal exercise test or elevated serum BNP levels

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20
Q

What are the symptoms of aortic stenosis and what may they have in their history?

A

Exertional dyspnoea and fatigue
Chest pain
Ejection systolic murmur

History of:

  • rheumatic fever
  • high lipoprotein
  • high LDL
  • CKD
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21
Q

What is aortic regurgitation?

A

Diastolic leakage of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle due to incompetence of valve leaflets from either intrinsic valve disease or dilation of aortic root

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22
Q

What happens in chronic aortic regurgitation?

A

Gradually increase in LV volume leading to LV enlargement and eccentric hypertrophy.

Early stages: ejection fraction normal or slightly increase
After some time ejection fraction falls and LV end systolic volume rises. Eventually LV dyspnoea lowering coronary perfusion and causing ischemia, necrosis and apoptosis

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23
Q

What occurs in acute aortic regurgitation?

A

Increased blood volume in LV during systole due to blackflow causing LV end diastolic pressure to increase. This increases pulmonary venous pressure leading top dyspnea and pulmonary oedema and heart attack cumulating into cardiogenic shock

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24
Q

List the causes of aortic regurgitation

A
Rheumatic heart disease
Infective endocarditis
Aortic valve stenosis
Congenital heart defects
Congenital bicuspid valves

Aortic root dilation

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25
Q

What are the causes of dilation of the aortic root and thus aortic regurgitation?

A
Marfan's sundrome
Connective tissue diseases
Idiopathic
Akylosing spondilytis
Traumatic
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26
Q

What are some causes of acute aortic regurgitation?

A

Infective endocarditis causing rupture of leaflets or paravalvular leaks

Vegetations on valvular cusps causing inadequate closure of leaflets resulting in leakage of blood

Chest trauma causing tear in ascending aorta

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27
Q

What are some causes of chronic aortic regurgitation?

A

Bicuspid aortic valve

Rheumatic fever leading to fibrotic changes causing thickening and retraction of leaflets

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28
Q

How does acute AR present?

A
Cardiogenic shock
Tachycardia
Cyanosis
Pulmonary oedema 
Austin flint murmur
29
Q

How does chronic AR present?

A

Wide pulse pressure
Corrigan’s pulse (water hammer pulse)
Pistol shot pulse (traube sign)

30
Q

What are the investigations for aortic regurgitation?

A

Transthoracic echocardiography
Chest X ray
Cardiac catheterisation
Cardiac MRI/CT scan

31
Q

What is the management of aortic regurgitation?

A

Acute AR - ionotropes/vasodilators, valve replacement

Chronic symptomatic - valve replacement with vasodilator therapy

Chronic asymptomatic - drugs/reassurance if LV function normal

PREVENTION IS KEY - treat rheumatic fever/infective endocarditis with ABs

32
Q

What is the aetiology of mitral stenosis?

A
- Rheumatic fever (MS typically occurs decades after an 
  episode of this)
- Carcinoid syndrome
- Ergot/serotonergic drugs
- SLE
- Mitral annular calcification due to ageing
- Amyloidosis
- RA
- Whipple disease
- Congenital deformity
33
Q

What is the pathophysiology of mitral stenosis?

A

Acute insult e.g. rheumatic fever leads to multiple foci formation and infiltrates in the endo/myocardium and along walls of valves

Over time it is thickened, calcified and contracted causing stenosis

34
Q

What does mitral stenosis cause and thus how will the patient present?

A

Initially:
- Exertional dyspnoea (exercise) due to increased left
atrial pressure

Severe:
- Increase in left atrial pressure and increased back
pressure into pulmonary veins causing transudation of
fluid into lung interstitium and dyspnoea at
rest/exertion and or orthopnea

Pulmonary hypertension - hemoptysis if bronchial vein rupture
Decreased cardiac output due to limited left ventricular filling

35
Q

What is the management of mitral stenosis?

A

Progressive asymptomatic - no therapy needed
Severe asymptomatic - usually no therapy, maybe balloon valvotomy

Severe symptomatic - diuretic, balloon valvotomy, valve replacement/repair with adjunct beta blockers

36
Q

What are the acute causes of mitral regurgitation?

A
Mitral valve prolapse
Rheumatic heart disease
infective endocarditis
Following valvular surgery
Prosthetic mitral valve dysfunction
37
Q

What are the chronic causes of mitral regurgitation?

A
Rheumatic heart disease
SLE
Scleroderma
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Drug related
38
Q

What does chronic mitral regurgitation lead to?

A

Increased atrial pressure and volume due to back flow. This larger volume in atrium flows back into ventricle during LV diastole causing:

  • Increased ventricular pressure
  • Eccentric LV hypertrophy
  • Elongation of myocardial fibres and increased left ventricle end diastolic volume/diameter.

Increase in preload and decrease in afterload

39
Q

How does infective endocarditis cause mitral regurgitation?

A

Abscess formation, vegetations, rupture of chordae tendinae and leaflet perforation

40
Q

How does a patient with mitral regurgitation present?

A
Dyspnea
Diminished S1
Fatigue
Orthopnea
Chest pain
Atrial fibrillation
41
Q

What investigations can be done for a patient suspected with mitral regurgitation?

A
ECG
Transthoracic echocardiography
Cardiac catheterisation
Chest Xray
Cardiac MRI/CT scan
42
Q

What investigations can be done for a patient suspected with mitral stenosis?

A
ECG
Transthoracic echocardiography
Cardiac catheterisation
Chest Xray
Cardiac MRI/CT scan
43
Q

What is the management for a patient with mitral regurgitation?

A

Acute - emergency surgery with preoperative diuretics,
intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation

Chronic asymptomatic - ACE inhibitors, beta blockers. If left ventricular EF is < 60% first line surgery

Chronic symptomatic - surgery plus medical treatment. If left ventricular EF < 30% first line intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation

44
Q

What are cardiomyopathies?

A

Disease of heart muscle which makes it harder for heart to pump blood to rest of body and can lead to heart failure

45
Q

What are the main types of cardiomyopathies?

A

Dilated
Hypertrophic
Restrictive

46
Q

What age group does dilated cardiomyopathy most commonly occur at?

A

30-40 years old

47
Q

What is the aetiology of dilated cardiomyopathy?

A

Primary:

  • Familial
  • Idiopathic

Secondary:

  • Heart valve disease
  • After child birth
  • Thyroid disease
  • Myocarditis
  • Alcoholism
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Drugs
  • Mitochondrial disorders
48
Q

Is dilated cardiomyopathy reversible?

A

Usually irreversible

49
Q

What occurs in dilated cardiomyopathy?

A

Ventricular chamber enlargement and systolic dysfunction with normal left ventricular wall thickness

Lower ejection fraction and increase in ventricular wall stress and end systolic volumes
Compensatory mechanisms kick in but become overwhelmed and heart fails

50
Q

What is the hallmark of dilated cardiomyopathy?

A

Ventricular dilation usually > 4 cm at autopsy

51
Q

What are the compensatory mechanisms against dilated cardiomyopathy?

A

Increase heart rate
Increase tone of peripheral vascular system

Neurohumoral activation of renin-angiotensin aldosterone system and an increase in circulating levels of catecholamines

Increase natriuretic peptides

52
Q

How does dilated cardiomyopathy present?

A
Dyspnoea
Systolic murmur
Fatigue
Angina
Pulmonary congestion
Low cardiac output
Displaced apex beat, S3
53
Q

What investigations can you do for a patient suspected with dilated cardiomyopathy?

A
Genetic testing
Viral serology
ECG
Chest Xray
Cardiac catheterisation
Cardiac MRI/CT
Exercise stress test
Echocardiography
54
Q

What is the management of a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy?

A

Counselling since long term condition
Diet changes
Treat underlying
ACEi, beta blockers for heart failure symptoms
- (if ineffective consider heart transplant)
Anticoagulants

55
Q

What is the aetiology of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

A

Genetic- 50% are autosomal dominant Mendelian-inherited disease

56
Q

What is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in preadolescent and adolescent children?

A

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

57
Q

What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and where does it often occur?

A

Increase in left ventricular wall thickness that is not solely explained by abnormal loading conditions

Often involves interventricular septum causing obstruction to left ventricular outflow tract

58
Q

What is the hallmark of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

A

Inappropriate, often asymmetrical myocardial hypertrophy that occurs in absence of an obvious hypertrophy stimulus

59
Q

What does hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cause?

A

Abnormal diastolic function which impairs ventricular filling and increases filling pressure

Abnormal calcium kinetics
SDubendocardial ischaemia

60
Q

How may a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy present?

A
Sometimes asymptomatic with sudden cardiac death
Double carotid artery impulse
S3 gallop
Syncope
Presyncope
Ejection systolic murmur
Congestive heart failure
Dizziness
Palpitations
Angina
61
Q

What investigations can be done for a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

A
Haemoglobin level (anaemia exacerbates chest pain and dyspnea)
Elevated BNP levels
Elevated troponin T levels
Echocardiography
Chest Xray
Cardiac MRI
62
Q

What is the management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

A
Symptomatic:
- Beta blocker
- Verapamil
- Disopyramide (LVOT gradient + persistant symptoms + 
  absence of contraindication to drug)

Mechanical therapy (if refractory symptoms)

  • Pacemaker with AV delay
  • Septal myectomy/ablation
63
Q

What is restrictive cardiomyopathy?

A

Less well-defined since diagnosis based on presence of restrictive ventricular filling pattern

64
Q

What is the pathophysiology behind restrictive cardiomyopathy?

A

Characterised by diastolic dysfunction/heart failure with restrictive ventricular physiology and normal systolic function.
Atrial enlargement due to impaired ventricular filling

Impaired stiffness of myocardium causes ventricular pressure to rise very high but with only slight increase in volume

Prominent ventricular filling in early diastole but stops abruptly at end of rapid filling phase due to reduced compliance and thus reduced cardiac output

Systolic dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmias in advanced cases

65
Q

What is the aetiology behind restrictive cardiomyopathies?

A

Idiopathic
Familial
Systemic disorders e.g. haemochromatosis, amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, carcinoid syndrome, Fabry’s, scleroderma…

66
Q

How might a patient with restrictive cardiomyopathy present?

A

Ascities, pitting oedema of lower extremities, fluid in abdo or lung - comfortable in sitting position

Enlarged liver (maybe painful, full of fluid)

Weight loss, cardiac cachexia

Systemic findings e.g. easy bruising, periorbital purpura, macroglossia, carpal tunnel syndrome indicate amyloidosis

Increase jugular venous pressure

Decrease stroke volume, cardiac output and pulse volume

67
Q

What investigations can be done for a patient with restrictive cardiomyopathy?

A
CBC
Serology
Amyloidosis check
Chest Xray
ECG
Echocardiography
Cardiac catheterisation
Cardiac MRI/biopsy
68
Q

What is the management for restrictive cardiomyopathy?

A
  • Heart failure medication (ACEi, ARBs, diuretics,
    aldosterone inhibitors)
  • Antiarrhythmic therapy if conduction abnormalities
  • Immunosuppression (steroids)
  • Pacemaker
  • Transplant