Valve Heart disease

Question 1

What infective endocarditis?

Answer 1

Inflammation of the endocardium (valves typically) by a microbe. e.g S. aureus (acute) or S. viridans (sub acute)

The lesions are called vegetations. Can occur post surgery or IVDA’s. Also acute or sub acute.

Question 2

How can rheumatic fever affect valves? (post infection VHD)

Answer 2

Recap, caused by grp A streptococcus bacteria (streptococcus pyogenes). Hypersensitivity reaction. (immune response to M proteins on bacteria and our own)

Can cause heart scarring or valve scarring so vegetations, or mitral stenosis. May even be a precursor to endocarditis.

Question 3

How may rheumatic heart disease be histologically?

Answer 3

Presence of Aschoff bodies, foci of CT with lymphocytes, macrophages and shit.

Question 4

What is NBTE? (NB prostheic tumours end up being hypercoaguable states) and prosthetic valve

Answer 4

Non bacterial thrombotic endocarditis.Thrombosis on heart valves, due to hypercoaguable state. (in cancer or sepsis)

Question 5

How may a carcinoid tumour affect the heart?

Answer 5

Serotonin secreted will cause SM thickenings on right side if the heart. (paraneoplastic syndrome)

Question 6

When would valve calcification occur?

Answer 6

After extensive cell injury, cells accumulate calcium, If this happens continuously these deposits build up.

Question 7

What are some congenital valve defects

Answer 7

Bicuspid aortic valve; myxomatous mitral valve degenration; stenosis