Valvular Disease Flashcards
Why does rheumatic fever contribute to valve disease?
Inflammation caused by rheumatic fever is resolved with scarring and laying down of fibrous tissue, increasing the likelihood go bacteria attaching and forming a vegetation
What does a tapping apex beat indicate?
Mitral stenosis
What does a diffuse apex beat indicate?
Left sided failure and cardiomyopathy
Which 5 features should you use to describe murmurs?
1) Intensity (according to Levine’s grading)
2) Timing, eg. early, late or mid systolic/diastolic, pansystolic, holosystolic
3) Character & pitch (quality - plateau, crescendo etc; high/low pitch; blowing/rumbing character)
4) Location
5) Radiation
Mid-systolic ejection murmur, heard best over the aortic area, with radiation into the carotid, particularly on the right
Aortic stenosis
High pitched early diastolic decrescendo murmur a with soft blowing character the left sternal edge with no radiation
Aortic regurgitation
Mid-diastolic decrescendo murmur with low pitched rumbling/tapping character heard best over the apex with no radiation
Mitral stenosis
Pansystolic murmur with blowing character heard best in the apex which radiates to the axilla
Mitral regurgitation
Pansystolic murmur heard best at the left lower sternal border
Tricuspid regurgitation
Which underlying conditions predispose to infective endocarditis?
- Valvular heart disease, with stenosis or regurgitation (e.g calcifications or post rheumatic fever)
- Valve replacement surgery
- Structural congenital heart disease
- IV drug abuse
- Invasive vascular procedures such as intravascular lines
Which antibiotics should be used for streptococci viridians?
Benzylpenicillin + Gentamicin IV
Which antibiotics should be used for enterococcus faecalis?
Amoxicilin/Vancomycin + gentamicin IV
Which antibiotics should be used for staph aureus?
Flucloxacillin IV (non MRSA) Vancomycin IV + rifampicin PO (MRSA)
Which antibiotics should be used for staph epidermis?
Vancomycin + gentamicin IV + rifampicin PO
What is a cardiac murmur?
Audible turbulence of blood flow
What is the most common value lesion?
Aortic stenosis
What are the main underlying causes of aortic stenosis?
Degenerative process (age related) or congenital eg. bicuspid valve (2 cusps rather than 3) or rheumatic
What is the pathophysiology of aortic stenosis?
Calcium deposits occur on the cusps and the cusps actually fuse, limiting the volume of blood throug
What are the symptoms of aortic stenosis?
SOB, chest pain and dizziness
What kind of murmur occurs in aortic stenosis?
Ejection systolic murmur that can radiate to the carotids
What are the other signs of aortic stenosis?
- Low volume pulse
- Forceful displaced apex
- Murmur
What is the treatment of aortic stenosis?
Valve replacement, either:
- Conventional valve replacement
- Trans catheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI)
- Balloon Aortic valvotomy (BAV)
What is rheumatic heart disease?
Immune reaction following infection of streptococci