Vascular Flashcards
List the definitions for the following:
- Ischaemia
- Necrosis
- Gangrene
Ischaemia - inadequate oxygen supply to the tissues, as a result of reduced blood supply
Necrosis - death of tissue
Gangrene - death of tissue, specifically as a result of reduced blood supply
Outline the pathophysiology of peripheral arterial disease and how it leads to symptoms
Narrowing of the arteries supplying the (lower) limbs, which reduces blood supply to these areas and leads to claudiation
List features of end stage peripheral arterial disease
- Pain at rest
- Non-healing ulcers and gangrene
Acute limb ischaemia - state the following:
- Pathophysiology
- Presentation
- Investigations
- Management
Pathophysiology:
- Rapid onset of ischaemia in a limb
- Typically occurs due to obstruction by a thrombus within the arterial supply in the distal aspect of a limb (can also occur due to compartment syndrome)
Presentation:
Sudden onset of the 6 P’s
1. Pain
2. Pallor
3. Paralysis
4. Pulseless
5. Paraesthesia
6. Perishingly cold
Investigations:
- Routine bloods including serum lactate, ECG and group and save
- Doppler ultrasound
- CT angiogram
Management:
Surgical emergency -salvageability within 6 hrs
- Endovascular thrombectomy
- Endovascular thrombolysis
- Bypass surgery
- Angioplasty
- Amputation
Also
- Bolus of heparin
- Analgesia
Outline 3 vascular changes that occur as a result of atherosclerosis
- Stiffness…resulting in hypertension
- Stenosis…resulting in reduced blood flow
- Plaque rupture (thrombus formation)
List modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis
Modifiable:
- Hypertension
- Alcohol intake
- Diet
- Exercise / sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Stress
- Poorly controlled co-morbidities e.g. diabetes
- Poor sleep
Non-modifiable:
- Age
- Genger (male)
- Family history
List co-morbidities that increase the risk of atherosclerosis
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- CKD
- Inflammatory conditions
- Atypical anti-psychotics
List the end results/consequences of atherosclerosis (what it predisposes you to)
- Angina / MI
- TIA / stroke
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Chronic mesenteric ischaemia
Outline the presentation of someone with intermittent claudication
- ‘Crampy’ pain
- Commonly in calves, but also buttocks and thighs
- Onset after walking a certain distance
List the 6 P’s of critical limb ischaemia
- Pain
- Pallor
- Paralysis
- Pulseless
- Paraesthesia
- Perishingly cold
Signs of peripheral arterial disease
- Ulcers
- Poor wound healing / gangrene
- Pallor
- Cyanosis
- Rubor if limb is below rest of the body
- Hair loss
- Muscle wasting
Explain the Buerger’s test
Used to assess peripheral arterial disease - 2 parts
Part 1:
- Patient lies down
- Elevate leg at 45 degrees and hold for 1-2 minutes
- If pallor, indicates peripheral arterial disease
(if no disease legs will remain pink)
Part 2:
- Patient hangs legs over the bed
- If blue initially then dark red, indicates peripheral arterial disease
(if no disease legs will remain pink)
List investigations for peripheral arterial disease
- Ankle-brachial pressure index
- Duplex ultrasound
- Angiography
Outline the management for peripheral arterial disease
Conservative:
- Risk factor modification
- Smoking cessation
- Weight management
- Supervised exercise programme
Medical:
- Analgesia (vasodilators work well e.g. Naftidrofuryl oxalate)
- Medications to reduce risk factors e.g. optimum diabetes control
Surgical:
- Endovascular revascularisation (minor stenosis)
- Surgical revascularisation (significant stenosis)
- May need an amputation
When might an amputation be required in perihperal arterial disease
Amputation if there is:
- Critical limb ischaemia unsuitable for other interventions
- Intractable pain (pain that can’t be helped with analgesia)
- Unresolving ulcer
- Severe loss of function