Week 2 - Cardiac Conditions Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is a disease of the arteries caused by a build up of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls, causing them to harden and narrow.
What is Coronary Artery Disease?
Damage or disease in the heart’s major blood vessels.
The usual cause is the build-up of plaque. This causes coronary arteries to narrow, limiting blood flow to the heart.
What is angina?
A type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Reproducible symptoms, so happens under certain conditions and not others, eg. exercise.
What is a myocardial infarction?
AMI or Heart attack - blood flow is blocked to the heart and the cardiac muscle dies.
What is atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots in the heart.
What is heart failure?
The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s need for blood and oxygen.
What is the lumen of the artery?
The inside space or tube
What are the 5 risk factors of heart disease?
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Genetic component
What are the 5 stages of atherosclerosis?
- Intimal thickening
- Fatty streak
- Fibroatheroma
4, Plaque formation - Blood flow restriction
What is intimal thickening?
Wall thickening of the intima - cellular changes that cause the inner layer of the artery to thicken, decreasing the size of the lumen.
What is fibroatheroma?
The formation of fibrous tissue due to migration of cells
What is fibroatheroma?
Migration of cells, causing fibrous tissue to form
What are the 2 types of plaque?
Soft and hard
What is the common cause of coronary artery disease?
Atherosclerosis
What conditions can Coronary Artery Disease cause?
- Angina
- Myocardial infarction
- Arrythmias
- Heart failure
What conditions can Coronary Artery Disease cause?
- Angina
- Myocardial infarction
- Arrythmias
- Heart failure
What is arrythmia?
Improper beating of the heart, whether irregular, too fast or too slow.
What causes arrythmia?
Cardiac arrhythmia occurs when electrical impulses in the heart don’t work properly.
What causes arrythmia?
Cardiac arrhythmia occurs when electrical impulses in the heart don’t work properly.
What are the 2 reasons for heart failure?
- The heart is unable to pump
2. The heart is unable to fill sufficiently
What causes heart failure?
A severe cardiac infarction or multiple insults to the heart over time
What are modifiable risk factors for heart disease?
Smoking hypertension hypercholesterolemia obesity physical inactivity excessive alcohol consumption dietary factors
True or false. Smoking increases your risk of cardiovascular disease by 4 times?
True
True or false. Physical activity increases your risk of cardiovascular disease by 2 times?
False. Physical INactivity increases your risk of cardiovascular disease by 2 times.
What are non-modifiable risk factors of heart disease?
Age gender diabetes renal disease mental illness family history genetic
True or false, as age increases, risk of cardiovascular disease increases?
True
True or false, women in general have increased risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease over a lifetime?
False, MEN have increased risk
True or false, men have a higher risk than women of having cardiovascular disease when they are younger?
True
True or false, women have a higher risk factor of cardiovascular disease after 60?
True
What percentage of Australians are at risk of CVD?
75%
What percentage of Australians are at risk of CVD?
75%
How does angina present?
As heart attack symptoms.
What causes angina?
inadequate blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle
What is the management of angina?
Rest and nitroglycerine
What is unstable angina?
Occurs without warning, at rest and is not relieved by normal medications.
What does nitroglycerine do?
dilates the arteries
How is a myocardial infarction diagnosed?
Changes on an ECG or blood tests
What causes a myocardial infarction?
Severe or prolonged lack of blood and oxygen, leading to scarring or death of the myocardium
What are the signs or myocardial infarction?
Chest pain - crushing and central Pain radiating to the left arm and jaw Shortness of breath Sweating Loss of cosciousness
What is diaphoresis?
Sweating
What are percutaneous interventions?
Non-surgical procedures to treat coronary heart disease
What are 3 percutaneous interventions used with CVD?
- Thrombolysis
- Angioplasty
- Coronary artery stent
What is thrombolysis?
A vascular intervention to break down a clot
What is angioplasty?
A procedure used to increase the flow of blood through a narrowed artery by placing a long thin tube (catheter) into a blood vessel to place a small balloon at the site of the narrowing. When the balloon is inflated, the blood vessel should open and allow a healthy flow of blood.
What is a coronary artery stent?
A metal stent is placed to maintain lumen…
True or false, coronary artery stents require antiplatelet medication?
True as the stent can re-occlude over time
What are examples of antiplatelet medications?
Asprin or Clopidogrel
Why is medication used in CVD?
To manage risk factors and reduce strain on the heart
What is CABGs?
Coronary artery bypass grafts
When are CABGs used?
When there are multiple blocked vessels or long segment disease
What are CABGs used for?
To bypass blockage and restore downstream flow
True or false, stents can be used for blockages over large areas?
False, stents can only be used for small areas of blockage
What is a vascular conduit?
A vascular graft redirecting blood around the blocked area.
What are the disadvantages of CABG?
- Major surgery
- Sternotomy and ICU admission
- Not all patients are suitable or want this intervention
What causes atrial fibrillation?
ectopic pacemaker cells in the atrium
What is the most common type of arrythmia?
Atrial fibrillation
What are the risk factors of atrial fibrillation?
Age, heart disease, alcohol excess, HTN
What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?
Racing heart, irregular heartbeat, fatigue and shortness of breath
How is atrial fibrillation managed?
Medication - anticoagulation (warfrin), rate control and cardioversion.
What are symptoms of heart failure?
Shortness of breath fatigue loss of appetite swelling in legs weight gain orthopnea
What is orthopnea?
shortness of breath when lying flat
What is class 1 heart failure?
No symptoms or activity limitation
What is class 2 heart failure?
Symptoms present with normal physical activity, slight limitation
What is class 3 heart failure?
Symptoms present with less than normal physical activity with marked limitation
What is class 4 heart failure?
Symptoms present at rest, unable to perform physical activity without discomfort. Pts higher risk of morbidity and mortality within 12 months. Pts spend >50% of time in bed
What are causes of heart failure?
Vascular
Muscular
Valvar heart disease
Drug induced
What is an example of a vascular cause of heart failure?
Ischemic heart disease
Hypertension
What is an example of a muscular cause of heart failure?
Hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy
What side of the heart most commonly fails?
Left.
What causes right sided heart failure?
Left sided failure or severe pulmonary hypertension or COPD
