Cardiovascular: Anatomy of Ischemia

Question 1

Difference between ischemia and infarction?

Answer 1

• Ischaemia = tissue hypoxia caused by a decrease in tissue perfusion
• Infarction = tissue death caused by severe/sustained ischaemia

Question 2

How does ischemia and infarction present in the brain?

Answer 2

Ischemia: Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
Infarction: Stroke (CVA)

Question 3

How does ischemia and infarction present in the heart?

Answer 3

Ischemia: Angina pectoris
Infarction: Myocardial infarction (MI)

Question 4

How does ischemia and infarction present in the lower limb?

Answer 4

Ischemia: Intermittent claudication
Infarction: Ulceration, gangrene

Question 5

In the context of cardio vascular sum up the following:

stenosis, thrombosis, embolus, ischemia, infarction, atheroma, aneurysm.

Answer 5

• Stenosis - narrowing of artery
• Atheroma - fatty build up causeing stenosis or even occlusion
• Thrombosis - a clot, can form on top of a ruptured atheroma in the arteries or randomly in the viens
• Embolus - a thrombus that has broken free and circulates
• Ischemia - tissue hypoxia due to a lack of blood perfusion to the area
• Infarction - tissue death due to extended hypoxia
• Aneurysm - a breaking of an arterie’s structure resulting is dilation

Question 6

Ischemia of the heart, brain, periferies and lungs. Which has a venous origin and which an arterial?

Answer 6

Heart, brain and periferies - arterial

Lung - venous

Except in a rare case where there is a atrial septal defect, in this case a venous embolus can pass through into the right atria and cause arterial problems