Cardio Flashcards
(207 cards)
What growth factor is elevated in the blood within an hour after exercise?
VEGF
What does a diastolic murmur on the lower left sternal border suggest?
Aortic regurgitation
Why is enlargement of the azygos vein particularly dangerous in patients with portal hypertension?
Excess flow through the vessel results in congestion of the esophageal venous plexus which increases the risk of variceal rupture
Describe what happens to blood flow above and below an aortic coarctation and why.
In compensated aortic coarctation, BP above and below will be equal even though the pressures are vastly different. This is because of increased resistance above the coarctation.
What does the mitral valve look like following damage from rheumatic fever?
Thickened, blunted cardiac valve leaflets, often with fibrous bridging between valve leaflets and calcification
What class of drugs activate PPAR-alpha (proliferator activator receptor)?
Fibrates (e.g. gemfibrozil, fenofibrate, clofibrate)
What are some adverse effects of fibrates?
Gallstones and muscle toxicity
Why is acebutolol contraindicated in angina patients?
- Has intrinsic sympathomimetic activity and thus acts as a partial beta-1 agonist
- More importantly: does not cause a significant decrease in heart rate and maintains a high myocardial oxygen consumption
-Young patient (
Prinzmetal angina - coronary artery spasm
What is epinephrine reversal?
Epinephrine increases BP (from action on alpha receptors)
Give phentolamine (alpha antagonist) leading to unopposed vasodilatory action of beta receptors - decrease in BP
What is the most common etiologic cause of acute infective endocarditis in IV drug users?
Staph aureus
What is suggested by a holosystolic apical murmur radiating to the axilla and followed by a thrill? (Can also often hear wide splitting of S2.)
Mitral regurgitation
What class of drugs are first line for treating hypertension in patients with diabetic nephropathy and hyperuricemia?
ACE inhibitors - shown to slow the progression of renal disease
What drug decreases the hepatic production of VLDL and lipolysis in adipose tissue?
Niacin - vitamin B3
What is the most common side effect associated with niacin?
Facial flushing
How does severe anemia affect arteriolar diameter?
Increases arteriolar diameter
How do amphetamines produce hypertension?
Cause release of the mobile pool of norepinephrine
What does a systolic apical murmur suggest?
Mitral regurgitation
What is a common mechanism by which rheumatic fever causes mitral regurgitation?
Damage to the chordae tendinae –> rupture of those muscles
What is the inheritance of familial hypercholesterolemia?
Autosomal dominant
How can you distinguish Goodpasture syndrome from Wegener’s granulomatosis in a patient with hematuria and hemoptysis?
Check for nasal symptoms (e.g. rhinitis) - Wegener’s patients will have nasopharyngeal involvement whereas Goodpasture patients will not
When the ventricular muscle contracts, what happens to the flow in the left coronary artery?
Abrupt decrease (isovolumetric contraction) followed by gradual recovery
How does coarctation of the aorta lead to increased blood pressure?
Activation of the renin-angiotensin system
What is the underlying cause in abdominal aortic aneurysm?
Atherosclerosis