Cardiovascular Flashcards
(126 cards)
- Regarding arteries, which is true?
- As vessels become smaller the ratio of wall thickness to lumen diameter becomes greater
- Capillaries are the principal points of physiological resistance to blood flow.
- Capillaries have a media of spirally arranged muscle cells
- In many types of inflammation vascular leakage and leucocyte exudation occur preferentially in pre- capillary venules.
- As vessels become smaller the ratio of wall thickness to lumen diameter becomes greater
- Arterioles are the principal points of physiological resistance to blood flow.
- Capillaries have no smooth muscle in their walls - any dilation is passive due to increased volume/pressure
- In many types of inflammation vascular leakage and leucocyte exudation occur preferentially in post capillary venules.
- Fenestrated endothelial layers are likely to be seen in the capillaries of which organ?
- Spleen
- Liver.
- Lung
- Adrenal gland
Adrenal gland
The liver also contains fenestrae but these are not crossed by transcellular pores (same as glomerular endothelium)
- In atherosclerosis the cells at the centre of the plaque are
- a. Macrophages
- b. Foam cells
- c. Leukocytes
- d. Smooth muscle cells
b. Foam cells

- All of the following are major risk factors for atherosclerosis EXCEPT:
- a. Obesity
- b. Hyperlipidaemia
- c. Smoking
- d. Hypertension
- e. Diabetes
a. Obesity
- Which risk factors have the greatest association with atherosclerosis?
- a. Hypertension, diabetes, smoking, hyperlipidaemia
- b. Hypertension, male, family history
- c. Hypertension, obesity, sedentary lifestyle
- d. Hypertension, female, OCP
- e. Age, family history, sex
a. Hypertension, diabetes, smoking, hyperlipidaemia
atherosclerosis
- a. when advanced is rarely calcified
- b. mainly affects the media of arteries.
- c. commonly affects renal arteries
- d. produces lesions commonly containing neutrophils.
- e. can cause aneurysmal dilation when severe
- a. when advanced is often calcified
- b. mainly affects the intima of arteries
- c. rarely affects renal arteries (or thoracic aorta or upper limb arteries)
- Abdominal aorta, Coronaries, Popliteal, Internal carotid, Circle of Willis (descending order of most commonly affected areas)
- d. produces lesions commonly containing Macrophages
- e. can cause aneurysmal dilation when severe
- Select the true statement concerning atherosclerosis
- a. Congenital absence of LDL cholesterol leads to premature atherosclerosis.
- b. Thoracic aorta is more likely to be involved than the abdominal.
- c. Fatty streaks appear in the aortas of children as young as 1 year
- d. Fatty streaks are destined to become atherosclerotic plaques.
- e. Endothelial disruption always precedes atheroma development
- a. Congenital absence of HDL cholesterol leads to premature atherosclerosis.
- b. Thoracic aorta is less likely to be involved than the abdominal.
- c. Fatty streaks appear in the aortas of children as young as 1 year
- d. Fatty streaks are capable of regression, and are not destined to become atherosclerotic plaques.
- e. Endothelial disruption always precedes atheroma development
- Select the false statement concerning atherosclerosis
- a. Familial hypercholesterolaemia is associated with inadequate hepatic uptake of LDL
- b. CMV has been detected in human atheromatous plaques
- c. Fibrous atheromatous plaques are capable of regression
- d. Foam cells can be considered to be specialized macrophages
- e. Atherosclerosis is associated with medial calcific sclerosis.
e. Atherosclerosis is associated with intimal calcific sclerosis.
- Regarding the plaque in atherosclerosis, which is CORRECT?
- a. Mixture of cells and connective tissue matrix
- b. Rarely causes microemboli
- c. Coronary arteries are the most affected
- d. Thoracic aorta is more affected than the abdominal aorta
a. Mixture of cells and connective tissue matrix
- Regarding atherosclerosis
- a. Coronary arteries equally affected as renal arteries.
- b. Exclusively affects medium and large arteries.
- c. Increased incidence in hypothyroidism.
- d. Decreased incidence in nephritic syndrome
c. Increased incidence in hypothyroidism - as it causes dyslipidaemia
Hyperthyroidism -> increased LDL receptors, so hypo -> fewer LDL receptors -> increased blood LDL levels
- a. Coronary arteries much more commonly affected than renal arteries.
- b. Commonly affects medium and large arteries.
- d. Increased incidence in nephritic syndrome due to hypertension
- Atherosclerotic plaques
- a. Are located within the media.
- b. Involve the coronary arteries most heavily
- c. Contain foam cells that are derived from macrophages and smooth muscle cells.
- d. Are commonly found in arteries of the upper limb
- e. Are rarely found at the ostia of branches of the descending aorta.
- a. Are located within the Intima
- b. Involve the abdominal aorta, then the coronary arteries most heavily
- c. Contain foam cells that are derived from just macrophages
- d. Are rarely found in arteries of the upper limb.
- e. Are commonly found at the ostia of branches of the descending aorta.
- Atherosclerosis
- a. Is initiated by endothelial injury
- b. Is a disease of the media of blood vessels
- c. Predominantly involves arterioles.
- d. Is most common in the internal carotid arteries.
- e. Begins in middle age.
- a. Is initiated by endothelial injury
- b. Is a disease of the media of blood vessels. Intima
- c. Predominantly involves arterioles. Elastic and medium to large muscular arteries
- d. Is most common in the internal carotid arteries. Coronaries
- e. Begins in middle age. First decade of life
- Regarding atherosclerosis
- a. The risk is directly related to HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels.
- b. The current “response to injury” hypothesis considers it to be an acute inflammatory response to endothelial injury of arterial walls.
- c. It typically beings in childhood, but only manifests itself in later life
- d. It involves smaller elastic and larger muscular arteries.
- e. 20% of all deaths in USA are attributable to this disease process.
- a. The risk is inversely related to HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels.
- b. The current “response to injury” hypothesis considers it to be an chronic inflammatory response to endothelial injury of arterial walls.
- c. It typically beings in childhood, but only manifests itself in later life
- d. It involves larger elastic and smaller muscular arteries.
- e. 50% of all deaths in USA are attributable to this disease process.
- In the current view of pathogenesis, atherosclerosis involves:
- a. Smooth muscle migration into adventitia
- b. Chronic endothelial injury
- c. Lymphocytes engulfing lipids
- d. Endothelial cell proliferation.
- e. Collagen degradation.
- a. Smooth muscle migration into Intima
- b. Chronic endothelial injury
- c. macrophages engulfing lipids.
- d. Smooth muscle proliferation
- e. Collagen Deposition
- Regarding complications of atherosclerotic plaques
- Atheroma plaques composing of large amount soft foam cells and lipid, are less likely to rupture than those with smaller amounts of lipid.
- A severely stenotic plaque is required as a precipitating lesion for patients who develop myocardial infarcts.
- In the coronary arteries it is usually around 70% of a fixed occlusion that is required to get stenosis and the signs of angina.
- Haemorrhage into a plaque is considered the most dangerous complication.
- Atheroma plaques composing of large amount soft foam cells and lipid, are more likely to rupture than those with smaller amounts of lipid.
- A severely stenotic plaque is not required as a precipitating lesion for patients who develop myocardial infarcts. - can have thrombosis
- In the coronary arteries it is usually around 70% of a fixed occlusion that is required to get stenosis and the signs of angina.
- Aneursymal rupture is considered the most dangerous complication.
- Of the following arteries, which is least likely to be affected by atherosclerosis?
- Vessels in the Circle of Willis
- Popliteal
- Coronary
- Abdominal aorta
Vessels in the Circle of Willis
- Abdominal aorta
- Coronaries
- Popliteal
- Internal carotid
- Circle of Willis
- Which of the following is not a major risk factor for atherosclerosis?
- Family history
- Cigarette smoking
- Obesity
- Male gender
Obesity
25.Regarding acute plaque change, which is correct?
- Only haemodynamically significant lesions result in acute transformation
- Plaque rupture always results is occlusive thrombosis
- Statins have a beneficial effect by reducing plaque inflammation and therefore increasing stability
- Plaque composition is stable once formed
Statins have a beneficial effect by reducing plaque inflammation and therefore increasing stability
- Malignant hypertension
- a. 75% recover with no loss of renal function
- b. is associated with abnormal renin levels
- e. affects 1-5% of HT sufferers.
e. affects 1-5% of HT sufferers.
R&C: ‘as much as 5% of HT patients show a rapidly rising BP that if untreated leads to death within 1-2 years’
- possible causes of secondary hypertension include
- a. hypothyroidism. Listed in R&C 9th but hyperthyroidism is much more common
- b. reduced intracranial pressure.
- c. Increased serum renin
- d. addison’s disease
- e. glomerulonephritis
c. Increased serum renin (nick)
e. glomerulonephritis (me)
as per R&C both renin-secreting tumours and acute glomerulonephritis can cause it
Hyperthyroidism and raised ICP also can

- Regarding hypertension
- Hypertension is defined as either sustained diastolic pressure > 100mmHg or sustained systolic pressure > 180mmHg
- 10%of the general population are hypertensive
- 5% of hypertensive patients develop malignant hypertension
- Hypertension is twice as common in white skinned people compared to black patients
5% of hypertensive patients develop malignant hypertension
- Aortic dissection
- a. Occurs most commonly in women.
- b. Is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis.
- c. Can be associated with inherited connective tissue disorders
- d. Most commonly causes death by disruption of the aortic valve.
- e. Is most commonly preceded by an internal tear occurring in areas of atherosclerotic plaque.
- a. Occurs most commonly in Men
- b. Is most commonly caused by Hypertension
- c. Can be associated with inherited connective tissue disorders
- d. Most commonly causes death by Rupture
- e. Is Not associated with atherosclerosis
- With regard to aortic dissection, which is INCORRECT?
- a. It tends to occur in 40-60 year old men
- b. Approximately 90% of non-traumatic cases occur in patients with antecedent hypertension
- c. It is usually associated with marked dilation of the aorta
- d. It is unusual in the presence of substantial atherosclerosis
- e. It is usually caused by an intimal tear within 10cm of the aortic valve
c. It is usually associated with marked dilation of the aorta
- false aneurysms
- a. remain in the confines of the circulatory system.
- b. include berry aneurysms.
- c. can be fusiform or saccular.
- d. are produced by a leak at the junction of a vascular graft with a natural artery
- e. are commonly caused by syphilis
- a. do not remain in the confines of the circulatory system - they communicate with extravascular haematoma
- b. include berry aneurysms -? True
-
c. can be fusiform or saccular.
- These describe the morphology but can be due to any cause (note saccular – only a small length of vessel involved, fusiform = longer
- d. are produced by a leak at the junction of a vascular graft with a natural artery??
- e. are commonly caused by syphilis??


