Cardiovascular disorder Flashcards
(76 cards)
What are cardiomyopathies?
Disorders that affect the cardio myocytes or cardiac muscle function
Give examples of cardiomyopathies?
- Heart failure
- Tako Tsubo syndrome
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
What is the definition of heart failure and what could it lead to?
Heart unable to maintain adequate circulation for metabolic requirements of the body
this can lead to:
- Preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF): where Ejection fraction is more than or equal to 50% and theres reduced diastolic function
- Reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF): where EF is 40% or more and there’s reduced systolic function
Describe what happens to the heart in HFrEF (systolic)
ECCENTRIC cardio myocyte growing; left ventricle is more dilated
Can be treated pharmacologically
not enough strength to pump blood

What happens in HFpEF
Concentric increase in left muscle muscle mass
Have problem relaxing (Diastolic)
Pharmacological interventions aren’t very useful
Hypertension maybe most lijkely cause

What are the underlying causes of heart failure
Secondary to:
- cardiac damage (ischaemia, myopathy )- HFrFR
- hypertension- HFpEF
- valve disease
What are the effects of heart failure on cardiac output and the life expectancy
- Reduced cardiac output - venous blood accumulation as a result
- Poor prognosis- 50% mortality rate in 5 years
What are the general symptoms of Heart failure; are they sufficient to confirm diagnosis? If not what is
General symptoms:
- Breathelssness, fatigue
- Fluid retention caused by cardiac dysfunction
not sufficient hence need markers in blood to confirm like”
Atrail natriuretic peptide or BNP levels
What are the ECG findings and diagnosis of Heart failure - what is the significance
Enlarged QRS complex
however this is not specific and this ECG result can be caused by Atrila fibrillation or Hypertrophy
need BNP levels with ECG TO CONFIRM

What is Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomegaly and dilation, systolic dysfunction with hypo-contraction
i.e- this is a type heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

What is the underlying cause of Dialted cardiomyopathy
Congenital - 20-50% familial
secondary to Anterior MI
What is it’s (dilated cardiomyopathy)effects on cardiac output and life expaectancy
Reduced cardiac output - and ejection fraction lower than 40%
end stage annual mortality of 10% to 50%
What investigations would you perform and what ECG findings would you see on Dilated cardiomyopathy
General symptoms:
- Dyspnoea, fatigue
ECG findings - no specific feature the abnormalities similar to Left ventricular hypertrophy
enlarged QRS complex
What is the definition of Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Unexplained left ventricular hypertrophy- primarily affects the interventricular septum

What are the causes of Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Congenital; usually familial, autosomal dominant inheritance
What are the effects of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on cardiac output and life expectancy
Reduce cardiac output
can cause sudden cardiac death during exercise
What investigations would you need to perform on someone you suspect to have Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Same as Dialted cardiomyopathy

What is Tako tsubo syndrome
Left ventricular syndrome where the apex balloons (like a Japanese octopus pot)
symptoms Mimic MI especially in ECG readings but there aren’t MI markers in blood
Broken heart syndrome- occurs later in life due to stressful event/trauma

What causes Tako tsubo syndrome
Stressful event
women are mor predisposed to it
What are the effects of Tako tsubo syndrome on cardiac output and life expectancy
Reduced cardiac output- 40%
5% mortality rate
What are the general symptoms and investigation results of Tako tsubo syndrome
Chest pain
increased cardiac biomarkers
Normal blood vessels
What are the ECG findings for Tako tsubo syndrome
ST segment elevation

What are the conduction abnormalities - give examples
Atrail arrhythmia- Atrial fibrillation or Wolf Parkinson white syndrome
Ventricualr arrhythmia - Ventricular fibrillation or Torsade de pointes
Tachycardias- sinus or atrial tachycardia
conduction block: AV block or bundle branch block
Define conduction abnormallty
Disorders that affect bioeelectrical transmission along the heart


















