ICS Flashcards
ACUTE INFLAMMATION
Acute inflammation is the initial and often transient series of tissue reactions to
injury - may last from a few hours to a few days
Causes of acute inflammation:
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- Microbial infections e.g pyogenic (pus causing) bacteria, viruses
- Hypersensitivity reactions e.g parasites, tubercle bacilli
- Physical agents e.g trauma, ionising radiation, heat, cold (frost-bite)
- Chemicals e.g corrosives, acids, alkalis, reducing agents
- Bacterial toxins
- Tissue necrosis e.g ischaemic infarction
Essential macroscopic appearances of acute inflammation:
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- Redness - rubor
- Heat - calor
- Swelling - tumor
- Pain - dolor
- Loss of function is also characteristic
Acute inflammatory response process:
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- Changes in vessel calibre (gets wider) and consequently increased vessel flow
- Increased vascular permeability and formation of the fluid exudate
- Formation of the cellular exudate - emigration of the neutrophil polymorphs into the extravascular space
THE diagnostic histological feature of acute inflammation is …
… the accumulation of neutrophil polymorphs within the extracellular space
Stages in neutrophil polymorph emigration
- Margination of neutrophils
- Adhesion of neutrophils
- Neutrophil emigration
- Diapedesis
Endogenous chemical mediators of acute inflammation cause:
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• Vasodilation
• Emigration of neutrophils
• Chemotaxis (the attraction of neutrophil polymorphs towards certain
chemicals e.g at the site of inflammation)
• Increased vascular permeability
• Itching & pain
CHRONIC INFLAMMATION
• The subsequent and often prolonged tissue reactions to injury following the initial
response
• Can be defined as an inflammatory process in which lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages predominate
Characteristic microscopic features of chronic inflammation:
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- The cellular infiltrate consists characteristically of lymphocytes, plasma cells &
macrophages
A granuloma is …
… an aggregate of epithelioid histiocytes
ORGANISATION IS …
The repair of specialised tissue by …
… the formation of a fibrous scar
Cells that regenerate:
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- Hepatocytes
- Pneumocytes
- All blood cells
- Gut epithelium
- Skin epithelium
- Osteocytes
Cells that do not regenerate:
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- Myocardial cells
- Neurones
THROMBOSIS
why is it different from a clot?
- The solidification of blood contents that forms within the vascular system
during life
Blood coagulated outside of the vascular system or after death
Aspirin can … ?
Warfarin … ?
INHIBIT PLATELET AGGREGATION thus a low dose can help prevent thrombosis. In severe cases, warfarin can be used (inhibits vitamin K (clotting factor) - thereby preventing clotting)
EMBOLISM
An embolus is a mass of material in the vascular system able to lodge in a
vessel and block its lumen
ISCHAEMIA
A reduction in blood flow to a tissue or part of the body caused by constriction
or blockage of the blood vessels supplying it
INFARCTION
The death (necrosis) of part or the whole of an organ that occurs when the artery supplying it becomes obstructed
GANGRENE
When whole areas of a limb or a region of the gut have their arterial
supply cut off and large areas of mixed tissue die in bulk
ATHEROSCLEROSIS
Disease characterised by the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the intima of
large (aorta) and medium-sized arteries, such as the coronary arteries
Atherosclerosis can cause …
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- Cerebral infarction
- Carotid atheroma - emboli causing transient
ischaemic attacks or cerebral infarcts - Myocardial infarction
- Aortic aneurysm - rupture causes certain
death - Peripheral vascular disease
- Gangrene
Risk factors for Atherosclerosis risk factors …
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- Hypercholesterolaemia: • Essentially high cholesterol levels • MOST IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR • It can cause plaque formation and growth in the absence of other known risk factors • Lipids directly damage endothelial cells - Smoking: • Increases blood pressure • Damages endothelial cells - Hypertension - Diabetes - Male gender - Increasing age
Preventive and therapeutic measures to atherosclerosis:
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- Smoking cessation
- Control of blood pressure
- Weigh reduction
- Low dose aspirin - inhibits the aggregation of platelets, advised for people
with clinical evidence of atheromatous disease - Statins - cholesterol reducing drug
ANEURYSMS
A localised permanent dilation of part of the vascular tree