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Cardio Week 3 > Lecture 28: Pathology of Hypertension > Flashcards

Lecture 28: Pathology of Hypertension Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the key points of the pathology of HTN?

A
  1. Systemic arterial hypertension is a functional state that may produce structural changes in vessels
    i. atherosclerosis in large/medium size arteries
    ii. fibroelastic intimal hyperplasia of small arteries
    iii. hyaline and hyperplastic arteriolitis in arterioles
    iv. microaneurysms of cerebral arteries
  2. The structural changes in vessels may produce 2NDary effects in organs:
    i. LV hypertrophy
    ii. nephrosclerosis in vessels
    iii. morbidity/mortality due to CHF or MI
    iv. renal failure
    v. stroke
    vi. ischemic infarcts
  3. Dissecting hematoma of aorta and major arteries occurs in structurally abnormal vessels (medial degeneration), a process accelerated by HTN or Marfan’s syndrome
    • produces protean and lethal manifestations
    • leads to death from exsanguination or cardiac tamponade
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2
Q

What are the characteristics of benign HTN?

A

95%
Diastolic > 90 and syst > 140
Silent until late in course (silent killer)

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3
Q

What are the characteristics of malignant hypertension?

A

5% and follows benign
Diastolic > 120 and systolic >210
Clinically SYMPTOMATIC
LETHAL if not treated rapidly/adequately

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4
Q

What are the key characteristics of secondary HTN?

A

5-10%

Due to underlying disease, most often from renal or adrenal

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5
Q

What are the key characteristics of primary hypertension?

A

No identified single cause

Multigene controlled + environmental factors (stress, salt, diet)

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6
Q

What are the vascular changes of HTN?

A
  1. acceleration of other vascular diseases like atherosclerosis
  2. changes unique to hypertension
    a. adaptive (vasoconstriction, fibroelastic intimal hyperplasia)
    b. destructive (fibrinoid necrosis, hyperplastic arteriolitis)
    - seen with malignant HTN only
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7
Q

What are the adaptive changes of benign HTN?

A
  1. vasoconstriction
  2. Fibroelastic intimal hyperplasia (small arteries in the kidneys)
  3. medial hypertrophy of large and medium arteries
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8
Q

What causes particularly bad nephroarteriosclerosis?

A

HTN + Diabetes!

Remember diabetes leads to nephropathy as well

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9
Q

What are the characteristics of fibrinoid necrosis?

A

A type of destructive change in malignant HTN
Characterized by deposition of fibrin in arterioles
Associated with necrosis in endothelial and SMCs

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10
Q

What are the characteristics of hyperplastic arteriolitis?

A

Concentric proliferation of SMCs
Interstitial proteoglycan deposition in small arteries (onion skinning)
Driven by growth factors such as PDGF

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11
Q

What are the characterisitcs of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia?

A

Shearing off of red cell fragments
Results in shistocytes with bites taken out
Occurs due to passage through fibrin mesh at increased pressures

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12
Q

What characterizes the early lesion of atherosclerosis?

A

Fatty streaks (the yellow in the descending aorta)

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13
Q

What are the histological features of hyaline atherosclerosis?

A

Adaptive change of HTN

Thick pink layer around the lumen of the arteriole

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14
Q

What are the histological features of

Intimal fibroelastic hyperplasia?

A

Presence of brown squiggly lines in the
Tunica intima
Narrowing of the lumen of a small renal artery

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15
Q

Whats the difference between a functional and a structural change?

A

The former is reversible

The latter is irreversible

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16
Q

What an example of a functional (and sometimes structural) change?

A

Vasoconstriction

Medial hypertrophy

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17
Q

What are examples of irreversible structural changes?

A
  1. hyaline arteriolosclerosis
  2. arterial fibroelastic intimal hyperplasia
    What are the histologic features of normal small artery?
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18
Q

What are the histological features of fibrinoid necrosis?

A

Destructive changes in malignant HTN
Loss of nuclei
Presence of fibrin

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19
Q

What are the histological features of hyperplastic intimal arteriolitis?

A

Destructive change in malignant HTN
Concentric proliferation of SMCs
ONION SKINNING!

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20
Q

What are the histologic features of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia?

A

Destructive adaptation to malignant HTN
Presence of shistocytes (RBCs that look like bites were taken off them
Caused by force of going through fibrin strands at high pressure

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21
Q

What is the clinical manifestation of benign HTN?

A
  1. CHF
  2. MI
  3. Stroke
  4. Chronic renal failure
  5. Subsequent malignant HTN
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22
Q

What are the effects of benign HTN on cardiac tissue?

A

i. atheroscelerosis
ii. LV hypertrophy
Can result in angina when demand outstrips supply
Less efficient function of myofibrils
Fibrosis that leads to decreased LV compliance
Impaired diastolic filling and systolic contractility

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23
Q

What are the effects of HTN on renal tissue?

A
  1. nephroarteriolosclerosis
    i. bilateral symmetrical decrease in renal cortical thickness
    ii. granular surface
    iii. arteriolar changes (eg intimal hyperplasia)
    iv. fibrous replacememnt of glomeruli
  2. chronic renal failure
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24
Q

What are the effects of HTN on cerebral tissue?

A
  1. microaneurysms (Charcot-Bouchard)
  2. ischemic infarction
  3. rupture of Berry aneurysm
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25
What are the gross features of LV hypertrophy?
Concentric due to increased workload
26
What are the histologic characteristics of hyaline arteriolosclerosis with glomerular sclerosis and tubular atrophy due to HTN?
Loss of nuclei in glomeruli Atrophic tubules Hyaline arteriosclerosis present
27
What are the key characteristics of nephroarteriolosclerosis?
It is a microvascular disease with glomerular scarring and tubular atrophy -leads to chronic renal failure Aggravates HTN by i. decreased GFR and increased Na excretion ii. activation of RAAS iii. loss of urodilatin
28
What is urodilatin?
A hormone that cause diuresis by increasing renal blood flow
29
What are the ophthalmic complications due to HTN?
Microaneurysms
30
How is intracerebral hemorrhage related to HTN?
Hemorrhage may occur as a result of HTN
31
What are the epidemiologic features of malignant hypertension?
75% 5 year survival if adequately treated Seen most in African Americans age 35-50 Preceded by benign HTN
32
What are the clinical manifestations of malignant HTN?
1. visual defects 2. papilledema 3. retinal hemorrhage 4. exudates 5. headache and hematuria 6. labs will show azotemia with proteinuria and hematuria, activation of RAA
33
What are the organ effects of malignant HTN?
1. Kidney = destructive vascular changes = acute cortical necrosis 2. Adrenal = cortical hyperplasia 3. Cerebral = increased intracranial pressure, edema
34
What is the gross ophthalmic presentation of malignant HTN?
Papilladema and hemorrhage
35
What is the gross renal presentation of malignant HTN?
Hemorrhage and acute cortical necrosis
36
What are causes of death in malignant HTN?
1. Acute renal failure 2. Stroke 3. Acute congestive heart failure
37
What are the causes of death from HTN overall?
1. CHF = 26% 2. Renal failure = 20 3. CVA (cardio vascular accident) 4. CAD
38
What is cardiovascular accident?
A stroke
39
What are types of secondary HTN?
1. renal 2. chronic renal disease 3. renal artery sclerosis 4. adrenocortical hyperfunction (Cushing and primary aldosteronism) 5. Pheochromocytoma 6. Prengnacy-induced 7. Increased intracranial pressure
40
How does the kidney lead to 2ndary HTN?
Increase RAAS Decrased Na excretion and decreased GFR Loss or urodilatin production
41
How does adrenal dysfunction lead to 2ndary HTN?
Increased aldosterone (Conn’s syndrome), glucocorticoids (Cushing’s) and catecholamines (Pheochromocytoma) all increase BP
42
How does pregnancy lead to HTN?
Overproduction in placenta of anti-angiogenic compounds that inhibit VEGF which then leads to renal abnormalities
43
What produces renin?
Juxtaglomerular cells
44
What stimulated JG cells to produce renin?
Decrease in vascular tone Macula densa feedback Sympathetic stimulation
45
What are the types of adrenocortical hyperfunction?
Adrenal cortical adenoma | Adrenal cortical hyperplasia (due to either ectopic ACTH production or excessive anterior pituitary production of ACTH)
46
What are patients with renal atherosclerotic changes at risk for?
Renal artery stenosis
47
What are the characteristics of renal artery stenosis?
Caused by atheroscler in old patients -proximal and eccentric narrowing unilaterally Caused by fibromuscular dysplasia in young patients -often in women -concentric narrowing -rare
48
What is an aneurysm?
Localized dilation of a blood vessel, usually an artery
49
What are the different types of aneurysms?
1. Saccular vs. fusiform 2. True aneurysms (Berry, atherosclerotic, syphilitic) 3. Dissecting hematoma
50
What are the characteristics of saccular aneurysms?
Eccentric Spherical Lumen is out of mainstream of blood flow
51
What are the characteristics of fusiform aneurysm?
Circumferential | Lumen traversed by mainstream flow
52
Where is the berry aneurysm located? Characteristics?
At junction of internal carotid and middle cerebral arteries Saccular Releated to congenital waeakness in arterial wall
53
What is the disease process of abdominal Aortic aneurysm?
Atherosclerosis Due to weakening of arterial wall by destruction of internal elastics/media Most frequent cause of aortic aneursysms Can be fusiform or saccular
54
How do aneursyms cause symptoms?
1. mass effect (when its size impinges on other structures) 2. distal embolization from contained thrombus 3. Rupture (due to LaPlace)
55
What happens when you stretch a vessel?
Thinning a vessel | Increase in wall stress (increase in radius and decrease in wall thickness = increased wall tension)
56
What are the characteristics of dissecting hematoma?
Occur in aortic media and usually involves thoracic, abdominal or branches of aorta Can be caused by i. underlying medial necrosis ii. role of hypertension iii. marfan’s syndrome (hereditary fibrillin defect) iv. TGF-beta receptor protein v. type III collagen
57
What is a dissection?
When a false lumen has formed | Blood from false lumen can come from vasa vasorum (which may have been ruptured upstream to this picture)
58
What causes dissecting hematomas?
1. Initiated by rupture of vasa vasorum within the weakened media -variable extension in either direction 2. exit site usually present, most often above aortic valve -possible reentry site distally 3. Possible hemorrhage outside wall into soft tissue or body cavity, with possible exsanguination 4. Abnormally weak arterial media fails to provide good support for delicate vasa vasorum entering media from adventitia 5. shear forces in aortic wall from LV contractions rupture vas vasorum which dissects along the plane of least resistance after intramural hemorrhage occurs Can spread retrograde or anterograde from lesion
59
What is medial degeneration?
Degeneration of elastic fibers and muscle in aortic media Leads to dissecting aneurysm
60
What is the pathological characterization of dissecting aneurysms?
Focal destruction of elastic and accumulation of mucopolysacchardie in cystic spaces Weakening of arterial media that leads to i. Dilation (ectasia) of arteries ii. Disruption of vasa vasorum that allows for hemorrhage in the media
61
How do patients with Marfan’s syndrome get dissecting aneurysms?
Normal fibrillin = downregulation of TGF-beta activity However, in Marfan, abnormal fibrillin (defective elastic fibers) = overactivity of TGF-Beta, leading to defects you seen in Marfan’s including weakened arterial walls
62
What is ectasia?
Dilatin or distention of a tubular structure
63
What is the medical therapy for dissecting aneurysm?
1. lower BP and decrease flow (beta blockers0 2. Losartan to antagonize TGF-beta Losartan = angio II receptor blockeer
64
Can dissection occur without an intimal tear?
Yes But often there is an exit tear (intimal tear) located in the aorta above the aortic valve Once there is an intimal tear, LV contraction promote further spread of dissecton
65
What happens if there is a second tear downstream?
Allows for reentry of dissection Leads to double barrel aorta Helps limit further spread of dissection
66
What are the symptoms of dissecting hematoma?
1. pain (tearing, migratory) 2. blocking aortic branches 3. rupture, cardiac tamponade
67
What are the types of dissection?
Type A involves the aorta | Type B does not involve the ascending aorta
68
When there is a dissecting hematoma associated with the peridcardium, what type of dissection is this?
Type A, the middle one in the picture

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