Vascular Disease Flashcards
(41 cards)
What are the 4 subcategories of Vascular disease?
- arteries
- veins
- all vesels
- tumours
What is vascular disease of the arteries?
atherosclerosis
What is vascular disease of the veins?
- thrombosis
- formation of varicosities
What 2 ways does vascular disease affect all vessels?
- vasculitis
- radiation damage
What does atherosclerosis affect? How is it characterised?
- large and medium sized arteries
- lipid deposition, fibrous and chronic inflammation
Describe the morphology of atherosclerosis.
- atheromatous- fibro-fatty plaque
- core of lipid
- fibrous cap- smooth muscle cells, macrophages, foam cells
- necrotic centre- cell debris, cholesterol crystals, foam cells
What 2 complications can atheroma cause in the head and neck?
- cerebral infarction
- carotid atheroma- emboli causing transient ischaemic attaks or cerebral infarcts
How does atheroma affect the heart?
- myocardial infarction
- cardiac failure
What type of aneurysm is atheroma related to? What can happen to the aneurysm?
- aortic aneurysms
- ruptures leading to sudden death
What is peripheral vascular disease?
- atheroma of distal aorta, iliac, femoral arteries
- leads to ischaemia of lower limbs
What are the 4 potential consequences of peripheral vascular disease?
- intermittent claudication
- pain
- ulcers
- gangrene
What is intermittent claudication?
pain in calf related to exercise
What are the 6 different classifications of aneurysm?
- atherosclerotic
- dissecting
- berry
- micro aneurysms
- syphilitic
- mycotic
What describes true aneurysms?
saccular or fusiform
Describe the morphology of atherosclerotic aneurysm. Which vessel does it usually affect?
- saccular or fusiform, contains mural thrombus (thrombus caused by lots of turbulent blood flow)
- distal abdominal aorta, distal to renal arteries
What are the clinical consequences of atherosclerotic aneurysms? How does it present clinically?
- thrombosis
- embolism
- rupture
- obstruction of branch vessel leading to ischaemic injury
- impingement of adjacent structure
-presents as an abnormal mass
What is a dissecting aortic aneurysm?
wall of blood vessel is split into parts, split in tunica and hence blood can spill in-between the layers forming the blood vessel
Describe the morphology of dissecting aneurysm. Which two directions can the dissection occur in?
- usually begins with just an initial tear
- dissection can extend along the aorta retrograde towards the heart out distally sometimes to iliac and femoral arteries
what are the clinical symptoms of the dissecting aortic aneurysm? Describe the pain experienced as a result of the aneurysm.
- sudden onset of excruciating pain
- begins anterior in chest and radiates to back between the scapula and radiates inferiorly as dissection progresses
what is a berry aneurysm? which group is most commonly affected?
- aneurysm of the circle of willis in the brain
- young people
What is a berry aneurysm most commonly associated with?
sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
What is a capillary micro-aneurysm?
small aneurysms of branches of the middle cerebral artery
What are capillary micro-aneurysms associated with?What can they lead to?
- hypertension and diabetes mellitus
- intra cerebral haemorrhage
Which vessel does a syphilitic aneurysm usually affect?
thoracic aorta
