Heart Failure
What is stroke volume?
This term refers to the volume of blood ejected by the ventricle with each heartbeat and is affected by preload, afterload, and contractility.
What is stable angina?
Atherosclerosis of coronary arteries can cause this common clinical condition, characterized by chest pain that is relieved by rest or nitroglycerin.
What is stenosis?
This term refers to the failure of a heart valve to open completely, impeding forward blood flow.
What is constrictive pericarditis?
In this chronic condition, the pericardium becomes fibrotic and restricts diastolic filling.
What is acute rheumatic fever?
This post-infectious condition occurs 2–3 weeks after a group A streptococcal pharyngitis and is mediated by immune cross-reactivity.
What are heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)?
Heart failure is classified based on ejection fraction into these two major types.
What is ventricular fibrillation?
This arrhythmia, often caused by acute myocardial infarction, is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death.
What is aortic stenosis?
The classic triad of angina, syncope, and dyspnea is associated with this valvular disease.
What is cardiac tamponade?
Beck’s triad includes hypotension, jugular venous distension, and muffled heart sounds — a classic presentation of this condition.
What are Osler nodes?
This painful lesion on the pads of the fingers and toes in IE is due to immune complex deposition.
What is right-sided heart failure?
This type of heart failure is commonly caused by chronic lung disease and presents with systemic venous congestion, including hepatomegaly and ascites.
What is ventricular free wall rupture?
This life-threatening complication of an acute myocardial infarction occurs when weakened infarcted tissue ruptures, leading to hemopericardium and cardiac tamponade.
What is mitral valve prolapse?
This valvular disorder is associated with myxomatous degeneration, Marfan syndrome, and a characteristic mid-systolic click.
What is echocardiography?
This imaging modality is most commonly used to evaluate pericardial effusions.
What is Staphylococcus aureus?
This organism is the most common cause of acute bacterial endocarditis, especially in IV drug users.
What is the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS)?
This compensatory mechanism is activated when cardiac output declines, leading to increased heart rate, vasoconstriction, and sodium retention.
What is the left anterior descending (LAD) artery?
This major coronary artery supplies blood to the anterior 2/3 of the interventricular septum and the anterior wall of the left ventricle.
What is aortic regurgitation?
This valvular disorder results in a widened pulse pressure and a “water hammer” pulse due to increased stroke volume and reduced diastolic pressure.
What is pericardiocentesis?
This procedure is performed to remove fluid from the pericardial space.
What are endocardial vegetations?
This avascular structure in infective endocarditis allows bacterial vegetations to persist and embolize.
What is the right ventricle?
The “nutmeg liver” appearance seen in hepatic congestion is a result of blood backup due to failure of this cardiac chamber.
What is the right coronary artery (RCA)?
The sinoatrial (SA) and atrioventricular (AV) nodes receive their blood supply from branches of this coronary artery.
What is tricuspid stenosis or tricuspid regurgitation?
This valvular disease is most commonly associated with carcinoid syndrome, leading to fibrosis of right-sided heart valves.
What is pulsus paradoxus?
This inspiratory drop in systolic blood pressure >10 mmHg is seen in tamponade.
What is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)?
This autoimmune disease is classically associated with Libman-Sacks endocarditis, a subtype of NBTE.