Heart Anatomy
Components of the heart
What is:
- Four chambers (left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium, left ventricle)
- Two atrioventricular valves (tricuspid and bicuspid/mitral)
- Two semilunar valves (pulmonic and aortic)
Define angina and types
What is chest pain due to atherosclerosis?
- Stable angina is experienced on exertion and resolves at rest
- Unstable angina is unresolved at rest
- Silent angina is unnoticed by patient but cardiac issue is occurring
- Prinzmetal angina is experienced at rest due to an unknown cause
Define thrombus
What is a blood clot that remains attached to a vessel wall?
P.S. this can lead to deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism is a serious complication
Structure in a normal heart responsible for electrical impulse stimulation
What is SA node?
Define congestive heart failure
What is the heart is unable to pump out blood effectively and provide normal blood supply to the body?
Arteries vs Veins
What is:
- arteries carry blood away from the heart
pulmonary arteries carry blood from the right ventricle to the lungs
- veins carry blood to the heart
pulmonary veins carry blood from the lungs to the heart
Define Coronary artery disease
What is narrowing of the coronary vessels due to atherosclerosis causing blockage of blood supply?
Define dysrhythmias
What is disturbance of heart rhythm due to abnormal conduction?
AKA: arrythmias (tachycardia/bradycardia)
QRS Complex
What is ventricular depolarization?
Signs/Symptoms
What is JVD, pulmonary edema/congestion, peripheral edema, crackles/rales, dyspnea, weight gain, dysrhythmias, etc.?
Function of coronary sinus
What is returns deoxygenated blood from the cardiac veins to the right atrium?
Define shock
What is a widespread impairment of cellular metabolism due to the cardiovascular system failing to perfuse tissues adequately?
Side note: Shock progresses to organ failure and death unless reversed.
Define hypertension and its types
What is elevated blood pressure due to increased cardiac output/blood volume and vascular resistance/vasoconstriction?
Primary = without a known cause
Secondary = due to an underlying disease
Depolarization
Systolic vs Diastolic heart failure
What is:
- Dysfunction of ventricular output
- Dysfunction of ventricular filling
Pericardium functions
What is:
- Prevents displacement of the heart during gravitational acceleration/deceleration.
- Contains pain receptors and mechanoreceptors that affect blood pressure.
- Acts as a physical barrier that protects the heart against infection and inflammation.
- Brings about the force required to normalize blood pressure.
Define atherosclerosis
What is thickening and hardening of blood vessel wall due to plaque build up?
Define pericarditis and the signs/symptoms
What is inflammation of the pericardium due to infection, MI, surgery, trauma, etc.?
Chest pain, weakness, malaise, low grade fever, ECG changes
Measure of time from the onset of atrial activation to the onset of ventricular activation.
What is PR Interval?
P.S. should be < 0.20 s
Causes of heart failure
What is coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, ventricular filling issues (valve defects), infection, pulmonary embolism, alcohol, family history, comorbidities, etc.?
Pathway of blood flow
What is left atrium --> left ventricle --> aorta --> systemic circulation --> superior/inferior vena cava --> right atrium --> right ventricle --> pulmonary artery --> pulmonary circulation/lungs --> pulmonary veins --> left atrium?
Ischemia vs Infarction and pathway to cardiac arrest
What is:
- Cardiac cells are deprived of blood supply
- Untreated ischemia can lead to cell damage/death (30-45 minutes after ischemia), loss of cardiac function --> heart attack
Valve dysfunctions
What is regurgitation and stenosis?
Regurgitation is the backflow of blood due to failure of valve closing
Stenosis is the narrowing of the valve which restricts blood flow
QT interval
What is the time it takes for ventricles to contract and completely relax?
Left vs Right heart failure
What is:
- Left ventricle fails to pump blood out of the heart to the systemic circulation causing backflow of blood into the lungs leading to pulmonary congestion/edema
- Right ventricle fails to pump blood out of the heart to the lungs causing backflow of blood into the veins leading to peripheral edema/JVD