L4.4: Homeostatic Imbalances of the Heart

• ● Pericarditis

  ○ Inflammation of the pericardium

  ○ Reduces serous fluid

  ○ Pericardial layers rub, bind, and stick to each other, forming painful adhesions
• ● Endocarditis

  ○ Bacterial infection of the endocardium, causing the valve cusps to become stiff
• ● Valvular Stenosis

  ○ The narrowing of the heart caused by endocarditis

  ○ Forces heart to work harder

  ○ Often requires replacement with a synthetic

  ■ Cryopreserved human valve, or

  ■ Chemically treated pig heart valve
• ● Angina Pectoris

  ○ Crushing chest pain caused by deprivation of oxygen in the myocardium

  ○ If ignored, the oxygen-deprived heart cells may die, forming an area called an infarct
• ● Myocardial Infarction (MI)

  ○ Commonly called a “heart attack” or “coronary”
• ● Heart Block

  ○ Damage to the AV node disrupts SA node control

  ○ Ventricles begin to beat at their own rate which is much slower
• ● Fibrillation

  ○ Caused by ischemia (lack of adequate blood supply to the heart muscle)

  ○ It is a rapid and uncoordinated quivering of the ventricles that look like a bag of wiggling worms

  ○ Prevents the heart from pumping any blood and

  ○ Major cause of death from heart attacks in adults

  ○ Treated with AED (automatic external defibrillators)
• ● Heart Murmurs

  ○ “Abnormal / Unusual heart sounds”

  ○ Caused by turbulent blood flow hitting obstructions, generating a sound

  ○ Common in young children and some elderly with healthy hearts due to thin heart walls

  ○ Can indicate valve problems for middle-aged people
• ● Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

  ○ Reduced pumping efficiency, resulting to inadequate circulation to meet tissue needs

  ○ Progressive condition that reflects weakening of the heart by coronary atherosclerosis, hypertensive heart disease, or multiple myocardial infarctions

  ○ Coronary atherosclerosis — clogging of the coronary vessels with fatty buildup
• ● Edema / Congestion

  ○ Too much fluid build up in the lungs

  ○ Most noticeable in feet, ankles, and fingers

  ○ Pulmonary congestion — left heart failure causes blood to back up in the lungs

  ○ Peripheral congestion — right heart failure causes blood to back up in the systemic circulation