leannes notes

• Ischaemic heart disease


  Narrowing of coronary arteries due to atherosclerotic plaques as a result of cholesterol deposition on the inner aspect of the arteries of the heart. May lead to eventual blockage and thus reduced blood supply and hence oxygen supply to the myocardium.
• Pericarditis


  Inflammation of the lining around the heart (pericardium)
• Angina pectoris


  Chest pain or discomfort due to coronary heart disease (not enough blood supply reaching the myocardium)
• Ankle oedema


  Swelling of ankles due to a build up of extracellular fluid outside tissues
• Pheochromocytoma


  Tumour of the adrenal gland tissue causing excess release of epinephrine and norepinephrine
• Conn's syndrome


  Primary hyperaldosteronism related to the adrenal glands causing the overproduction of aldosterone
• Cushing's syndrome


  Disease related to the adrenal cortex which can be spontaneous or drug-induced, causing overproduction of corticosteroids
• Cerebrovascular accident/ stroke


  Sudden death of some brain cells due to lack of blood supply and thus a lack of oxygen supply to the brain as a result of impaired/narrowing or blockage of an artery
• Left ventricular hypertrophy


  Increase in size of heart muscle to greater pressure required to pump blood against arterial resistance
• Cardiomegaly


  Abnormal enlargement of the heart
• Pulmonary venous congestion


  Fluid accumulation in the lungs causing impaired gas exchange and arterial hypoxia (decreased O2 levels in the blood)
• Arrhythmia


  Abnormality in electric impulse formation resulting in an increased/ decreased heart rate and an irregular rhythm
• Heart block


  Conduction defect of the heart in which an impulse is generated too slow causing a slow heartbeat resulting in electrical signals being partially/totally blocked between atria and ventricles via blocking electrical flow from SAN to AV node
• Syncope


  Transient loss of consciousness
• Goitre


  Enlarged thyroid gland
• Hypokalaemia


  Low blood potassium levels
• Superficial thrombophlebitis


  Inflammation of superficial veins most commonly due to an indwelling intravenous catheter
• Deep venous thrombosis


  Formation of a blood clot in deep veins usually of the lower limbs
• Epistaxis


  Unexplained bleeding such as nose bleeds
• Pulmonary embolism


  Obstruction of the pulmonary artery by a thrombus that has originated from some other part of the body eg: deep veins of the lower limbs
• Dyspnoea


  Shortness of breath, a subjective sensation in which the effort of breathing reaches consciousness, usually in circumstances in which a normal person would not be aware of breathing at all
• Haemoptysis


  Coughing up blood
• Hypoxaemia


  Low partial pressure of oxygen in the blood
• Hypocapnoea


  Low partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood
• Cyanosis


  Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood
• Electrocardiogram


  Records the electric activity of the heart's specialised conducting tissue using 12 electrodes, 6 placed on the chest and 6 placed on the limbs at different positions to pick up the different electrical currents produced
• Electrocardiograph/electrocardiogram


  Ultrasound of the heart to detect defects such as LVH earlier on that with an ECG
• Congestive heart failure


  A condition in which the heart is unable to maintain an output sufficient for the needs of the body or does so at the expense of an abnormally high venous pressure
• Cardiogenic shock


  A severe form of CHF in which the cardiac output is very low, resulting in a drop in blood pressure
• Coronary artery disease


  Complete blockage of the coronary artery resulting in deprived oxygen supply to the myocardium, causing cell death and hence reduced pumping action of the heart
• Myocarditis


  Inflammation of the myocardium (heart muscle) due to a viral infection
• Orthopnoea


  Shortness of breath on lying down
• Ascites


  Fluid build up in the peritoneum, usually due to an increased venous pressure
• Pulmonary oedema


  Fluid build up in the lungs
• Pleural effusion


  Fluid present in the pleural space of the lungs
• Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH)


  Thickened muscle of the ventricle due to increased effort of the heart muscle to pump blood through a stenosed valve, resulting in a stronger and larger muscle growing
• Eisenmenger complex


  Reversal of shunt in atrial septal defect such that deoxygenated blood flows from the right atrium to the left atrium as right atrium increases in size and pressure exceeds that in the left atrium
• Infective endocarditis


  Infection of the inner lining of the heart (endocardium) involving the heart valves (2 types)
• Bacteraemia


  Bacteria present in the blood
• Dysphagia


  Difficulty swallowing solids or fluids