Cardiac Structures, Valvular Heart Disease, and Cardiomyopathies

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering cardiac anatomy, valvular disorders (stenosis and regurgitation), surgical repairs, diagnostic signs, and the major forms of cardiomyopathy from the lecture.

Atrioventricular Valves

The heart valves located between the atria and the ventricles, comprising the mitral valve (left atrium to left ventricle) and the tricuspid valve (right atrium to right ventricle).

Semi-lunar Valves

The heart valves positioned at the ventricular outflows, comprising the aortic valve (left ventricle to aorta) and the pulmonary valve (right ventricle to pulmonary artery).

Valvular Stenosis

A valve abnormality in which the valve leaflets cannot open properly, resulting in obstruction to normal blood flow.

Valvular Regurgitation (Incompetence)

A valve abnormality occurring when a heart valve cannot close properly, resulting in the backward flow or leaking of blood.

Mitral Stenosis (MS)

A condition where the mitral valve leaflets fuse and cannot open normally, obstructing blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle and leading to increased left atrial pressure, increased left atrial size, elevated pulmonary artery pressures, and right ventricular enlargement.

Mitral Valve Regurgitation (MR)

A valve disorder where the mitral valve fails to close properly during systole, with common causes including Rheumatic Fever, Infective Endocarditis, and Papillary Muscle dysfunction.

Aortic Stenosis

A condition characterized by narrowing or failure of the aortic valve to open fully during systole, restricting blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta; managed medically or surgically via open valve replacement or TAVR.

Aortic Regurgitation (AR)

An incompetence of the aortic valve preventing complete closure and allowing blood to regurgitate backward into the left ventricle during diastole; associated with peripheral signs like Water-hammer pulse, Traube's sign, Hill's sign, De Musset's sign, and Quincke's sign.

Marfan's Syndrome

An inherited connective tissue disorder associated with mitral stenosis and aortic regurgitation, physically presenting with a tall, thin habitus and an arm span that exceeds height.

Annuloplasty

A surgical reconstruction technique involving the narrowing of a dilated valve ring using a prosthetic ring and/or purse string suturing.

Valvuloplasty

A surgical intervention focused on the reconstruction and repair of a diseased heart valve.

Mechanical Valve

A manufactured prosthetic cardiac valve replacement that requires the patient to receive lifelong anticoagulant therapy.

Tissue Valve

A bioprosthetic valve replacement derived either from a human cadaver (allograft) or animal donor tissue such as bovine or porcine sources (xenograft).

MR PASS MVP

A clinical mnemonic for systolic murmurs: Mitral and Tricuspid Regurgitation, Physiologic murmur, Aortic Stenosis, and Mitral Valve Prolapse.

MS ARD

A clinical mnemonic for diastolic murmurs: Mitral Stenosis and Aortic Regurgitation produce a Diastolic murmur.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)

The most common form of cardiomyopathy ($90\%$ of all cases), characterized by enlargement of all cardiac chambers, systolic dysfunction, decreased myocardial contractility, and decreased cardiac output.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)

A primary myocardial condition characterized by ventricular and septal hypertrophy, forceful contractions, diastolic dysfunction, and an increased risk of sudden death in young athletes.

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy (RCM)

The least common type of cardiomyopathy, characterized by rigid ventricular walls, poor ventricular compliance, and inadequate filling of the ventricular cavities during diastole.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

A stress-induced cardiomyopathy where the left ventricle swells and fails to contract normally, forming a ballooned shape resembling a Japanese octopus pot (Tako-Tsubo).

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)

An unusual, inherited condition of the human heart muscle characterized by progressive fatty replacement of the right ventricular myocardium.

Bisferiens Pulse

An arterial pulse character identified on physical assessment in patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).