Cardiovascular and Ophthalmic Diseases (Veterinary) - Vocabulary flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key concepts from cardiovascular diseases and diseases of the eye as presented in the notes.

Hypertrophy

Increase in size of heart muscle cells due to higher resistance to pumping (e.g., stenosis or hypertension).

Dilation

Enlargement of heart chambers from excess blood volume or regurgitation.

Compensatory mechanisms

Physiologic adjustments (increased heart rate, blood pressure, blood volume, contractility) to maintain homeostasis in heart disease.

Congestive heart failure (CHF)

Inadequate heart pumping with fluid buildup in lungs or body tissues.

Myocardial Failure

Dysfunction of the heart muscle itself from toxicity, ischemia, infection, or cardiomyopathy.

Pressure Overload

Increased afterload causing hypertrophy (e.g., valve stenosis or systemic hypertension).

Volume Overload

Excess blood volume causing chamber dilation (e.g., valvular regurgitation, PDA, VSD).

Impaired Filling

Limited ventricular filling (e.g., hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, pericardial disease/effusion).

Diuretic

Drug that reduces fluid volume (e.g., furosemide).

Chronotropic therapy

Drugs or strategies that modify heart rate; digoxin is listed as a positive chronotrope in notes.

Inotropic therapy

Drugs that increase cardiac contractility (e.g., dobutamine).

Antiarrhythmic therapy

Drugs used to correct abnormal heart rhythms (e.g., lidocaine).

Vasodilator

Drug that widens blood vessels to lower blood pressure; examples include enalapril (arteriodilator) and nitroglycerin (venodilator).

Right-sided heart failure signs

Systemic venous congestion: liver/splenic congestion, pleural effusion, ascites, subcutaneous edema.

Left-sided heart failure signs

Pulmonary congestion/edema and potential progression to right-sided failure.

Radiographs

Imaging test used in heart disease assessment. Often paired with ECG and echocardiography.

Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)

Recording of the heart’s electrical activity to detect rhythm abnormalities.

Echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound)

Imaging test that visualizes heart structure and function in real time.

Murmur

An abnormal heart sound produced by turbulent blood flow, often due to valve disease.

Systolic murmur

Murmur occurring during systole (ventricular contraction).

Diastolic murmur

Murmur occurring during diastole (ventricular relaxation).

Continuous (machinery) murmur

Murmur that occurs continuously through systole and diastole.

Grade I–VI murmur

Sound intensity scale for murmurs, I being soft, VI very loud with precordial thrill.

Point of Maximum Intensity (PMI)

Valve site where a murmur is loudest.

S1 (lub)

Closure of the AV valves (mitral and tricuspid) at beginning of systole.

S2 (dub)

Closure of the semilunar valves (aortic and pulmonic) at end of systole.

S3

Ventricular filling sound; not normally audible in healthy animals.

S4

Atrial systole sound; not normally audible.

PR interval

Delay at the AV node allowing ventricles to fill.

QRS complex

Ventricular depolarization and main pumping contractions.

ST segment

Beginning of ventricular repolarization; should be flat in a normal ECG.

Ventricular tachycardia (VT)

Ventricles contract independently; wide QRS; potentially life-threatening.

Ventricular premature contractions (VPCs)

Early ventricular beats; wide QRS; may indicate arrhythmia or underlying disease.

Ventricular fibrillation

Disorganized ventricular activity; life-threatening emergency needing immediate intervention.

Atrial fibrillation

Uncoordinated atrial activity with irregular ventricular response; common in large dogs.

Sinus arrhythmia

Rhythmic variation in heart rate with respiration; normal in dogs, less so in stressed cats.

Sinus bradycardia

Slow heart rate with normal P and QRS; can be physiological (large/athletic dogs) or pathological.

Pulse deficit

Difference between heartbeats and palpable peripheral pulse, indicating arrhythmia.

Holter monitor

Ambulatory ECG device to detect intermittent arrhythmias.

Atrial fibrillation treatment

Medications to slow heart rate and control rhythm; management depends on underlying disease.

PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus)

Genetic defect; abnormal persistent duct between aorta and pulmonary artery causing a machinery murmur.

Atrial/ventricular septal defects (ASD/VSD)

Septal defects causing left-to-right shunts (ASD) or volume overload (VSD) with characteristic murmurs.

Stenotic valves

Narrowing of valve outflow (pulmonary or aortic) causing right or left ventricular hypertrophy.

Balloon valvuloplasty

Procedure to relieve valve obstruction.

Tetralogy of Fallot

Combined heart defect: pulmonic stenosis, RV hypertrophy, subaortic VSD, overriding aorta.

Mitral valve insufficiency (MMVD)

Chronic degenerative valvular disease causing mitral regurgitation; common in small dogs.

Myxomatous valve disease

Degenerative changes in valve leaflets leading to insufficiency.

Heartworm disease

Parasitic infection transmitted by mosquitoes; adults reside in the heart and pulmonary arteries.

Immiticide (melarsomine)

Adult heartworm treatment drug.

Ivermectin

Microfilaricidal and heartworm preventative; kills microfilariae.

Doxycycline

Antibiotic used to kill Wolbachia bacteria that support heartworms.

Saddle thrombus

Common in cats with cardiomyopathy; acute hind limb pain and paresis due to arterial blockage.

Thromboembolism

Formation and lodging of clots in the arterial system, a serious complication of heart disease.

PDA treatment

Surgical ligation or transcatheter occlusion; prognosis guarded to good.

Conjugate eye anatomy terms (Cornea, Sclera, Iris)

Layers and parts of the eye: cornea (front clear window), sclera (white outer layer), iris (colored part).

Tapetum lucidum

Reflective layer behind retina enhancing night vision.

Retina

Photosensitive layer of the eye where photopigments generate electrical signals.

Rods vs cones

Rods: vision in low light; cones: color vision; dogs have limited cones, cats more similar to humans.

Nictitating gland (third eyelid)

Gland of the third eyelid; hypertrophy causes 'cherry eye'.

Conjunctivitis

Inflammation or infection of the conjunctiva; signs include chemosis, epiphora, discharge, blepharospasm.

Epiphora

Overflow of tears due to tear drainage obstruction or irritation.

Blepharitis

Inflammation of the eyelids; can be infectious, allergic, or inflammatory.

Entropion

Inward turning of the eyelid leading to irritation of the conjunctiva and cornea.

Ectropion

Outward turning of the eyelid margin causing conjunctival irritation.

Cherry Eye

Prolapse of the third eyelid’s nictitating gland.

Anatomy of the eye (globe and accessory structures)

Eye composed of globe (cornea, sclera, uvea, retina) and accessory structures (lid, lacrimal apparatus, third eyelid).

Cornea anatomy

Clear, avascular front window; epithelium, descemet membrane, stroma; heals rapidly.

Anterior chamber

Space behind cornea filled with aqueous humor; maintains intraocular pressure.

Aqueous humor

Fluid produced by the choroid that fills the anterior chamber.

Uvea

Middle eye layer comprising iris, ciliary body, and choroid.

Iris

Colored part of the eye controlling pupil size.

Pupil shapes

Shape varies by species: round in dogs, vertical/slitted in cats, rectangular in goats.

Lens and cataracts

Lens sits behind pupil; clouding (cataracts) or age-related changes affect vision.

Ophthalmic exam components

Pupillary light reflex, menace response, palpebral reflex, ophthalmoscopy, tonometry, Schirmer test, fluorescein staining.

Schirmer tear test

Measures tear production to assess tear deficiency or ocular irritation.

Fluorescein stain

Dye used to detect corneal ulcers or defects.

Hypertrophy

Increase in size of heart muscle cells due to higher resistance to pumping (e.g., stenosis or hypertension).

Dilation

Enlargement of heart chambers from excess blood volume or regurgitation.

Compensatory mechanisms

Physiologic adjustments (increased heart rate, blood pressure, blood volume, contractility) to maintain homeostasis in heart disease.

Congestive heart failure (CHF)

Inadequate heart pumping with fluid buildup in lungs or body tissues.

Myocardial Failure

Dysfunction of the heart muscle itself from toxicity, ischemia, infection, or cardiomyopathy.

Pressure Overload

Increased afterload causing hypertrophy (e.g., valve stenosis or systemic hypertension).

Volume Overload

Excess blood volume causing chamber dilation (e.g., valvular regurgitation, PDA, VSD).

Impaired Filling

Limited ventricular filling (e.g., hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, pericardial disease/effusion).

Diuretic

Drug that reduces fluid volume (e.g., furosemide).

Chronotropic therapy

Drugs or strategies that modify heart rate; digoxin is listed as a positive chronotrope in notes.

Inotropic therapy

Drugs that increase cardiac contractility (e.g., dobutamine).

Antiarrhythmic therapy

Drugs used to correct abnormal heart rhythms (e.g., lidocaine).

Vasodilator

Drug that widens blood vessels to lower blood pressure; examples include enalapril (arteriodilator) and nitroglycerin (venodilator).

Right-sided heart failure signs

Systemic venous congestion: liver/splenic congestion, pleural effusion, ascites, subcutaneous edema.

Left-sided heart failure signs

Pulmonary congestion/edema and potential progression to right-sided failure.

Radiographs

Imaging test used in heart disease assessment. Often paired with ECG and echocardiography.

Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)

Recording of the heart’s electrical activity to detect rhythm abnormalities.

Echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound)

Imaging test that visualizes heart structure and function in real time.

Murmur

An abnormal heart sound produced by turbulent blood flow, often due to valve disease.

Systolic murmur

Murmur occurring during systole (ventricular contraction).

Diastolic murmur

Murmur occurring during diastole (ventricular relaxation).

Continuous (machinery) murmur

Murmur that occurs continuously through systole and diastole.

Grade I–VI murmur

Sound intensity scale for murmurs, I being soft, VI very loud with precordial thrill.

Point of Maximum Intensity (PMI)

Valve site where a murmur is loudest.