CMA Study Guide #1 - Heart Failure and Diseases

Angiogram

A procedure where dye is injected into coronary arteries and a moving x-ray is taken to detect blockages.

Ischemia

lack of blood flow to the tissues resulting in oxygen deficiency

Coronary arteries

Blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle

Angina

Chest pain caused by the decrease of blood flow to the heart muscle (different for everyone)

Arrhythmia

Disturbance in the heart rhythm

MI (Myocardial Infarction or Heart Attack)

Death of heart muscle tissue caused by blood clots in the coronary arteries (blood clots form due to plaque buildup creating a blockage, not allowing blood, oxygen, and nutrients to flow, causing tissue death)

Echocardiogram

Heart test that uses ultrasound waves to collect pictures of heart structures like the valves and heart chambers

CAD (Coronary Artery Disease)

Heart disease caused by blockages in the coronary arteries

Cardiac

Relating to the heart

Patients w/ CAD may have diagnostic tests such as…

echocardiogram, angiogram, or stress test

Open-heart surgery is required for a…

CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft)

A patient w/ CAD may experience symptoms such as…

chest tightness/pain (angina), shortness of breath (SOB), and arm pain

An undetected heart attack that is picked up on a future ECG is known as a..

Silent Myocardial Infarction

Two terms for disturbances in the heart rhythm are…

arrhythmia (slow), and dysrhythmia (fast)

CAD is caused by …. in the coronary artery

fatty buildup

The coronary arteries carry …. and …. which are vital to the function of the heart muscle

nutrients and oxygen rich blood

Risk factors can be controlled or managed, except this one

sex/gender

Define the term: CABG

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft - A open heart surgery that harvests blood vessels from other parts of the body and are then sewn into the aorta

Define the term: PTCA

Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty - Treatment for blocked arteries; a catheter & balloon at the end is placed in the artery at site of blockage

Define the term: Defibrillation

Procedure where external electrical shocks are applied to a patient whose heart is beating in lethal dysrhythmia

Define the term: Pacemaker

A device used in patients whose heartbeat is too slow due to blocked electrical conduction

Define the term: Risk factors

Conditions or states which significantly increase the probability of developing heart disease (Heredity, Gender/sex, age, diabetes, etc.)

What does the “C” in CHF stand for?

Congestive

In CHF, the heart is unable to…

Pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs

Fluid buildup in the body due to CHF is often called…

Congestion

What is not a common symptom of CHF?

Heightened sense of smell

CHF is a chronic … condition

heart

In a person with CHF, the heart … is unable to … effectively

muscle, pump blood

When blood flows out of the heart more … the … in the heart increases

forcefully, pressure

Increased pressure in the heart causes … to build up in the body’s tissues, such as the …

fluid, leg

Common symptoms of CHF include shortness of breath and …

edema (swelling)

Treatments like … and lifestyle changes can help … symptoms

medications, manage

What is the main job of the heart?

To pump healthy blood throughout the body in order for it to function.

What are common symptoms of heart failure?

SOB, swelling (edema), fatigue, persistent cough or wheezing

Why is someone with CHF supposed to limit salt in the diet?

Salt retains fluid, causing the body to retain fluid that it shouldn’t

Why is it important for someone with CHF to monitor weight daily?

If they gain weight due to fluid, they can find early signs of heart failure before it gets too bad.

What are the causes of Heart failure?

CAD, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart attack, diabetes, and cardiomyopathy

How can CHF be managed?

with medications, lifestyle changes, medical devices, and surgeries or heart transplants.

why is the term “congestive" used to describe heart failure?

Fluid builds up in different parts of the body, like the lungs, abdomen, and legs

What analogy is often used to describe how a weakened heart leads to fluid buildup in the body?

A traffic jam, as the heart isn’t pumping blood like it should, causing blood to back up in the blood vessels like a traffic jam with cars.

If someone with CHF has swelling in the legs, what can be inferred about the path of blood flow in their body?

The compensatory mechanisms aren’t working well and aren’t pumping blood properly, so fluid backup begins.

What percentage of the body’s cholesterol is produced by the liver?

80%

Which type of food contains no dietary cholesterol?

plant-based foods

Why is HDL cholesterol called “good” cholesterol?

It extracts cholesterol from artery walls and disposes of it

A person who is lean, exercises regularly, and doesn’t smoke cigarettes is likely to have…

High HDL cholesterol levels

What is not mentioned as a factor that raises LDL cholesterol levels in the blood?

A decreased number of liver cell LDL receptors

High levels of LDL cholesterol and low levels of HDL cholesterol (a high LDL/HDL ratio) are risk factors for a condition called…

atherosclerosis

The liver removes LDL cholesterol from the blood by using active…on the surface of its cells

receptors

The inherited disorder where people have a dimished or non-existent number of LDL receptors is called…

familial hypercholesterolmia

In addition to cholesterol, triglyceride, is a fatty substance composed of three…

fatty acids

…is a waxy substance found in the blood that the body needs to build healthy cells.

Cholesterol

Define the term: Atherosclerosis

Accumulation on artery walls caused by lipids

Define the term: Arteriosclerosis

Process that causes thickening or hardening of artery wall

Define the term: Aspirin

Catagorized as “blood thinner” but scientific meaning is “Antiplatelet” smooths blood for better flow

Define the term: Thrombosis

Formation of blood clot inside blood vessel obstructing blood flow