Heart Failure and Valvular Heart Disease Lecture Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering heart failure types, diagnostics, drug therapies, cardiomyopathy classifications, and valvular heart diseases.

Heart Failure (HF)

A condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's metabolic needs, resulting in less blood reaching organs and fluid backing up into lungs or tissues.

Primary risk factors for HF

Hypertension (modifiable) and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

Left-sided Heart Failure

The most common form of HF where blood backs up into the left atrium and pulmonary veins, causing pulmonary hydrostatic pressure to increase and fluid to leak into the interior of the lungs (alveoli).

Right-sided Heart Failure

Ineffective pumping of the RV causing fluid to back up in the venous system, resulting in peripheral edema, JVD, and ascites; most commonly caused by left-sided HF.

HFrEF (systolic heart failure)

Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction characterized by the inability of the heart to pump blood effectively due to impaired contractile function or increased afterload.

HFpEF (diastolic heart failure)

Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction where the ventricles cannot relax and fill during diastole, often resulting from left ventricular hypertrophy due to hypertension.

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND)

A clinical manifestation of left-sided HF where the patient wakes up gasping for air due to fluid redistributing into the lungs while lying down.

Ejection Fraction (EF)

The percentage of blood pumped out of the heart with each beat; normal range is $50-70\%$, measured via echocardiogram.

BNP (Brain natriuretic peptide)

A laboratory marker used to determine fluid overload; levels $<100\,pg/mL$ are considered normal.

Digitalis (Digoxin) Toxicity

A condition indicated by early signs of anorexia, nausea, and vomiting; necessitates monitoring of digoxin levels.

HF Nutritional Weight Monitoring

Patients should report a weight gain of $3\,lb$ ($1.4\,kg$) over $2$ days or a $3-5\,lb$ ($2.3\,kg$) gain over a week to their healthcare provider.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy

The most common type of cardiomyopathy ($25-40\%$ of cases) characterized by heart chamber enlargement and weak contraction, often caused by alcohol or cocaine.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

A condition featuring massive ventricular hypertrophy and impaired relaxation, often genetically linked and associated with sudden death in young athletes.

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

The least common type of cardiomyopathy where the ventricular walls become rigid like a 'brick wall,' causing diastolic dysfunction and refill problems.

Stenosis

A type of valvular heart disease where the valve opening is smaller and constricted, impeding forward blood flow.

Regurgitation

A type of valvular heart disease involving incomplete valve closure resulting in the backward flow of blood.

Mitral Valve Stenosis

Narrowing of the mitral valve most commonly caused by rheumatic heart disease; increases risk for atrial fibrillation and stroke.

Aortic Valve Stenosis (AS)

Obstruction of flow from the LV to the aorta characterized by the 'SAD' clinical manifestations: Syncope, Angina, and exertional Dyspnea.

Water-hammer pulse

A strong, bounding pulse associated with chronic Aortic Valve Regurgitation.

Mechanical Valve Replacement

Artificial heart valves that are more durable but carry a risk of thromboembolism and require lifelong anticoagulation therapy.

Biologic Valve Replacement

Heart valves made from bovine, porcine, or human tissue; they do not require anticoagulation but are less durable than mechanical ones.