Pathophysiology Exam Study Flashcards

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and definitions related to pathophysiology topics, focusing on congenital heart defects, endocarditis, myocarditis, hypertension, shock, pulmonary embolism, heart failure, and related conditions.

Tetralogy of Fallot

A congenital heart defect comprising four specific cardiac abnormalities that result in low levels of oxygen in the blood.

Ventricular septal defect

An abnormal opening in the interventricular septum allowing communication between left and right ventricles.

Pulmonary stenosis

Narrowing of the pulmonary valve, obstructing blood flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery.

Right ventricular hypertrophy

Thickening of the right ventricle wall due to increased workload, often as a response to pulmonary stenosis.

Overriding aorta

A condition where the aorta is positioned directly over a ventricular septal defect and straddles both the left and right ventricles.

Cyanosis

A bluish discoloration of the skin due to low oxygen levels in the blood, commonly seen in patients with significant right-to-left shunts.

Compensatory polycythemia

Increased red blood cell production as a response to chronic low oxygen levels in the blood, often leading to thicker blood.

Tetralogy spell

A hypercyanotic episode that can occur in children with Tetralogy of Fallot, characterized by sudden respiratory distress and cyanosis.

Atrial septal defect (ASD)

A defect in the septum that separates the two atria, allowing blood to pass from the left atrium to the right atrium.

Cardiac catheterization

A procedure used to diagnose and treat certain heart conditions by inserting a catheter into the heart through blood vessels.

Endocarditis

An infection of the inner lining of the heart, often due to bacteria that enter the bloodstream.

Duke Criteria

A set of clinical criteria used to diagnose infective endocarditis based on major and minor criteria.

Myocarditis

An inflammatory disease of the myocardium, typically due to infections, which can lead to heart failure.

Essential hypertension

High blood pressure that is not caused by any underlying condition, often multifactorial in origin.

Shock

A life-threatening condition where the blood flow to the body is inadequate to meet metabolic needs.

Hypovolemic shock

A type of shock resulting from significant loss of blood volume, leading to decreased cardiac output.

Cardiogenic shock

A state of inadequate blood flow due to a failure of the heart to pump effectively.

Anaphylactic shock

A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that results in shock and systemic vascular collapse.

Pulmonary thromboembolism

Blockage of a pulmonary artery by a blood clot originating from venous thromboembolism.

Congestive heart failure (CHF)

A clinical syndrome characterized by the heart's inability to pump sufficient blood to meet the body's needs.

Chronic arterial occlusive disease

An obstructive arterial disease leading to progressive reduction in blood flow to extremities, commonly due to atherosclerosis.