Cardio - Valvular Disorders Key Terms

Asymptomatic

(of a condition or a person) producing or showing no symptoms.

Antistreptolysin O (ASO) Titer

A blood test used to detect antibodies against streptococci.

Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)

A condition in which the heart valves have been permanently damaged by rheumatic fever (RF).

Angina

A condition marked by severe pain in the chest, often also spreading to the shoulders, arms, and neck, caused by an inadequate blood supply to the heart.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

A disease in which a portion of the myocardium (heart muscle) is hypertrophic (enlarged) without any obvious cause, creating functional impairment of the heart.

Ascites

A gastroenterological term for an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity that exceeds 25 mL.

Vegetation

An abnormal growth of tissue around a valve, composed of fibrin, platelets, and bacteria.

Fatigue

Extreme tiredness, typically resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness.

Syncope

Fainting; temporary loss of consciousness caused by a fall in blood pressure.

Group A Beta-Hemolytic Streptococci (GABHS)

Infection with Streptococcus pyogenes, a beta-hemolytic bacterium that belongs to Lancefield serogroup A, also known as the group A streptococci (GAS), causes a wide variety of diseases in humans (e.g., strep throat).

Dyspnea

Shortness of breath (SOB); difficult or labored breathing

Orthopnea

Shortness of breath (dyspnea) that occurs when lying flat, causing the person to have to sleep propped up in bed or sitting in a chair.

Valvular Stenosis

Thickening of the valve tissue

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea (PND)

∙ Refers to attacks of severe shortness of breath and coughing that generally occur at night. ∙ It usually awakens the person from sleep, and may be quite frightening.

Petechiae

∙ Small (1-2 mm) red or purple spot caused by bleeding into the skin of the conjunctiva, oral mucosa, anterior chest, abdomen, and legs. ∙ Caused by a minor bleed from broken capillary blood vessels

Cardiac Output (CO)

∙ The amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute. ∙ Necessarily, the cardiac output is the product of the heart rate (the number of beats per minute) and the stroke volume (amount pumped per beat). ∙ CO = HR X SV. The cardiac output is usually expressed in liters/minute.

Hepatomegaly

∙ The condition of having an enlarged liver. ∙ It is a non-specific medical sign having many causes, which can broadly be broken down into: infection, hepatic tumors, or metabolic disorder. ∙ Often, hepatomegaly will present as an abdominal mass.

Hemoptysis

∙ The coughing up of blood or blood-stained mucus from the bronchi, larynx, trachea, or lungs. ∙ This can occur with lung cancer, infections such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, or pneumonia, and certain cardiovascular conditions. ∙ Considered massive at 300 mL

Hypertrophy

∙ The enlargement of an organ or tissue from the increase in size of its cells. ∙ Enlargement of the heart if r/t VHD

Jugular Vein Distention (JVD)

∙ The indirectly observed pressure over the venous system via visualization of the internal jugular vein. ∙ It can be useful in the differentiation of different forms of heart and lung disease.

Splinter Hemorrhages

∙ Tiny blood clots that tend to run vertically under the nails. ∙ In certain conditions (in particular, infective endocarditis), clots can migrate from the affected heart valve and find their way into various parts of the body.

Left-Sided Failure

∙ Valve damage causes hypertrophy (heart enlargement) and ↓ CO. ∙ This results in orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and fatigue.

Right-Sided Failure

Valve damage results in peripheral edema, JVD, ascites, and hepatomegaly.

Valvular Insufficiency (prolapse)

Valve is unable to close properly

Dilated Cardiomyopathy

∙ A condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and cannot pump blood efficiently. ∙ The decreased heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and other body systems.

Cardiac Shock

∙ A condition in which your heart suddenly can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. ∙ The condition is most often caused by a severe heart attack. ∙ Rare, but often fatal if not treated immediately.

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

∙ A form of cardiomyopathy in which the walls are rigid, and the heart is restricted from stretching and filling with blood properly. ∙ The least common of the three original subtypes of cardiomyopathy (hypertrophic, dilated & restrictive).

Cardiomyopathy

∙ A group of diseases that affect the heart muscle (heart disease). ∙ Early on there may be few or no symptoms. Some people may have shortness of breath, feel tired, or have swelling of the legs due to heart failure. ∙ An irregular heart beat may occur as well as fainting. ∙ Those affected are at an increased risk of sudden cardiac death.

Murmur

∙ A sound due to vibrations from the flow of blood through the heart or great vessels. ∙ May be innocent and be of no significance, or it may be pathologic and reflect disease. ∙ Usually heard with a stethoscope.

Exertional Dyspnea

∙ A term used to describe difficulty breathing when engaged in a simple activity like walking up stairs or going to the mailbox. ∙ It's also known as: SOBOE (breathlessness on exertion).

Endocarditis

∙ An inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. ∙ It usually involves the heart valves.

Peripheral Edema

∙ Edema (accumulation of fluid causing swelling) in tissues perfused by the peripheral vascular system, usually in the lower limbs. ∙ In the most dependent parts of the body (those hanging distally), it may be called dependent edema.

Pericarditis

∙ Inflammation of the pericardium (the fibrous sac surrounding the heart). ∙ Symptoms typically include sudden onset of sharp chest pain (may also be felt in the shoulders, neck, or back). ∙ It is typically better sitting up and worse with lying down or breathing deep.

Myocarditis

∙ Inflammatory cardiomyopathy, is inflammation of the heart muscle. ∙ Symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain, decreased ability to exercise, and an irregular heartbeat. ∙ The duration of problems can vary from hours to months. ∙ Complications may include heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy or cardiac arrest.

Rheumatic Fever (RF)

∙ Inflammatory disease that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain. ∙ The disease typically develops two to four weeks after a streptococcal throat infection.