Learning Objectives for Cardiac Pathophysiology

 

 

Normal Heart Function and CHF:

 

©       The cardiac cycle

©       Compliance curves

©       Preload and afterload

©       Components of and determination of cardiac output

©       Frank-Starling curves

©       The Fick Method

©       Diastolic versus systolic dysfunction

©       Definition of backward and forward heart failure

©       Causes and mechanisms of heart failure

©       Compensatory mechanisms in CHF

 

Valvular Heart Disease:

 

©       Pathophysiology of aortic stenosis and insufficiency

©       Pathophysiology of mitral stenosis and insufficiency

©       Murmurs and physical findings associated with each of the above

©       Etiologies of each of the above

©       Differences between acute and chronic mitral regurgitation

©       Differences between acute and chronic aortic regurgitation

©       Hemodynamic findings (pressure tracings or readouts) for above

©       Basic treatments (pharmacological and surgical) of above

 

Ischemic Heart Disease and Acute MI & Complications of MI:

 

©       Determinants of myocardial supply and demand

©       Pathophysiology of stable and unstable coronary syndromes

©       Pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction

©       Timing of the “ischemic cascade”

©       Enzymatic markers of myocardial injury (CPK, troponin, etc)

©       Clinical presentation of acute myocardial infarction

©       Pathophysiology of complications of MI including:

 

o        RV infarct

o        Congestive heart failure

o        Hypotension

o        Arrhythmias

o        Heart block

o        Acute VSD

o        Acute MR

o        Cardiogenic shock

o        LV free wall rupture

o        LV apical aneurysm formation

     

 

Ischemic Heart Disease and Acute MI & Complications of MI (cont'd):

 

©       Mechanisms by which ischemic syndromes and complications of MI can be treated pharmacologically and mechanically

©       Differentiating pathophysiology of inferior MI versus anterior MI

©       Hemodynamic findings of different mechanical complications of MI

©       Hemodynamic findings in cardiogenic shock, CHF and hypotension

 

EKGs and Arrhythmias:

 

©       Basic electrophysiology, including:

 

o       ions involved

o       currents

o       resting membrane potential

o       action potentials

o       excitability

o       refractoriness

o       normal impulse formation

 

©       Anatomy of the conduction system, including abnormal A-V connections

©       Components of the EKG: P wave; PR, QRS & ST intervals; T wave

©       Definition of bradycardia and tachycardia

©       Mechanisms of tachyarrhythmias including automaticity, re-entry, and triggered activity

©       Distinction between action potentials in automatic vs. non-automatic cells
Pharmacologic treatment of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias

©       Mechanisms and features of these basic arrhythmias:

 

o        atrial fibrillation

o        atrial flutter

o        ventricular tachycardia

o        ventricular fibrillation

o        Torsades des Pointes

o        Sinus bradycardia

o        Sinus tachycardia

o        Atrial premature beats

o        SVT with the WPW syndrome

 


Pericardial Diseases and Cardiomyopathies:

 

©       Definitions, etiologies, hemodynamics and clinical features of:

                 

o        Dilated cardiomyopathy

o        Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

o        Restrictive cardiomyopathy

 

©       Diagnostic studies used to diagnose the above

©       Effect of maneuvers and loading conditions on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

©       Etiologies and clinical features of pericarditis

©       Hemodynamic distinctions between cardiac tamponade, constrictive pericarditis and restrictive cardiomyopathy

 

Congenital Heart Disease:

 

©       Normal fetal circulation, including shunt pathways

©       Hemodynamics of:

 

o        secundum ASD

o        membranous VSD

o        Tetralogy of Fallot

o        Eisenmenger’s syndrome

o        transposition of the great vessels