Define atherosclerosis.
Fibrous fatty lesions (“plaques”) that form in large and medium sized arteries, resulting in reduced flow rate causing ischemia to supplied organ/tissue
Increased wall thickness, decreased elasticity
Reduced vessel radius which causes reduced flow rate
Ischemia to supplied organ/tissue
Aorta, femoral, carotid and coronary
Damage (hyperlipidemia, turbulent blood flow) causes increased endothelial permeability to plasma protein and lipids. These enter sub-endothelial layer
Migration of monocytes and other leukocytes into sub-endothelial layers occurs
Monocytes differentiate to macrophages, ingest lipid and transform into lipid filled “foam cells”
Macrophages release ROS and other toxic substances that further damage tissue, as well as growth factors that cause secretion of extracellular matrix (collagen & elastin) and proliferate smooth muscle that grows over the plaque
Deposits often become calcified = atherosclerotic plaques
Plaques protrude into vessel lumens, partially blocking blood flow
LDLs are oxidized by ROS in plaques and then phagocytized by macrophages
There is a strong association between high levels of plasma LDLs and the development of atherosclerosis
Elevated cholesterol
High blood pressure leads to endothelial cell damage
Obesity
Diabetes
Smoking
Sedentary lifestyle
Coronary artery disease = atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries
Ischemic heart disease = a disease characterized y ischemia (reduced blood supply) of the heart muscle)
CAD is the most common cause of IHD
Since coronary artery disease is the major cause of ischemic heart disease, the 2 terms are often used interchangeably
Which regions of the heart are affected by blockages in the right coronary, and vessels leading from the left coronary arteries? (You don’t need to separate out the regions from the individual vessels leading from the left coronary artery.)
The right coronary artery supplies mostly the right ventricle and posterior regions of heart
The left coronary artery supplies mostly the left ventricle and interventricular septum
Autonomic control: parasympathetic and sympathetic (complicated)
Local autoregulatory control: vasoactive mediators released from heart muscle cells and blood vessel walls produce vasodilation or constriction of coronary blood vessels to match metabolic / oxygen demands of cardiac muscle
Diastole
Have most difficulty obtaining adequate blood flow
When the ventricles contract (systole) the heart muscle compresses muscle capillaries, reducing blood glow
Muscle here is usually damaged first if the blood supply is reduced
Many connections called anastomoses exist between smaller coronary arteries
During acute ischemia the anastomoses dilate within seconds, providing an alternative path for blood flow
Stable plaque = thicker cap, less likely to rupture. Involved in stable angina
Unstable plaque = has more lipid in core, thinner cap. Is more likely to rupture, involved in acute coronary syndrome
Angina pectoris pains radiate from the substernal region of the best to the jaw and down the arms
Stable angina: chest pains caused by transient myocardial ischemia not severe enough to cause necrosis, brought on through physical exertion/emotional stress, myocardial blood flow cannot respond to increased demand for blood due to narrowing of one or more coronary arteries by stable atherosclerotic plaque
Unstable angina: the surface of an unstable plaque experiences small disruptions, leading to the development of small thromboses (clots, made up mostly of platelets), which cause periods of partial occlusion, periods of occlusion not long enough to cause permanent damage or death, very important to recognize unstable angina as it may predict eventual myocardial infarction, requires immediate hospitalization for rest, observation and treatment: oxygen, aspirin (reduce clotting), nitrates (vasodilator), morphine
Differentiating between stable and unstable:
Stable angina:
Plaque intact, partially obstructing coronary artery
Pain predictably brought on by physical exertion/emotional stress
Symptoms last less than 15 minutes
Symptoms relieved by glycerol trinitrate = nitroglycerin) vasodilator
Effects of ischemia on myocardium are temporary / no necrosis
Unstable angina
Chest pain is sudden and unpredictable
Chest pain is not in response to exertion or stress, but is spontaneous
Pain generally more severe, lasts longer than with stable angina
Plaque movement or small thrombi formation results in temporary ischemia
May lead to life threatening myocardial infarction
ACS represents a spectrum of ischemic heart diseases: ranging from unstable angina to myocardial infarction
Acute coronary syndrome:
Pain may persist longer than 20 minutes, depending upon the type of ACS, Pain may increase in severity, May have previous history of unstable angina as risk factor, Symptoms not relieved by short acting vasodilators (glycerol trinitrate), In most cases of unstable angina there is recovery and the effects are temporary
NSTEMI or STEMI: Immediate result of extensive or complete coronary occlusion, Blood flow is severely impeded or ceases in vessels beyond occlusion except for small amount of collateral flow, Produces acute ischemia in the myocardium supplied by the vessel, and varying degrees of ischemic injury and necrosis
STEMI MI: The clot lodges permanently in the vessel and the entire thickness of the myocardium becomes ischemic, This type MI is associated with ST segment Elevation on ECG “STEMI”, Serious: requires immediate emergency intervention
Non-STEMI MI: The clot does not completely occlude the vessel, resulting in partial ischemia: only sub endocardium affected, Sometimes transient ST elevation, then T wave inversion
STEMI = ST segment elevation of ECG
Non – STEMI = transient ST elevation then T wave inversion
Abrupt onset, severe and crushing pain (usually substernal, radiating to the left arm, neck or jaw), gastrointestinal complaints, complaints of fatigue and weakness, tachycardia, anxiety, restlessness, feelings of doom, pale cool moist skin
Fibrillation of heart: Main cause of death in STEMI is ventricular fibrillation, Cardiac output is 0 due to erratic electrical impulses and abnormal conduction pathways in damaged myocardium
Decreased cardiac output:
(cardiogenic shock), Pumping ability reduced, may be exacerbated by “systolic stretch” = dead muscle forced outward by pressure, Heart failure and peripheral ischemia result
Rupture of heart: Can occur several days after infarct as muscle fibres necrose and degenerate and the heart wall stretches thin, Systolic stretch increases to the point when finally the heart ruptures
Oxygen therapy, nitroglycerin, bed rest, pain relief, 12 lead ECG & ECG monitoring, beat blockers = slow HR, lengthen diastole, anticoagulant therapy (aspirin, platelet inhibitors), possibly angioplasty / bypass surgery
Rest:
Cellular death determined by: degree of ischemia due to infarct & workload on the heart since it increases O2 demand, When the heart becomes highly active coronary arteries dilate to supply healthy muscle with O2 and nutrients, This reduces the collateral circulation that may be assisting the damaged muscle during recovery
Pain:
Normally cannot “feel” our heart – but ischemic myocardium can produce severe “crushing pain”, Experienced in central chest, down left arm, sometimes chin, Believed to relate to release of lactic acid and mediators of inflammation, Pain relief in itself is important – but also because pain increases stress > increase cardiac output = increase workload on the heart
Aorta: mainly thrombus formation (could lead to hypertension or emboli) and weakening of the vessel wall (lead to aneurism)
Medium-size arteries, the result is mainly ischemia and infarction due to vessel occlusion: Obstruction of cerebral arteries = stroke, Obstruction of peripheral arteries can cause significant pain and disability in extremities, Obstruction of coronary arteries is the major cause of ischemic heart disease and can lead to heart attacks
A consistent elevation of systemic arterial blood pressure (a sustained systolic BP of >140mmHg or a diastolic pressure of >90mmHg)
Increased risk for myocardial infarction, kidney disease, stroke
Primary