What are the parts of death certificate?
Part 1 of death certificate -> sequence of events leading to death (underlying and contributory
causes)
1a - it is an event that is and immediate cause of death (leading to death)
1b, 1c etc go back through the sequence of events (underlying issues) leading to death
Factors predisposing to thrombosis
Factors predisposing to thrombosis (Virchow’s triad):
- Damage to the vessels wall
- Blood stasis / disturbance of flow of blood
- Changes in blood components (proteins, platelets) -> creation of hyper-coagulable state
Why C-reactive protein can be detected in atherosclerosis?
- macrophages get involved (into the blood vessel and eat up LDL)
Therefore:
- C - reactive protein will be elevated -> but it can be elevated because some other condition -> so it is not specific enough to diagnose atherosclerosis
* CRP may act as ‘red flag’ that atherosclerosis may be occurring (especially in a person with symptoms or risk factors)
Causes of L ventricular hypertrophy
- hypertension -> as heart must work harder to pump out the blood
- aortic valve stenosis or aortic regurgtation -> in stenosis heart works harder to pump out the blood; in regurge, more blood volume is available for the heart to pump
out and therefore it must work harder to do so
- mitral regurgitation (as above)
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -> hereditary/genetic condition (autosomal dominant)
Types of intracranial haemorrhage
Vessels involved in haemorraheges:
- extradural
- subdural
- aubarachnoid
- extradural -> middle meningeal artery
- subdural -> venous sinuses
- subarachnoid -> rupture of the arteries
What trauma to the brain may result in (3)
- cerebral oedema
- cerebral contusions (bruising)
- haemorrhage
Cerebral edema
- causes
- danger
- trauma - brain injury
- stroke
- infection
- neoplasm
- biochemical disturbances e.g. DKA
- other: altitude, CO poisoning, some drugs,
venomous bites
As a result herniation may occur
