A condensed rapid review pass over the highest yield cardiovascular and renal facts across pathology, physiology, and pharmacology for final week review.
39 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What does a third heart sound (S3) usually indicate in an adult?
- Volume overload, as in heart failure
- What does a fourth heart sound (S4) indicate?
- A stiff, non-compliant ventricle (e.g., from hypertrophy)
- What is Beck's triad a sign of?
- Cardiac tamponade
- Define pulsus paradoxus.
- A drop in systolic blood pressure of more than 10 mmHg during inspiration
- What is Kussmaul sign and what condition classically causes it?
- A paradoxical rise in jugular venous pressure during inspiration, seen in constrictive pericarditis
- According to the Frank-Starling law, what happens to stroke volume as venous return (preload) increases?
- Stroke volume increases
- Cardiac output equals stroke volume multiplied by what?
- Heart rate
- Ejection fraction is calculated as stroke volume divided by what?
- End-diastolic volume
- What is the mechanism of beta blockers as antiarrhythmics (Class II)?
- They decrease sympathetic activity, slowing phase 4 depolarization at the SA and AV nodes
- What is the mechanism of Class III antiarrhythmics?
- They block potassium channels, prolonging repolarization and the effective refractory period
- What enzyme do ACE inhibitors block?
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme, preventing conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II
- Why do ACE inhibitors cause a dry cough?
- They prevent breakdown of bradykinin, which accumulates in the lungs
- Where do loop diuretics act and what do they inhibit?
- The thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, where they inhibit the Na-K-2Cl cotransporter
- Where do thiazide diuretics act and what do they inhibit?
- The distal convoluted tubule, where they inhibit the Na-Cl cotransporter
- What is the mechanism of digoxin?
- It inhibits the Na/K-ATPase pump, raising intracellular calcium and increasing myocardial contractility