Common Diseases of the Heart Trivia Quiz

Answer: congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure frequently leads to pulmonary edema. The heart is no longer able to pump blood as efficiently through the body and through the lungs, so fluid builds up in the interstitium, or the area between blood vessels.

Answer: bacterial endocarditis

Bacterial endocarditis can be very damaging to a heart valve. People that are predisposed to bacterial endocarditis must often use prophylactic antibiotics before many dental and surgical procedures. (I made up interstitial carditis by the way- haha!)

Answer: false

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States.

Answer: pulmonary hypertension

As blood vessels become increasing constricted, the volume of blood that is able to move through them is reduced. Thus, the heart must work harder to force the blood through the abnormally narrow vessels. This causes thickening and enlargement of the right ventricle, also called right ventricular hypertrophy.

Answer: coarctation of the aorta

The descending aorta becomes severely constricted thus decreasing circulation to the extremities. The heart must also work harder to pump the blood through the narrow portion of the vessel, thus causing elevated blood pressure in the upper body. People with coarctation of the aorta are also prone to aneurysms.

Answer: ischemic cardiomyopathy

Ischemic cardiomyopathy is usually caused by coronary heart disease.

Answer: ventricular fibrillation

When a patient is in ventricular fibrillation (V-fib) they are essentially dead, and are hopefully about to be defibrillated (shocked). The heart in V-fib could be compared to a quivering heap of Jello. The sooner V-fib is definitively treated, the better the outcome for the patient.

Answer: atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation will cause fluttering feelings in the chest, exertional dyspnea, dizziness, and occasionally blood clots.

Answer: Tetralogy of Fallot

Tetralogy of Fallot is rapidly fatal if left untreated. It is actually a lethal combination of four congenital defects. Infants look severly cyanotic (blue) because of systemic hypoxia (lack of oxygen) thus, T of F was nicknamed blue baby syndrome.

Answer: aortic valve stenosis

Stenosis or narrowing of the aortic valve will lead to an increased workload on the left ventricle. Over time, the cells of the left ventricle become larger and thicker due to higher demands placed on them - this is what's known as left ventricular hypertrophy.