cardiovascular disorders
Cardiac Tumors
Symptoms and Signs of Cardiac Tumors
Cardiac tumors cause symptoms and signs typical of much more common disorders (eg, heart failure, stroke, coronary artery disease). Symptoms and signs of benign primary cardiac tumors depend on tumor type, location, size, and friability. Symptoms can be classified as Extracardiac Intramyocardial Intracavitary symptoms and signs may be constitutional or mechanical. Constitutional symptoms of fever, chills, lethargy, arthralgias, and weight loss are caused exclusively by myxomas, perhaps as a result of cytokine (eg, interleukin-6) release. Petechiae may also occur. These and other findings may erroneously suggest Infective Endocarditis , connective tissue disorders, or occult cancer. With some tumors (especially gelatinous myxomas), thrombi or tumor fragments may embolize into the systemic circulation (eg, brain, coronary arteries, kidneys, spleen, extremities) or the lungs and cause manifestations specific to those organs. Mechanical symptoms (eg, dyspnea, chest discomfort) result from compression of cardiac chambers or coronary arteries or from pericardial irritation or tamponade caused by growth or hemorrhage within the pericardium. Pericardial tumors may cause pericardial friction rubs. symptoms and signs are caused by Overview of Arrhythmias , usually atrioventricular or intraventricular block or paroxysmal supraventricular or ventricular tachycardias due to compression or encroachment on the conduction system (notably rhabdomyomas and fibromas). Intracavitarysymptoms and signs are due to tumors that obstruct valvular function, blood flow, or both (causing valvular stenosis, valvular insufficiency, or heart failure). Intracavitary symptoms and signs may vary with body position, which can alter hemodynamics and physical forces associated with the tumor. may manifest with the triad of Heart Failure (HF) , embolic disease, and constitutional symptoms. Myxomas may cause a diastolic murmur that mimics the Fibroelastomas,often discovered incidentally at autopsy, are usually asymptomatic; however, they may be a source of systemic emboli. Rhabdomyomasare usually asymptomatic. Fibromascause arrhythmias, possibly causing sudden death, and obstructive symptoms. Hemangiomasare usually asymptomatic but may cause any of the extracardiac, intramyocardial, or intracavitary symptoms. cause respiratory distress and cyanosis due to compression of the aortic and pulmonary artery, or Regional spread due to compression of the superior vena cava. are more acute in onset and progress more rapidly than those of benign tumors. Cardiac sarcomas most commonly cause symptoms of ventricular inflow tract obstruction and Cardiac Tamponade . Mesothelioma causes symptoms of 