Cardiovascular Diseases Flashcards
What is coronary heart disease?
When the coronary artery is narrowed due to fatty deposits
How can you treat coronary heart disease?
1) wire mesh/sent is inserted into the artery
2) the mesh/sent is inflated with a balloon to widen the artery
3) the baloon is removed
What is a side effect of using mesh
Risk of blood clotting near stent-thrombosis
Why does coronary heart disease happen?
Cholestoral is a lipid that your body needs
It is transported in the blood
Poor diet, lack of exercise and genetics can cause BAD cholesterol levels
This lead to fatty deposits, narrow coronary arteries
This can lead to heart attack
What is a more riskful way of treating coronary heart disease and why is it more riskful
Using statins which are medicines that lower cholesterol production
However they can cause kidney and liver damage
They have to be taken regularly
How to prevent blood clotting in coronary arteries?
By taking anticoagulation drugs for the remainder of their life
What goes wrong, what is the treatment and the risks of blood loss
Injury, heart can still pump cells if volume is topped up
Saline fluid (remove air bubbles) while body makes new cells
If blood loss is severe transfusion
What goes wrong, what is the treatment and the risks of pacemaker
Cells in right atrium, electrical impulses to heart, muscle contract
Artificial device and 2 wire mimics pacemaker
Regular check ups
What goes wrong, what is the treatment and the risks of valves?
Tissue stiffens so valves can’t close properly so blood flows backwards
Biological
Human donor
Animal
Rejection, patient needs to take immunosuppressants drugs for the rest of their life leaving more vulnerable to other infections
Mechanical
Titanium/polymer
Lasts longer
Higher risks of blood clots forming
Anticoagulant medication needs to be taken
What goes wrong, what is the treatment and the risks of heart
Complete failure
Donor - transplant and lung or artificial hearts
Rejection and availability (donor)
Short term long hospital stay (mechanical heart)
