Coronary Heart Disease

• Coronary Heart Diesase

  When the coronary artery becomes blocked due to plaque build up
• What can CHD lead to?

  Heart attack Angina
• Three treatments for CHD

  • Stents
  • Statins
  • Bypass Surgery
• What does the heart muscle need to respire?

  Oxygen
• What do coronary arteries supply to the heart muscle?

  Blood containing oxygen
• What are the steps leading to a heart attack due to coronary heart disease?

  1. Fatty deposits build up on artery walls
  2. Blood flow is restricted
  3. Less oxygen reaches the heart muscle
  4. Heart muscle cannot respire
  5. No energy is released for heart contraction
  6. This results in a heart attack
• What is a stent?

  A metal mesh placed in the artery
• How does a stent work?

  A balloon inflates to open the blood vessel
• What are the advantages of using stents?

  They don't require general anaesthetic
• What are the risks associated with stent procedures?

  Infection and blood clotting
• What do statins do?

  Reduce blood cholesterol levels
• What is a limitation of statins?

  Cannot treat already affected arteries
• How long must statins be taken?

  Long term
• What is bypass surgery?

  Inserting a blood vessel around a blockage
• What is required for bypass surgery?

  Surgery and general anaesthetic
• When is bypass surgery used?

  On extremely blocked arteries
• How does bypass surgery differ from stent placement?

  Bypass surgery involves a different blood vessel