Diseases of the Heart

• What are cardiovascular diseases

  • Cardiovascular diseases are diseases of the heart and blood vessels 
  • Cardiovascular diseases are non-communicable 
  • They are not infectious , and can not be spread from person to person
• What are the coronary arteries?

  • The coronary arteries branch out of the aorta and spread out into the heart muscle 
  • The purpose of the coronary arteries is to provide oxygen to the muscle cells of the heart 
  • The oxygen is then used in respiration to provide the energy for contraction

  
• What is coronary heart disease caused by, and what are it's effects?

  • In coronary heart disease, layers of fatty material build up inside the coronary arteries 
  • This causes the coronary arteries to narrow 
  • This reduces the flow of blood through the coronary arteries 
  • This means that not enough oxygen can reach the heart muscle - in extreme cases the heart can be starved of it , resulting in a heart attack which can be fatal

  
• What are statins

  • Statins are drugs that reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood 
  • This slows down the rate at which fatty materials build up in the arteries

  
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of statins

  • Statins have been proven to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease - they are an effective treatment
  • However , statins have some unwanted side effects (e.g. liver problems)
• What are stents?

  • In some people, coronary heart disease can cause almost a total blockage of a coronary artery 
  • These people can be treated using a stent 
  • A stent is a tube that can be inserted into the coronary artery to keep it open

  
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of stents

  • The advantages of inserting a stent into a coronary artery is that the blood can flow normally through the artery 
  • A stent will not prevent other regions of the coronary arteries from narrowing - It does not treat the underlying causes of the disease
• Cardiovascular disease related to the heart valves

  • In some people valves may become faulty
  • Sometimes the heart valves do not fully open so the heart has to pump extra hard to get the blood through  
  • Other times the valves are leaky , causing the patient to feel weak and tired 
  • Faulty heart valves can be replaced with either a mechanical valve made of metal or a valve from an animal e.g. a pig

  
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of mechanical valves

  • Mechanical valves can last a lifetime 
  • But they increase the risk of bloodclots - so patients have to take anticlotting drugs

  
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of valves from animals

  • Patients do not need to take drugs when using valves from animals 
  • However, valves from animals do not last long and may need to be replaced

  
• How to treat people whose hearts cannot pump enough blood

  • In some patients with cardiovascular disease, the heart cannot pump enough blood around the body - this is called heart failure 
  • These patients are sometimes given a donated heart or a donated heart and lungs
• The downsides of donating hearts to patients with heart failure

  • There are not enough donated hearts available to treat everyone 
  • The patient must take drugs to stop the donated heart from being rejected by the body’s immune system
• What are the downsides of artificial hearts

  • Sometimes a patient can be given an artificial heart as a temporary solution whilst waiting for a heart transplant or to allow their damaged heart to rest
  • Artificial hearts increase the risk of bloodclotting , and they are not a long term solution to heart failure