Cardiovascular Disease

• • Coronary heart disease is when the coronary arteries that supply the blood to the muscle of the heart get blocked by layers of fatty material building up
  • This causes the arteries to become narrow, restricting blood flow.
  • This creates a lack of oxygen in the heart muscle which can result in a heart attack.
• Stents keep arteries open

  • They are tubes inserted inside arteries to keep them open, ensuring blood can pass through the heart muscles
  • This keeps the heart beating and the person alive
  • Stents lower the risk of heart attacks
  • They are effective for a long time and the recovery time from the surgery is quick
  • However there is a risk of complications during the operation (heart attack) and a risk of infection.
  • Thrombosis (a blood clot near the stent) is also a risk.
• Statins reduce cholesterol in the blood

  • Cholesterol is an essential lipid that your body produces and needs to function.
  • Yet too much of LDL cholesterol can cause health problems
  • It can cause fatty deposits to form inside arteries which leads to coronary heart disease
  • Statins are drugs that reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol present in the bloodstream. This slows down the rate of fatty deposits forming
• Advantages of statins

  • By reducing the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood the risk of strokes, heart attacks and coronary heart disease is reduced.
  • Statins increase the amount of HDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, this type can remove LDL cholesterol from the blood.
  • Statins may also help prevent other diseases
• Disadvantages of statins

  • Long-term drug that must be taken regularly, there is a risk that someone could forget to take them
  • Statins can cause side effects such as: headaches, kidney failure, liver damage and memory loss
  • The effects of statins aren't instant and take time
• An artificial heart can pump blood around the body

  • These are mechanical devices that pump blood.
  • They are usually temporary as they do not work as smoothly or effectively as a natural healthy heart.
  • May be permanent.
  • The main advantage is that they are less likely to be rejected as they are not living tissue, so the body won't recognise the heart as a foreign object
  • Yet surgery to fit artificial hearts can lead to bleeding and infection.
  • Due to blood not flowing as smoothly patients also must take blood thinning drugs which could cause problems if a patient were to bleed in an accident.
• Faulty heart valves can be replaced

  • The valves in the heart can be damaged by heart attacks, infection or old age
  • The damage may cause the valve tissue to stiffen, so it won't open properly
  • Or the valve may become leaky, so blood flows in both directions
  • This means blood doesn't circulate as effectively
  • Severe valve damage can be treated by replacing the valve
  • The replacement can be take from humans or other animals (biological) or man-made (mechanical)
  • Replacing a valve is less drastic than a heart transplant, but it is still a major surgery and there can be issues with blood clots
• Artificial blood can keep you alive in an emergency

  • Artificial blood is a substitute e.g. saline solution, which is used to replaced lost volume of blood
  • Its safe (if no air bubbles get into the blood) and can keep people alive even if they lose 2/3 of their red blood cells
  • This may give the patient enough time to produce new blood cells
  • If not the patient will need a blood transfusion
• Ideally, an artificial blood product would replace the function of the red blood cells, so that there's no need for a blood transfusion.