responce/ heart

• The risk factors for CHD include smoking, high cholesteral and blood pressure, obesity and drinking alcohol
• CHD is caused by a build up of fatty deposits inside the coronary arteries. This build up narrows the lumen and reduces the blood flow to the heart
• To treat CHD stents are used to keep the coronary arteries open. A narrow tube is threaded up through groin up to blocked vessel. A tiny balloon is inflated. Balloon(inserted with stent) pushes metal/plastic stent against artery wall increasing width of lumen. Ballon and tube are removed but stent remains
• Stents positive

  -very effective at reducing risk of heart attack as lumen is widened to increase blood flow to coronary arteries

  -simple procedure

  -lasts a long time

  Stents negative

  -risk of blood clotting
• Treating CHD Statins:

  -Statins are drugs used to reduce the levels of fatty deposits (cholesterol) in the blood

  -They block an enzyme in the liver needed to make cholesterol

  -This slows down the rate of fatty material building up in the blood, reducing the risk of CHD
• Advantages of statins:

  -reduce levels of bad (LDH) cholesterol in blood to reduce chance of cholesterol build up lowering the risk of CHD, strokes and heart attacks

  -increases levels of good (HDH) cholesterol in blood removes bad cholesterol circulating around body

  Disadvantages of statins:

  -are taken regularly and long-term, if forgotten to take regularly they are less effective

  -take a while to start having an effect

  -side effects include joint pain and kidney problems