cardiovascular disease

• what are cardiovascular diseases?

  diseases of the heart and blood vessels
• cardiovascular diseases are..

  non-communicable, meaning they are not infectious
• coronary heart disease is an example of...

  cardiovascular disease
• what is coronary heart disease?

  where layers of fatty material build up inside the coronary arteries
• what are the coronary arteries?

  blood vessels that branch out the aorta and spread out into the heart muscle, providing oxygenated blood to the muscle cells of the heart.
• what is the oxygen produced by the coronary arteries used for?

  respiration to provide energy for contraction
• what do the fatty substances built up in the coronary arteries cause?

  they cause the coronary arteries to narrow and reduce the flow of blood, causing a lack of oxygen for the heart muscle
• in extreme cases of coronary heart disease...

  can lead to heart attacks, where the heart is starved for oxygen
• two common treatments for coronary heart disease

  • statins
  • stent
• what are statins?

  drugs which reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood, slowing down the rate fatty acids build up in the coronary arteries
• advantages and disadvantages of statins

  • proven to reduce risks
  • provides unwanted side effects, for example liver problems
• for who is stent treatment used for?

  for people that cardiovascular disease cause almost an entire blockage of the coronary arteries
• what is stent?

  a tube inserted in the coronary arteries to keep it open
• advantages and disadvantages of stent

  • blood can flow naturally
  • will not prevent other regions of the coronary arteries from narrowing
  • does not treat underlying causes
• what is heart valve disease?

  where the valves in the heart do not fully open so the heart has to pump extra hard to get blood through
• when the heart has to pump harder, what does it cause?

  causes the heart to enlarge
• leaky valves cause what?

  can cause the patient to feel weak and tired
• valves are replacable with either..

  • mechanical valves that are metal
  • valves from other animals, for example a pig
• advantages and disadvantages of using a mechanical valve

  • can last a lifetime
  • increased risk of blood clotting, so patients have to take anticlotting drugs
• advantages and disadvantages of using valves from other animals

  • patients do not need to take drugs
  • they do not last as long and may need to be replaced
• what is heart failure?

  where in some cases of cardiovascular disease, the heart cannot pump enough blood around the body
• patients in heart failure..

  are sometimes given a donated heart (and donated lungs)
• disadvantages of using donated hearts or lungs

  • not enough donated hearts to treat every patient
  • patient must take drugs to stop the donated heart from being rejected by the body's immune system
• artificial hearts are used as...

  a temporary solution while waiting for heart transplant or to allow their damaged heart to rest
• disadvantages of artificial hearts

  • increased risk of blood clotting
  • not a long term solution to heart failure