Coronary Heart Disease

• In coronary heart disease, layers of fatty material build uo inside the coronary arteries, narrowing them. this reduces the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, resulting in a lack of oxygen to heart muscle.
• Stents are used to keep the coronary arteries open.
• Statins are widely used to reduce blood cholesterol levels which slows down the rate of fatty material deposits
• In some people, heart valves may become faulty, preventing the valve from opening fully, or the heart valve might develop a leak. This means less blood reaches the body, pressure builds up and the lungs can swell with fluid. If it does not close properly, it may allow blood to leak back through into the atrium.
• Faulty heart valves can be replaces with biological or mechanical valves
• In the case of heart failure, a donor heart, or heart and lungs can be transplanted. Artificial hearts are occasionally used to keep patients alive whilst waiting for a heart transplant, or to allow the heart to rest as an aid to recovery.