B2: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Question 1

What is coronary heart disease?

Answer 1

-fatty deposits narrow the coronary arteries
-fatty deposits can build up inside the coronary arteries that supply the heart.
-narrows the blood vessels therefore occludes the blood supply to the heart
-therefore reducing O2 supply to the heart.

Question 2

What are stents?

Answer 2

tubes inserted into coronary arteries that keep the arteries open so blood can pass through

Question 3

Advs and Disadvs of stents

Answer 3

ADVS:
-lower risk of heart attack due to coronary heart disease
-effective for a long period of time
-recovery time after surgery is relatively quick
-no risk of rejection
DISADVS:
- risk of surgery
-risk of developing a blood clot near the stent (thrombosis)

Question 4

What are statins?

Answer 4

drugs that lower amount of bad cholesterol/LDL cholesterol present in the blood stream which slows down the rate of fatty deposits forming

Question 5

Advs and Disadvs of statins

Answer 5

ADVS:
-reduce risks of CHD, strokes and heart attacks
-statins can also increase the amount of good cholesterol/HDL cholesterol
-studies suggest that statins may also help prevent other diseases
DISADVS:
-long tem drug that must be taken regularly
-can have side effects (eg: headaches) but also more serious side effects (eg: kidney failure, liver damage and memory loss)
-effect of statins isn’t instant