Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
What is coronary heart disease?
when coronary arteries that supply blood to the muscle of the heart get blocked by layers of fatty material building up causing arteries to become narrow therefore blood is restricted and there’s a lack of oxygen to the heart muscle.
How are stents used?
inserted inside arteries to keep them open so blood can pass through to heart muscles.
are effective for along time.
Advantages and disadvantages of stents?
are effective for a long time and recovery from surgery is quick, however, there’s a risk of complications and infections during surgery and risk of a blood clot forming near stent - thrombosis.
What is cholesterol?
an essential lipid that the body produces and needs to function properly.
What are statins and why are they used?
statins are drugs that reduce the amount of bad cholesterol present in the bloodstream when bad cholesterol levels are high which slows down the rate of fatty deposits forming.
Advantages and disadvantages of statins?
can reduce the risk of strokes, coronary heart disease, and heart attacks and increase the amount of beneficial cholesterol produced, however, must be taken regularly and sometimes have negative side effects (e.g. headaches, kidney failure, memory loss).
What is an artificial heart?
mechanical devices that pump blood for a person whose own heart failed.
What is a faulty heart valve?
valves in the heart that are damaged or weakened by heart attacks, infection, or old age causing valve tissue to stiffen or valves may become leaky allowing backflow of blood so it cant circulate as effectively.
What can replace faulty heart valves?
mechanical and biological valves.
What is artificial blood?
Example?
a blood substitute that is used to replace the lost volume of blood, giving time for the body to produce new blood cells.
e.g. salt solution called saline
