Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
What is cardiovascular disease
Diseases of the heart or blood vessels
What happens in coronary heart disease
Layers of fatty material build up inside the coronary arteries
Causing the arteries to narrow
How does coronary heart disease effect us
Reduce the flow of blood through the coronary arteries
What are the treatments for coronary heart disease
- statins
- stents
What are statins
Drugs which reduce the levels of cholesterol in the blood
Slowing down the rate that fatty materials build in arteries
What is a advantage of statins
They are a effective treatment and have been proven to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
Statins disadvantages
They can cause liver problems
What is a stent
A stent is a tube which can be inserted into the coronary artery to keep it open
WHAT’S the advantage of inserting a stent
The blood can flow normally through the artery
Disadvantage of a stent
Wont prevent other regions of the coronary arteries from narrowing
And doesn’t treat the actual causes of the disease
What is heart failure
The heart cannot pump enough blood around the body
What are heart failure drugs usually given
A donated heart
Some disadvantages to a donated heart
Patient must take drugs to stop the donated heart from being rejected by the body’s immune system
What do artificial hearts increase the risk of
Blood clotting
How long can a artificial heart be used for
Relatively short time
