Cardiovascular Disease

Question 1

What do stents do

Answer 1

Keep arteries open

Question 2

What is coronary heart disease

Answer 2

When the coronary arteries that supply the blood to the muscle of the heart get blocked by layers of fatty material building up. This causes the arteries to become narrow, so blood flow is restricted and lack of oxygen to the heart, this can result to a heart attack

Question 3

What are stents

Answer 3

Tubes inserted inside arteries. They then open making sure blood can pass through, this helps the heart beating

Question 4

What are 3 advantages of stents

Answer 4

1. Lower the risk of heart attack in people with coronary heart disease
2. They last a long time
3. The recovery time from the surgery is quick

Question 5

What are 3 disadvantages of stents

Answer 5

1. Complications during operation (heart attack)
2. Risk of infection
3. Patient developing a blood clot near the stent

Question 6

What do you call it when the blood clots near the stent

Answer 6

Thrombosis

Question 7

What do statins do

Answer 7

Reduce cholesterol in the blood

Question 8

What is cholesterol

Answer 8

Excessive amount of a necessary lipid

Question 9

What are 3 advantages of statins

Answer 9

1. By reducing the bad cholesterol, it can reduce the risk of strokes, coronary heart disease and heart attacks
2. Increase the amount of good cholesterol which can remove bad cholesterol
3. Prevent other diseases

Question 10

What are 3 disadvantages of statins

Answer 10

1. Long term drug that must be taken regularly, risk of sometimes forgetting
2. Statins can cause negative side effects (kidney failure, liver damage)
3. The effect of statins isn’t instant, it takes time

Question 11

What can an artificial heart do

Answer 11

Pump blood around the body

Question 12

When would doctors fit an artificial heart

Answer 12

If donor organs aren’t available for a heart transplant

To help a patient recover by allowing the heart to rest and heal

Question 13

What are artificial hearts

Answer 13

Mechanical devices that pump blood for a person whose own heart has failed
Only temporary

Question 14

What is the main advantage of artificial hearts

Answer 14

Less likely to be rejected by the body’s immune system than a donor heart because they’re made from plastics and metals, so they’re not FOREIGN

Question 15

What are 4 disadvantages of artificial hearts

Answer 15

1. Surgery can lead to bleeding or infection
2. They don’t work as well as healthy natural ones (electrical motor could fail)
3. Blood doesn’t flow through as smoothly which can cause blood clots and lead to strokes
4. Patient has to take drugs to thin their blood

Question 16

What can faulty heart valves be replaced with

Answer 16

Biological: taken from humans or mammals (pig and cow)

Mechanical valves: man made

Question 17

How can the valves be damaged

Answer 17

Heart attacks
Infection
Old age

Question 18

What damage can they cause to valve tissue

Answer 18

1. Cause tissue to stiffen, so it won’t open properly

2. Can become leaky allowing blood to flow in both directions, means blood doesn’t circulate as effectively

Question 19

Disadvantage of replacing valves

Answer 19

Fitting can cause blood clots

Question 20

What happens when someone loses a lot of blood

Answer 20

Their heart can still pump the remaining red blood cells around as long as the volume of blood can be topped up

Question 21

What is artificial blood

Answer 21

Blood substitute (saline) to replace the lost red blood cells. It’s safe and can keep them alive even if they lose two thirds of blood. May give patient enough time to produce new blood cells, if not a blood transfusion is needed