Circulation Aids Flashcards
What is artificial blood? How can it save your life?
It’s a blood substitute. It’s safe (if no air bubbles get into the blood) and can keep people alive if they lose 2/3 of the red blood cells.
What is an example of artificial blood? What does it do?
A salt solution (Saline) which is used to replace the lost volume of blood.
What does the patient do once they have had artificial blood? (2)
The artificial blood may give the patient enough time to produce their own red blood cells. If the patient can’t they need a blood transfusion.
What is being developed in artificial blood at the moment?
It is being developed to replace the function of red blood cells, however there are side effects.
What are artificial hearts?
Mechanical devices that are put into a person to pump blood if their own heart fails. They’re usually used as a temporary fix, to keep a person alive until a donor heart can be found. In some cases they’re used as a permanent fix, which reduces the need for a donor heart.
What is the advantage of artificial hearts? Why does this happen?
The main advantage of artificial hearts is that they are not rejected by the body’s immune system. This is because they are made out of metals or plastics, so the body doesn’t recognise them as foreign and attack it in the same way as it does with living tissue.
What are the disadvantages of artificial hearts? (4) Explain.
- Surgery can lead to bleeding and infection
- They don’t work as well as natural ones - parts of the heart could wear out and the electric motor could fail.
- Blood doesn’t flow through artificial hearts as smoothly, which can cause blood clots and strokes
- Therefore, the patient has to take blood thinners which can cause problems with bleeding in an accident.
What can heart valves be replaced with?
Mechanical valves
What is better about replacing valves than the whole heart?
Less drastic procedure.
What is a disadvantage(s) of replacing valves?
Still major surgery and problems with blood clots
What is coronary heart disease? What can this result in? Why?
When the arteries that supply the blood to the muscle of the heart get blocked by fatty deposits.
This causes the arteries to become narrow - this can result in a heart attack
What are stents? How do they work?
Tubes that are inserted inside arteries. They keep them open, making sure blood can pass through to the heart muscle. This keeps the person’s heart beating.
What do stents reduce the risk of? For people with which disease?
Reduce risk of heart attacks for those with coronary heart disease.
What is the disadvantage of stents over time?
The artery can narrow again as stents can irritate the artery and make scar tissue grow. The patient also has to take drugs to stop blood clotting on the stent.
