Coronary Heart Disease

Question 1

What is CHD

Answer 1

It is the leading cause of death in the UK and worldwide. The muscles cells need oxygen and food to work. If the blood, carrying oxygen is stopped getting to a cell or a group of cells like muscles, then it is starved of oxygen and dies off.

Question 2

What causes the blockages, stopping blood?

Answer 2

CHD is the term that describes what happens when your heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build - up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries.

Over time, the walls of your arteries can become furred up with fatty deposits, lining the artery linen, for a number of reasons. This process is known as atherosclerosis and the fatty deposits are called atheroma.

Question 3

What are the symptoms?

Answer 3

ANGINA - a chest pain caused by the arteries becoming partially blocked. This can be mild, uncomfortable and feeling similar to indigestion. Severe angina causes heaviness in the chest arm neck jaw back or stomach.

Question 4

Other symptoms?

Answer 4

Heart Failure

Arrhythmia

Heart attack

Question 5

Possible Biological Causes

Answer 5

Some people inherit higher risk of issues with high blood cholesterol.

Some people inherit less flexible artery walls or a fatty deposit build up, increasing blood pressure and creating a harder pump action to keep the blood flowing.

Some people are more predisposed to diabetes, inherited in their DNA from family members which can then cause high blood pressure leading to CHD

Question 6

Lifestyle Factors

Answer 6

Diet

Obesity

Smoking

Lack of exercise

Question 7

Changes need to happen as part of treatment

Answer 7

Poor diet - cholesterol build up in arteries - cholesterol free diet

Smoking - nicotine damages the heart and blood vessels - stop smoking

Obesity - puts extra strain on heart - controlled diet and regular exercise

Lack of exercise - the heart muscle loses its tone and becomes less efficient in pumping blood - regular exercise

Inherited factors - heart disease can pass from one generation to the next in some families - reduce the other risk factors by a healthy life - style

Question 8

Medical Treatment

Answer 8

• Medicines to thin the blood, preventing clotting and making it less sticky eg Warfin
• Medicines to lower blood pressure eg Beta Blockers
• Medicines to lower blood cholesterol eg statins
• Oxygen therapy maybr required in more serious cases and the use of a wheelchair

Last resort - Heart Transplant