Heart and Blood Vessels - Atheroma

Question 1

What is an atheroma?

Answer 1

• Build up of fatty material on the inside wall of an artery.

Question 2

What is atherosclerosis?

Answer 2

• The progressive narrowing and hardening within an artery potentially resulting in a complete blockage.

Question 3

What is ischaemic heart disease?

Answer 3

• Imbalance between supply (perfusion) and demand of the heart for oxygenated blood. Not only low o2 but also low nutrients substrates and inadequate removal of metabolites.

Question 4

What are the risk factors of ischaemic heart disease?

Answer 4

• FIXED - positive family history, male sex, age, genetic factors - REVERSIBLE - hyperlipidaemia, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, lack of exercise, obesity, heavy alcohol consumption.

Question 5

What are the symptoms of ischaemic heart disease?

Answer 5

• Chest pain, often central, crushing, radiating to left arm or jaw. - SOB - Nausea, sweating, pale - Palpitations - Syncope.

Question 6

What are the treatments of ischaemic heart disease?

Answer 6

• Immediate - o2, pain relief, aspirin. - Angina - lifestyle, nitrates, b-blockers. - ACS - thromolytic therapy, PTCA, coronary artery bypass graft. - Angioplasty/stenting.