Heart disease

Question 1

What is coronary heart disease?

Answer 1

When layers of fatty material (fatty deposits) build up in the coronary arteries - causes the arteries to become narrow and reduces blood flow to the heart muscle.
This means less oxygen can get to the heart muscle and can result in a heart attack.

Question 2

What are stents?

Answer 2

Tubes that are put inside coronary arteries by surgery - keeps the arteries open allowing blood to reach the heart muscle and reduces risk of heart attack.

Question 3

State advantages of stents.

Answer 3

• Effective for a long time

- Recovery time from surgery is quite quick

Question 4

State risks of stents.

Answer 4

• Having a heart attack during the operation
• Getting an infection after surgery
• Patients can develop a blood clot near the stent

Question 5

What are statins?

Answer 5

Drugs that can reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood - slowing down the rate of fatty deposits forming.

Question 6

State advantages of statins.

Answer 6

• Reduce risks of strokes, coronary heart disease and heart attacks
• Some studies suggests that statins may help prevent some other diseases

Question 7

State disadvantages of statins.

Answer 7

• Must be taken regularly over, so person could forget
• Can cause unwanted side effects, e.g. headaches
• Effect of statins isn’t instant, takes time for their effect to work

Question 8

What are heart transplants used for?

Answer 8

For someone who has heart failure (when the blood can’t pump enough blood).

Question 9

What are artificial hearts?

Answer 9

A machine that pumps blood around the body.

Question 10

How and when can artificial hearts be used?

Answer 10

• To keep a person alive until a donor heart is available or help a person recover by allowing the heart to rest and heal.
• Sometimes permanent so donor heart isn’t needed

Question 11

State advantages of artificial hearts.

Answer 11

Made from metal or plastic, so less likely to be attacked by body’s immune system than a donor heart.

Question 12

State disadvantages of artificial hearts.

Answer 12

• Surgery to fit one in can lead to bleeding and infection
• Don’t work as well as healthy natural ones
• Blood doesn’t flow through as smoothly as through a natural heart, can cause blood clots and lead to strokes.
• Patient has to take drugs to thin the blood, so they can bleed more than is usual of they have an accident.

Question 13

How can heart valves become faulty?

Answer 13

• Can be damaged by heart attacks, infections or old age - causes the valve to stiffen, so it won’t open properly.
• Cen become leaky - blood flowing both directions instead of just forwards so blood doesn’t flow around the body as well as normal.

Question 14

How can valves be replaced?

Answer 14

Biological valves (from humans or other mammals)
Mechanical valves - man-made.