Heart problems CHD Flashcards
What is a coronary heart disease
A disease of the heart caused by the malfunctioning of the coronary arteries
what actually happens
layers of fatty material build up in the walls of the coronary arteries narrowing them.
what happens to the blood flow
it is reduced
risk factors for coronary heart disease
-age
-gender, males have a higher risk
-family history
-smoking
-high blood pressure
-diabetes
-obesity
-high blood cholesterol
Symptoms for coronary heart disease
-chest pain
-shortness of breath
-heart palpitations
-heart attack
Name the stages of CHD
Normal
Minimal
Moderate
Major
What are stents used for
they’re used to keep the coronary arteries open
what is a stent
-metal mesh that’s inserted into an artery to keep the lumen of the artery open
-it does this by pushing the wall of the artery outwards
advantages of stents
-lowers the risk of heart attack
-operation is quick
-you can recover quickly
disadvantages of stents
-risk of infection
-risk of forming a blood clot
why would someone have a stent fitted
when an artery narrows due to fatty deposits in the artery wall
advantages of bypass surgery
-lower risk of heart attack
disadvantages of bypass surgery
what is a statin
they reduce blood cholestrol levels which slow down the rate of fatty material deposit
how do statins work
they reduce the amount of LDL in the blood
