HLTH cardiovascular diseases Flashcards
types of heart diseases
congenital heart defects, hypertensive heart disease, angina, myocardial infarctions, cardiac arrhythmias, and congestive heart failure
preventive measures for decreasing heart disease
focusing on a healthy diet, exercise, moderation of alcohol, cessation of smoking, safe sex, and immunizations
common tests for heart disease
ECG, stethoscope, exercise stress tests, chest x-rays films, nuclear imaging, single photon-emission computed tomography, cardiac catheterization, coronary angiography, troponin blood tests, and arterial blood gas determination
what are ECGs used for?
for looking for arrhythmias, MI, and pericarditis; they can look for abnormalities in conduction activities
what is a stethoscope used for?
can look for valve abnormalities that cause murmurs, congenital defects, and changes in heart function
exercise stress tests
asses general cardiovascular function and check for exercise induced problems such as arrhythmias
chest-X ray films
show the shape and size of the heart and any evidence of pulmonary congestion
nuclear imaging with radioactive substances
asses the size of an infarct in a heart, the extent of myocardial perfusion, and the function of the ventricles
single-photon emission computer tomography
a specialised computer tomography that can scan to assess cardiac ischemia at rest
cardiac catherization
includes passing a catheter through a blood vessels and into a ventricle; can be used to visualize inside the heart, measure pressures, and assess overall valve function
angiography
can allow for visualized coronary blood flow and can be useful for diagnosing obstructions
troponin blood tests
measure the level of blood proteins called troponin which are released when cardiac muscles have been damaged; may indicate a MI
what do blood tests look for in heart disorders?
serum triglyceride, cholesterol, and electrolyte levels
doppler studies
can assess blood flow in the peripheral vessels and use a microscope to record the sound of blood flow or obstruction
arterial blood gas determination
useful for checking current O2 levels and acid-base balance; useful for looking for shock and MI
what are dietary changes for heart disease?
reducing trans or saturated fat, and reducing sodium to help lower BP
why is exercise good for preventing heart disease?
it improves overall cardiovascular function and circulation to areas of the body; also assists with lowering serum-lipid levels and reducing stress
why does smoking cause heart disease?
is can cause vasoconstriction, thus increasing the workload on the heart; can also cause platelet adhesion and a risk for thrombus formation; smoking also replaces O2 with carbon monoxide on hemoglobin
some drugs caterogies that help with heart disease
vasodilators, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, antihypersensitive drugs, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, anticoagulants, and cholesterol lowering drugs
vasodialtor drugs
decrease peripheral resistance, may cause dizziness; ex. nitroglycerin
beta-blockers
treat hypertension and dysrhythmias through blocking the beta-adrenergic receptors in the heart and blocking increased SNS activity; ex. metoprolol
calcium channel blockers
block the movement of calcium ions into the cardiac muscle to decrease contraction for hyperactive atira, or decrease the conduction system; ex. amlodipine
cardiac glycoside
treats heart failure or acts as an antiarrhythmic through slowing conduction of impulses; ex. digoxin
antihypersensitive drugs
those that lower BP; includes beta blockers, calcium blockers, diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and ANG II receptor blocking agents
ACE inhibitors
used for hypertension by inhibiting the conversion of ANG I to ANG II; ex. vasotec
anticoagulants
blood thinners that reduce the risk of blood clot formation in coronary or systemic arteries; ex. aspirin or warfarin
cholesterol lowering drugs
prescribed when exercise is ineffective in reducing blood levels; ex. statin drugs such as simvastatin and atorvastatin
