Systems: Circulatory (2) Flashcards
Describe arteriosclerosis
Occurs when the walls of the arteries thicken and lose elasticity. Hardening of the arteries
What is the most common type of arteriosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis
Describe atherosclerosis
Type of arteriosclerosis in which plaque builds up on the inside walls of the arteries
What is plaque?
A mixture of fatty deposits, calcium, and fibrous tissues
What are the symptoms of arteriosclerosis?
Angina (chest pain), blood clots, shortness of breath, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke
90% of all heart attacks are the result of which circulatory system disorder?
Arteriosclerosis
What are the ways to treat arteriosclerosis?
Angioplasty, coronary bypass
Describe an angioplasty
A surgeon sticks a catheter tube with a ballon on the end through the artery. When the balloon is over the plaque, it is inflated thus forcing the artery open. Sometimes a wire mesh (stent) is put there to permanently hold the vessel open
How is arteriosclerosis treated if medication fails to remove the clot?
Angioplasty
How is arteriosclerosis treated if the artery is too blocked or weak for an angioplasty to work?
Coronary bypass
Describe a coronary bypass
Surgeons will take a healthy vein or artery from another part of the body and use it to create other pathways around the blockage
What is the medical name for a heart attack?
Myocardial infarction
Describe a heart attack
Occurs when blood flow to a part of your heart is blocked for long enough that heart muscle cells begin to be damaged or die. This is due to a blockage in the coronary arteries
What are the signs of a heart attack?
Lightheadedness, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, pain and discomfort in the chest, arm, neck, and jaw; pain and pressure in the chest, cold sweat, upset stomach, urge to throw up, fatigue
What blood vessels are used to perform a coronary bypass?
Saphenous vein (leg), internal mammery artery (chest), radial artery (arm)
Describe an aneurysm
Occurs when there is a bulge in an artery due to a weakness in the walls. High blood pressure raises the risk. If the blood vessels burst, risk of death is high
Describe arrhythmia
An irregular heartbeat that can be harmless or harmful
How is arrhythmia treated?
Can be treated with a device called a pacemaker that sends electrical impulses regulating the heartbeat
What are heart conditions that have been present since birth called, and what are some examples?
Congenital heart defects. Examples include murmurs, leaky valves, arrhythmia
Describe a stroke
Same as a heart attack but in the brain. Arteries supplying blood to the brain become blocked and brain cells become oxygen deprived and become damaged or die
What are the types of strokes?
Ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke
What causes an ischemic stroke?
Caused by a clot blocking blood to the brain
What causes a hemorrhagic stroke?
When a blood vessel bursts causing blood to leak into surrounding brain tissue
Describe hemophilia
A blood disorder in which there are insufficient clotting proteins in the blood. These people take a long time to stop bleeding and can die from internal bleeding from only minor injuries
How is hemophilia treated?
Can be treated with injections of clotting factor VIII
Describe anemia
Low levels of red blood cells in the body. Can be caused by blood loss of a lack of iron
What are symptoms of anemia?
Yellow eyes, paleness and coldness of the skin, shortness of breath, muscular weakness, fatigue, dizziness, low blood pressure, heart palpitations, chest pain, enlargement of the spleen
What is cancer of the white blood cells called?
Leukemia
What are the types of leukemia?
Myeloid leukemia, lymphoid leukemia
What is myeloid leukemia?
Too many leukocytes that are immature and unable to fight infection. Crowd out red blood cells causing anemia and fatigue
What is lymphoid leukemia?
Too many lymphocytes. Symptoms very similar to myeloid form
What are ways to treat leukemia?
Chemotherapy, blood transfusions, bone marrow transplant
Describe an angiogram
Diagnostic test which follows a tube throw the arteries and releases dye in the blood vessels that helps surgeons to monitor blood flow using fluorescent imaging
