The Heart Flashcards
Factors for a replacement valve:
It doesn’t cause clotting, it isn’t rejected, it doesn’t leak
What tissue is the heart made of:
Muscle
2 risk factors for coronary heart disease:
Smoking, high fat diet
What do pacemaker cells do:
Send out electrical impulses to make the heart muscles contract
Describe the passage of blood through the body:
The vena cava carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium. The right atrium contracts, pushing the blood to the right ventricle, past a valve, which prevents backflow. The right ventricle contracts, pushing the blood through the pulmonary artery that goes to the lungs through a valve. In the lungs, the blood becomes oxygenated, and reenters the heart through the pulmonary vein to the left atrium. The left atrium contracts, pushing the blood through a valve to the left ventricle. This contracts, pushing the blood through the aorta to the rest of the body.
What is coronary heart disease:
When arteries get blocked so blood flow is reduced and the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen which could lead to a heart attack.
What is a stent:
A metal mesh that keeps the artery open
How is the stent put in place:
It is sent through the bloodstream inside a balloon 🎈 and the balloon is popped, leaving the stent in place.
Advantages of stents:
No general anaesthetic, works for a long time
Disadvantages of stents:
They are expensive 💷, there is a risk of complications because surgery
What are statins:
Drugs 🚬
What do statins do:
Reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol
Advantages of statins:
They reduce the risk of strokes, increase a ‘better’ type of cholesterol, may be able to cure other stuff too
Disadvantages of statins:
Long term medication💊, only reduce the amount, some side effects, not instant
What is an artificial heart ❤️:
Mechanical devices that pump blood
Advantages of artificial hearts ♥️:
Unlikely to be rejected and keeps you alive
Disadvantages of artificial hearts ♥️:
Temporary, doesn’t work as well, infection risk, could wear out/fail, have to take drugs💊 to thin your blood
What is an artificial heart valve:
They replace leaky valves
What are the 2 types of artificial valves:
Biological and man-made
What are the advantages of biological valves:
You don’t have to take medication
What are the disadvantages of biological valves:
They only last 12 to 15 years
What are biological valves made of:
Pig 🐷 , cattle 🐮 or human 😨valves
What are the advantages of mechanical valves:
They last a long time
What are the disadvantages of mechanical valves:
You need to take medication 💊