Topic 2 - Organisation - Cardiovascular disease

Question 1

What is coronary heart disease (CHD)

Answer 1

1. CHD is when the coronary arteries that supply the blood to the muscle of the heart get blocked by layers of fatty material building up
2. This causes the aerteries to become narrow, so blood flow is restricted and there is a lack of oxygen to the heart muscle - this can result in a heart attack

Question 2

What are stents?

Answer 2

1. Stents are tubes that are inserted inside arteries
2. They keep the arteries open (widen them), to allow blood to flow through to the heart muscles

Question 3

Advantages of stents?

Answer 3

1. Stents are a way of lowering the risk of a heart attack in people with CHD
2. They are effective for a long time and the recovery time from the surgery is relatively quick

Question 4

Disadvantages of stents?

Answer 4

1. There is a risk of complications during the operation
2. There is a risk of infection from surgery
3. Risk of patients developing a blood clot near the stent - this is called thrombosis

Question 5

What is cholesterol?

Answer 5

Cholesterol is an essential lipid that your body produces and needs to function properly

Question 6

How can too much cholesterol be bad?

Answer 6

1. Too much LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause fatty deposits tao form inside arteries
2. This can lead to coronary heart disease

Question 7

What are statins?

Answer 7

1. Statins are drugs that can reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol present in the bloodstream
2. This can slow down the rate of fatty deposits forming

Question 8

Advantages of statins?

Answer 8

1. They reduce the risk of strokes, CHD and heart attacks
2. They also increase the amount of HDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. This can help remove LDL cholesterol

Question 9

Disadvantages of statins?

Answer 9

1. Statins are a long-term drug that must be taken regularly
2. Statins can sometimes have negative side effects e.g. headaches. Some of these side effects can be serious, e.g. kidney failure, liver damage and memory loss
3. The effect of statins isnt instant

Question 10

How can someone with heart failure be treated?

Answer 10

1. Heart transplant using donor organs from people who have recently died
2. Artifical heart

Question 11

What are artificial hearts?

Answer 11

1. They are mechanical devices that pump blood for a person whos own heart has failed
2. They are usually used as a temporary fix, to keep a person alive until a donor heart is found

Question 12

Advantages of artificial hearts?

Answer 12

1. They are less likely to be rejected by the body’s immune system than a donor heart
2. This is because they are made from metals or plastics, so the body doesn’t recognise them as foreign

Question 13

Disadvantages of Artificial hearts?

Answer 13

1. The surgery to fit an artifical heart can lead to bleeding and infection
2. Artifical hearts dont work as well as healthy natural ones - parts of the heart could wear out or the electric motor could fail
3. Blood doesn’t flow through artificial hearts as smoothly, which can cause blood clots and lead to strokes
4. The person has to take drugs to thin their blood so this doesnt happen, which can cause problems with bleeding if they are hurt

Question 14

How can valves be damaged or weakened?

Answer 14

1. Heart attacks
2. Infections
3. Old age

Question 15

How can damage to valves affect its function?

Answer 15

1. The damage may cause the valve tissue to stiffen, so it wont open properly
2. A valve might become leaky, allowing blood to flow inboth directions rather than just forward. This means that blood doesnt circulate as effectively as normal

Question 16

How can valve damage be treated?

Answer 16

1. Severe valve damage can be treated by replacing the valve
2. Replacement valves can be taken from humans or other mammals like cows or pigs - biological valves
3. They can be replaced by man-made valves - mechanical valves

Question 17

Advantages and disadvantages of replacing valves?

Answer 17

1. Replacing a valve is a much less drastic procedure than a whole heart transplant
2. Fitting artificial valves is still a major surgery and there can still be problems with blood clots

Question 18

How can artifical blood save someone?

Answer 18

1. When someone loses a lot of blood, their heart can still pump the remaining red blood cells around to get oxygen into their organs as long as the volume of their blood can be topped up
2. Artifical blood is a substitute, e.g. a salt soltuion “saline” which is used to replace the lost volume of blood
3. It is safe as long as no air bubbles get into the blood, and can keep people alive even if they lose 2/3 of their RBC’s. This may give the patient enough time to produce new RBC’s. If not, blood transfusion is needed