Treatments For Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
what is cardiovascular disease
any disease associated with the heart and blood vessels
what are arteries
blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart
what is cholesterol
a fatty substance the body needs to make things like cell membranes
what does too much cholesterol in the body cause
- fatty deposits to build up in arteries
- restricting blood flow
where do deposits usually occur in arteries
- where the artery wall has been damaged
- from things such as high blood pressure
what can fatty deposits in arteries also trigger
- blood clots to form
- which can block blood flow completely
why are blood clots formed from fatty deposits so dangerous
- if it happens to an artery supplying the heart muscle
- the heart will be deprived of oxygen, causing a heart attack
- a blockage in the arteries supplying blood to the brain deprive it of oxygen
- leading to a stroke
- both can kill
what is the simplest and most suggested way of reducing your risk of developing cvd
making changes to your lifestyle
should someone who already has cvd make changes to their lifestyle and why
- they should
- as the changes can from part of the treatment
- helping reduce the risk of further stroke or heart attack
what are some lifestyle changes that could be suggested to someone who has cvd or is trying to avoid it
- eat a healthy, balanced diet low in saturated fat
- exercise regularly or lose weight
- stop smoking if necessary
why is it suggested to eat a diet low in saturated fat
because saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels
what is the biggest advantage to implementing lifestyle changes and why they are suggested as the first course of action
they have no downsides or more or less no risks
what else could be needed to treat cvd if lifestyle changes arent enough
medicines
what does the medication statin do
statin reduces the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream
how does the effect of statin treat cvd
- it slows down the rate at which fatty deposits form
- reducing the risk of heart disease and strokes
what are some of the side effects that come with taking statins
- aching muscles and liver damage
- some of the side effects can be serious
what are anticoagulants (Warfarin)
drugs that make blood clots less likely to form
what is a disadvantage of taking anticoagulants
they can cause excessive bleeding if the person is hurt in an accident
what do antihypertensives do
they reduce blood pressure
what is the effect of how antihypertensives work
- it helps to prevent damage to blood vessels
- which reduces the risk of fatty deposits forming
what is the disadvantage that comes with taking antihypertensives
- they can cause side effects
- like headaches and fainting
what are stents
tubes that are inserted inside arteries
what do stents do
- they keep the arteries open
- to make sure that blood can pass through the heart muscles
- lowering the risk of a heart attack
what is the disadvantage of having stents
- overtime the artery can narrow again
- as stents can irritate the artery wall
- causing scar tissue to grow
what is another disadvantage for the patient if they have stents
they have to take drugs to stop blood clotting on the stent
what is coronary bypass surgery
- surgery where a piece of healthy blood vessel is taken from elsewhere
- and used to bypass the blocked section of a blood vessel in another location
what are the disadvantages of having a whole heart transplant
- the new heart does not always start pumping properly
- and drugs have to be taken to stop the body from rejecting it
- the drugs can also have side effects like making you more vulnerable to infections
what are the three risks that come with any heart surgery
- bleeding
- clots
- infection
what does cholesterol build up in the artery walls to form
a plaque
