BIO54 MIDTERM #2: Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular System

network of organs and vessels through which blood flows as it carries oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body

The Heart: A Mighty Machine

- four chambered pump

- contracts 100,000 times a day

- pumps the equivalent of 2,000 gallons of blood throughout the body

- beats about 2.5 billion times in a 70 year lifetime

- blood is collected in its upper chambers, the atria, from the rest of the body

- two lower chambers, the ventricles, pump the blood out again

Atherosclerosis

characterized by deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin in the inner lining of term-13the artery

Hyperlipidemia

an abnormally high blood lipid level

Plaque

buildup of deposits in the arteries

Coronary Heart Disease

damage in the heart's major blood vessels

Myocardial Infarction (MI)/ Heart Attack

the blood supply to the heart is disrupted. Blockage of the coronary arteries

Coronary Thrombosis

this is caused by a blood clot in the coronary artery

Embolus

occurs when the blood clot is dislodged and moves through the circulatory system (free flowing clot)

Collateral Circulation

an alternative or collateral route of blood flow that develops when blockage of the heart is minor

Stoke

blood supply to the brain is interrupted

Thrombus

stationary blood clot

Aneurysm

most well-known and life-threatening of strokes, is a weakened blood vessel that may bulge under pressure and, in severe cases, burst

Hypertension

sustained elevated blood pressure

- for the average person 110/80 is a healthy blood pressure level, though these numbers depend on weight, age, physical condition, etc

- silent killer

Systolic Pressure

pressure applied to the walls of the arteries when the heart contracts, pumping blood to the rest of the body

Diastolic Pressure

pressure applied to the walls of the arteries during the heart's relaxation phase

High Blood Pressure

usually diagnosed when systolic pressure is 140 or above

Arrhythmias

irregularities in heart rhythm

Tachycardia

racing heartbeat in the absence of expertise or anxiety

Bradycardia

abnormally slow heartbeat

Fibrillation

sporadic heartbeat with a quivering pattern

Angina Pectoris

occurs when there is not enough oxygen to supply the heart muscle, resulting in chest pain or pressure

- nitroglycerin: drug used to relax (dilate) the veins

- beta blockers control potential over-activity of the heart muscle

Heart Failure

a damaged or overworked heart muscle is unable to keep blood circulating normally

Congenital Cardiovascular Defect

- present at birth

- may be cause by hereditary factors, by maternal disease such as rubella, maternal drug use, smoking after the first trimester, and folate deficiency during pregnancy

Rheumatic Heart Disease

is due to an untreated streptococcal infection leading to an autoimmune response, where the antibodies attack the heart as well as the bacteria

Techniques for Diagnosing Heart Disease

- Electrocardiogram (ECG)

- Angiography

- Position Emission Tomography (PET)

- Magnetic Resonance Tomography (MRI)

- Ultrafast Computed Tomography (CT)

- Cardiac Calcium Score