Cardiovascular Disease: Stents and Lifestyle (GCSE Biology)

Cardiovascular Disease: Lifestyle and Stents

In this section, we will look at Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), which is a very common non-communicable disease affecting the heart. We will look at what causes CHD, as well as the different treatment options for CHD and other heart conditions.

Introduction to CHD

Coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs when the blood vessels (coronary arteries) supplying the heart get blocked.

• Coronary arteries supply the heart. The heart, like all other muscles in the body, needs oxygen to drive aerobic respiration. Coronary arteries are found on the surface of the heart, and they supply it with oxygen.
• In CHD, fatty deposits narrow the coronary arteries. Fatty deposits (called plaques) can build up inside the coronary arteries that supply the heart. This narrows the blood vessels, and therefore occludes the blood supply to the heart, and therefore reduces the oxygen supply to the heart.

Lifestyle and CHD

Lifestyle choices can increase your risk of developing CHD.

• Poor diet – when a person has a poor diet, they have a greater risk of obesity. This can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, as it could lead to a higher cholesterol level leading to a greater chance of the blocking of arteries.
• Smoking – if one smokes, the walls of arteries can be damaged by chemicals in the tar, leading to a greater chance of blood clots forming. Moreover, the nicotine can lead to an increase in heart rate and the chemicals lead to an increase in blood pressure. This leads to a greater incidence of cardiovascular disease.
• Exercise – exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, as it increases the blood supply to the heart and reduces cholesterol levels.

Other risk factors that can contribute to the risk of developing CHD:

• Stress – increased stress levels can increase your risk.
• Genetic predisposition – CHD runs in your family and is passed down in your genes.
• Age – being older can increase your risk.
• Gender – males have a higher risk than females

Surgical Treatment of CHD

We can treat cardiovascular disease using drugs, mechanical devices or transplant. We will focus on the use of each of these for treating CHD specifically.

Stents (Mechanical Device)

• Coronary heart disease can be treated using stents. In order to restore the blood supply to the heart, the coronary arteries must be reopened. Stents are tubes that are placed inside the artery in order to keep it open. This ensures that blood can keep flowing.

Angioplasty

• Coronary heart disease can be treated using angioplasty. In order to restore the blood supply to the heart, the coronary arteries must be reopened. Similar to stents, balloons are inserted into the artery and
  are inflated. This opens up the blocked artery, allowing blood to flow through.

Coronary Bypass Surgery

• Coronary heart disease can be treated using bypass surgery. This surgery involves taking healthy blood vessel from another part of the body and surgically inserting it so the blocked vessels are bypassed