Unit 3 Reflection

Unit 3 Reflection

       Cardiovascular disease has many different implications involved with it. To begin, a heart attack is when the blood flow to the myocardium is severely reduced or stopped, aka an artery is blocked which can be as a result of atherosclerosis. Other effects include fibrillation; the disruption of normal heart beat rhythm and hazardous contractions. The long term effect includes dead myocardium, weakened heart, and a noncontractile heart.  The symptoms include chest pain, arm or side pain, shortness of breathing, and sweaty and cold skin. Because heart attacks are caused by atherosclerosis, it would be good to go into atherosclerosis and its causes and effects. 

       Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammation that is caused by an excess of sugars and polyunsaturated fats, excess omega 6, or damaged blood vessels. Blood tests can tell whether or not atherosclerosis is a factor because a person's LDL will be high and a person's HDL will be lower than usual. Fibrinogen is a blood clotting protein associated with cardiovascular disease.

Here are the steps taken in using a stent to create more blood flow

       To diagnose a heart attack, medics use EKG's which record the electrical signals as they send through the heart, and or a CK-MB, a heart enzyme that is usually elevated during a heart attack. The diagnosis of cardiovascular disease includes an Angiography where a dye is injected and an X-ray imagery is used to see the movement of dye in heart.  Echocardiogram includes images of the heart produced through sound waves, for the visual of valves nd chambers. Electrocardiogram's record EKG electrical signals as they go through the heart. The stress test uses a nuclear scanner while the patient walks on a treadmill and the radioactive substance takes the EKG. 

      Medical treatments for heart disease include beta blocks, aspirin, anti-coagulates, nitroglycerine, calcium ion blockers, and anti-lipids. Surgical ones include a pacemaker, a stent insertion, and a coronary bypass. 

       A stroke is a heart attack for the brain because there is a lack of blood and oxygen to the brain. The types include an Ischemic stroke were the artery becomes blocked, or Hemorrhagic stroke where the artery bursts. 

       Signs of strokes include numbness of face, arm, or leg, confusion or trouble talking, trouble seeing in one or both eyes, dizzy and or trouble walking. 

       The diagnosis of a stroke can be taken with a CT or an MRI. The treatments include TIA and or a stent, anticoagulant or anti-platelet drug.
       In my health, I can eat more foods that have little to no polyunsaturated fats because the buildup causes atherosclerosis, and I do exercise regularly but I could change up my exercise to get a wide variety of them. As I get older I will start to take aspirin every day, in a small dosage, in order to keep my blood thin and prevent my blood from clotting.