Our heart is encircled by blood vessels. These blood vessels are called coronary arteries. They originate in the aorta and supply the heart muscle with oxygen rich blood. Coronary arteries consist of Right Coronary Artery, that branches into Marginal RCA and Posterior Descending Artery, and Left Main Coronary Artery, which branches into Left Circumflex, Marginal LCA and Left Anterior Descending Artery.
In order for the heart to function properly the coronary arteries should be constantly supplying oxygen, if any of these arteries becomes blocked we experience angina, injury to the heart muscle, heart attack and in worst cases heart failure and death. Disease of the coronary arteries is the number one of all the heart diseases and the leading cause of death.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is caused by the occlusion of the coronary arteries. When the artery gets occluded, it diminishes the blood flow to the heart. The heart muscle, the myocardium, doesn’t get enough oxygen to support its function. Myocardium cells become ischemic from the lack of oxygen, and without
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Certain risk factors at the time of MI also contribute to the recovery prognosis. Some of the risk factors contributing to the poorer outcome are: age (risk is increased with age), gender ( men over women), family history, previous history of CAD, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, diabetes, cholesterol, alcohol, smoking. MI usually involves the left ventricle of the heart, but can involve sometimes the right ventricle. MI can be classified as Subendocardial; a non-Q-wave MI, that involves the inner layer of the myocardium, Subepicardial, involves inner and middle layer, and Transmural, a Q-wave depression MI, that involves all 3 layers of myocardium. We diagnose MI by clinical history, changes of Q-wave in EKG and by elevation in cardiac marker enzymes, such as Troponin and
Cardiomyopathy, by definition, means the weakening of the heart muscle. The heart is operated by a striated muscle that relies on the autonomic nervous system to function. Cardiomyopathy is diagnosed in four different ways based on what caused the illness and exactly what part of the heart is weakened. The four main types of cardiomyopathy are dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. One other category of cardiomyopathy that is diagnosed is “unclassified cardiomyopathy.” Unclassified cardiomyopathy is the weakening of the heart that does not fit into the main four categories.
Pulmonary arteries carry blood from the heart to the lungs where the blood picks up oxygen. The oxygen rich blood is then returned to the heart via the pulmonary veins. Systemic arteries deliver blood to the rest of the body. The aorta is the main systemic artery and the largest artery of the body. It originates from the heart and branches out into smaller arteries which supply blood to the head region brachiocephalic artery, the heart itself coronary arteries, and the lower regions of the body.
Traditionally, open heart surgery is used to repair or replace heart valves. This means that a large incision is made in the chest and the heart stopped for a time so that the surgeon can repair or replace the valves. Newer, less invasive techniques have been developed to replace or repair heart valves. Minimally invasive procedures make smaller incisions, and mean less pain afterward and shorter hospital stays (Types of Heart Surgery. n.d.).
The Structure and Functions of the Arteries Arteries are blood vessels that convey blood from the heart to the tissues of the body. The arteries expand and then constrict with each beat of the heart, a rhythmic movement that may be felt as the pulse. Arteries are usually named from the part of the body that they are found, for example; brachial artery found in the arms, metacarpal artery found in the wrist; or from the organ which they supply as the hepatic artery supplies the liver, pulmonary artery brings deoxygenated blood the lungs. The facial artery is the branch of the external carotid artery that passes up over the lower jaw and supplies the superficial portion of the face; the haemorrhoidal arteries are three vessels that supply the lower end of the rectum; the intercostal arteries are the arteries that supply the space between the ribs; the lingual artery is the branch of the external carotid artery that supplies the tongue. The structure of the artery enables it to perform its function more efficiently.
Atherosclerosis is a disease that occurs when arteries become blocked, inflamed, or hardened. As a result of this, blood cannot easily pass through the artery, and blood pressure increases. Many people suffer from atherosclerosis as they age, but young people can be affected by atherosclerosis also. There are many preventative steps that can be taken to decrease the risk of atherosclerosis; however, if atherosclerosis does develop in the arteries, medications can be given to help the individual receive adequate blood flow to important tissues. Atherosclerosis is a very serious condition that requires medical attention and a change in life style because it is a precursor to many dangerous and potentially fatal diseases.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of multifactorial chronic heart disease. It is a consequence of plaque buildup in coronary arteries. The arterial blood vessels, which begin out smooth and elastic become narrow and rigid, curtailing blood flow resulting in deprived of oxygen and nutrients to the heart [1].
Coronary heart disease is defined by the hardening of the epicardial coronary arteries. The buildup of plaque in the arteries slowly narrows the coronary artery lumen. In order to better understand the physiology of the disease, it is important to first know the basic anatomy of the human heart. The aorta, located in the superior region of the heart, branches off into two main coronary blood vessels, otherwise known as arteries. The arteries are located on the left and right side of the heart and span its surface. They subsequently branch off into smaller arteries which supply oxygen-rich blood to the entire heart (Texas Heart Institute, 2013). Therefore, the narrowing of these arteries due to plaque buildup significantly impairs blood flow throughout the heart.
Coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease affects 16.8 million people in the United States and causes more than 607,000 deaths annually (Lemone, chap.30). It is caused by atherosclerosis which is the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries causing impaired blood flow to the myocardium. CAD or coronary artery syndrome is usually without symptoms but may induce heart attack, angina and acute coronary syndrome if not properly treated. There are many risk factors associated with CAD like obesity, high cholesterol diet, hereditary, physical inactivity, just to name a few. Patients with CAD may be unable to identify and manage their risks factors. It is imperative for nurses to educate the patient about CAD and measures to enhance their health.
What is coronary heart disease (CHD)? It is a disease when plaque gets built up in the coronary arteries; and the job of the arteries are to provide rich-oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. Built plaque in the arteries leads to atherosclerosis and the plaque that is built can result from over the years. Throughout the years, the plaque tends to get hard or can rupture. If hardened, the arteries are now narrow and have weakened the flow of blood that travels to the heart. Blood clots can form from the plaque rupturing which can cause a great chance for the blood flow to be mostly blocked or blocked altogether. There are other names for coronary heart disease such as coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, etc.
How Do Economic Factors and Heart Disease Rates Relate in the New York Metropolitan Area?
The heart is the organ that pumps the blood throughout the body. It has three chambers: the atria, the ventricles, and the septum. It also contains two main valves: the tricuspid and the bicuspid (the atrioventricular valves). It has two sections that carry the different types of blood (oxygenated and deoxygenated). The oxygen depleted blood goes through the right atrium to the right ventricle. From the right ventricle the blood goes out of the pulmonary artery to the lungs; which is referred to as the pulmonary circuits. The oxygen rich blood goes from the lungs to the left ventricle. From the left atrium, it travels to the left ventricle and out through the aorta to the different parts of the body; referred to as the systemic
Oxygen was first admitted to the client with chest pain over 100 years ago (Metcalfe, 2011). Chest pain is a large bracket that can contain many different conditions, but for the purpose of this analysis it is focused manly upon a myocardial infarction. A myocardial infarction is mainly referred to as a heart attack, and occurs when one or more coronary arteries leading to the heart reduce or completely stop blood flow (Tuipulotu, 2013 ). Administering high concentrations of oxygen to patients with chest pain is now embedded in guidelines, protocols and care pathways, even with a lack of clear supporting evidence (Nicholson, 2004 ). High concentration of oxygen means that up to 60% is administered (Knott, 2012). More recent research has suggested that the use of oxygen in this scenario is unnecessary and can lead to unwanted side effects, especially in normoxic cardiac patients (Moradkham & Sinoway, 2010 ). The aim of this comparative analysis is to dismantle and understand both the benefits and risks of the commonly known practice of administration of oxygen to the client with chest pain. Through completing this analysis using recent and appropriate evidence a more improved practice can be given and understood.
The aorta artery forms. The formation of the aorta the most important artery in the body. This artery is the one that dill every all the blood pumped by the left ventricle. This happens when The outlet component of the primary heart tube, extending from the distal part of the ventricular loop to the distal extent of the pericardial cavity where it joins the aortic sac, is initially a structure with exclusively myocardial walls, and with distal and proximal parts separated by a characteristic bend. Due to processes as yet undetermined, the walls of the distal outflow change rapidly from this myocardial phenotype to an arterial one . Concomitant with the changes, the initially solitary tube seen distally is replaced by the intrapericardial portions of the ascending aorta and the pulmonary trunk. The proximal part also separates into two components, again losing its myocardial phenotype, with the arterial valvar leaflets and their supporting arterial sinuses formed just proximal to the bend, which marks the site of formation of the definitive sinotubular junctions . The most proximal part of the outflow tract is then itself separated by fusion of the cushions within it, new myocardium forming within the cushions to produce the medial part of the subpulmonary infundibulum, which retains its origin from the right ventricle. “At the same time, the subaortic part of the outflow segment is partitioned to the left
Your Heart and Blood Vessels – Illustrations and facts of the anatomy of the heart.