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12 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is artificial blood?
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A blood substitute (e.g. a salt solution, saline) which is used to replace the lost volume of blood. It can keep people alive even if they've lost 2/3 of their red blood cells. This may give the patient enough time to produce new blood cells. If not, the patient will need a blood transfusion.
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What are artificial hearts?
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Mechanical devices that are put into a person to pump blood if their own heart fails. They are usually used as a temporary fix to keep a person alive until a donor heart can be found. In some cases they are used as a permanent fix which reduces the need for a donor heart.
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What is an advantage of using artificial hearts?
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It is less likely to be rejected by the body's immune system than donor hearts. This is because it is made of metal or plastic so the body doesn't recognize it as a foreign cell and attack it in the same way it does with living tissue.
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What are the disadvantages of artificial hearts?
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Surgery to fit one can lead to bleeding and infection. They do not work as well as healthy natural ones - parts of the heart could wear out or the electrical motor could fail. Blood does not flow as smoothly through artificial hearts which can cause blood to clot and lead to a stroke. As a result the patient has to take drugs to thin the blood which can cause bleeding problems if they're hurt in an accident.
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What are mechanical valves used for?
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To replace defective heart valves
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Advantage of mechanical valves
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Replacing heart valves is not as drastic a procedure as a whole heart transplant
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Disadvantage of mechanical valves
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Fitting artificial valves is still a major surgery and can cause problems with blood clots
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What is coronary heart disease?
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Where the arteries that supply blood to the muscles of the heart get blocked by fatty deposits. This causes the arteries to become narrow and blood flow is restricted - this can lead to heart attacks.
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What are stents and what do they do?
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Tubes that are inserted inside arteries. They keep them open ensuring that blood can pass through to the heart muscles.
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Describe what stents do.
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The stent pushes the artery wall out, squashing the fatty deposit into the wall. There is now more space in the centre of the artery.
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Advantage of stents
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They are a way of lowering the risk of a heart attack in people with coronary heart disease
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Disadvantages of stents
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Over time, the artery can narrow again as stents can irritate the artery and make scar tissue grow.
The patient has to take drugs to stop blood clotting on the stent. |
