Atherosclerosis

Understanding the pathophysiology of a myocardial infarction begins with atherosclerosis, the main contributor to MI. “Atherosclerosis a common disorder characterized by yellowish plaques of cholesterol, other lipids, and cellular debris in the inner layers of the walls of arteries (Mosby, 2013, pg.153).” Fatty deposits (lipids) are circulating through the blood and become stuck to the artery walls, due to an injury in the endothelial lining of the blood vessel. After some time, the build up…

Most people could probably guess that heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death, but many may not know that strokes are the fourth leading. Strokes are also one of the leading causes in long-term adult disability. A stroke occurs when there is a clot in a blood vessel or an artery located in the brain, interrupting or severely reducing blood flow to the brain, preventing it from getting the oxygen it needs. There are two different types of strokes, and there are multiple types…

Explain how atherosclerotic plaque is formed. Atherosclerosis is a disease of the large and intermediate sized arteries, where fatty lesions called atheromatous plaques develop on the inside surfaces of arterial walls. It is characterised by endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation and an accumulation of lipids, calcium, cholesterol, and cellular debris within the intima wall - making it a multifactorial disease that usually develops many years before manifestation of clinical symptoms.…

Arterial color duplex study was performed for bilateral lower limbs which revealed mild atherosclerosis of the arteries without narrowing or blockage, no aneurysms in the popliteal arteries and confirmed the presence of a right DPA aneurysm with a small mural thrombus. Right foot toes pressure measurement showed normal readings (Fig.2). Surgical exploration was carried out under ankle block. A longitudinal skin incision was made directly over the aneurysm. Sharp dissection through fascia…

Heart disease is the expression that defines the blocked or interrupted of the heart's blood supply by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. Over time, the walls of the arteries are stuffed with fatty deposits, which is called atherosclerosis and the fatty deposits are called atheroma (BBC 2013). Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is a major killer in the UK as well as worldwide. It’s the cause of more than 73,000 deaths in the UK. Each year around 1 in 10 women and 1 in 6 men die…

A myocardial infarction is more commonly known as a heart attack. Sufferers of atherosclerosis are more likely to be the elderly, which can lead to coronary heart disease - the biggest cause of death in 2012 in the UK, killing over 64,000 people [3]. Coronary angioplasty Angioplasty is the process of surgical repair or unblocking of a blood vessel. To prevent deaths from atherosclerosis and to relieve angina, an operation called Coronary Angioplasty can be carried out. The combination…

Coronary artery disease (CAD; also more simply referred to as coronary heart disease) is a specific type of atherosclerosis, which is in turn a form of arteriosclerosis (Dulson, Fraser, LeDrew, & Vavitas, 2011). All of these medical conditions entail the same problem, which hinders proper blood flow of oxygenated blood in the arteries: the sclerosis (that is, hardening) of arteries in the circulatory system (Sclerosis [medicine], 2016). Arteriosclerosis is a general term used to describe the…

immediate medical treatment must be taken to minimize brain damage and potential complications. Ischemic stroke can be caused by various diseases. The most common problem is the narrowing of the arteries in the neck or head, often caused by atherosclerosis.…

It is a procedure in which a balloon catheter is inserted into vessels that have been damaged due to atherosclerosis, or build up of plaque and cholesterol in a certain part of a vessel, causing it to be narrower than normal. Atherosclerosis has to be treated immediately because it elevates blood pressure and prevents proper circulation of blood to all parts of the body. Specifically angioplasty can be divided into percutaneous…

The patient was admitted into a small, rural hospital at 1900 for an ongoing complaint of unrelieved indigestion. The patient, 48 year old male has a history of and is presently involved with smoking. After admission into the hospital it is ruled out that the patient underwent a rule out myocardial infarction with further testing involving a cardiac catheterization to be done after admission upon a separate medical center. The patient also presents to the hospital with a history of a high-fat…