Endothelium

The Ebola virus is gaining worldwide fame due to its sensational outbreak originating from Sierra Leone. The outbreaks of the virus have been recognized and effectively dealt with in the past, but the present outbreak is becoming a overwhelming challenge. Approximately there have been 15,000 suspected cases of the disease and 6,000 confirmed deaths so far. The horrifying visual hemorrhagic symptoms caused by the Ebola virus include internal and external bleeding as well as the fear inducing…

respiration cannot occur. Lack of oxygenation causes subsequent cell death, creating ischemic tissue injury. This process causes gangrene and eventual paralysis as it involves chronic inflammation followed by the adhesion of white blood cells to damaged endothelium cells. The incidence of vaso-occlusive crisis is common in all patients with sickle cell anaemia as blood clots in smaller vessels such as capillaries occur, however, this symptom increases in likelihood when a person is dehydrated or…

Neurons are not the only cells that occupied the central nervous system (CNS). In fact, neurons are outnumbered by supportive non-excitable cells, collectively called neuroglia (a.k.a. glia). The term glia was coined by Rudolph Virchow in 1859 to indicate the “connective tissue” surrounding the neurons (glia came from Greek meaning glue). However, the combination of the activities of glial cells and neurons is crucial for brain functions (Steward 2000). There are three types of glial cells in…

This presentation will summarize what Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is, so the patient and family will have a better understanding of the disease. Coronary Artery Disease is thought to “begin in early childhood and is evident in the teenage years” (http://www.heart.org/). The plaque keeps building up each year and stays with a person for life. As a person ages the risks of coronary artery disease becomes higher with the type of lifestyle a person chooses. “The leading causes of CAD are “high…

Organ transplants save thousands of lives each year and are considered one of the most significant medical innovations of the past century. Despite that, each year, the number of patients on the waiting list continues to grow, while the number of donors and transplants remains stagnant. One solution scientists are investigating in order to solve this problem is xenotransplantation, a procedure which involves the “transplantation, implantation, or infusion of live cells, tissues, or organs from a…

The world is currently facing an epidemic due to a violent and deadly disease that most of us have never even heard of. The Ebola Virus is killing hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, yet no one really even knows anything about this virus that is quickly starting to take over. Ebola has quickly and quietly become a rapidly spreading viral disease. There have been 23 identifiable worldwide outbreaks of Ebola in humans since the first outbreak was documented in 1976, yet no one really knows…

eventually cause blockage of blood flow in the coronary artery . Patient’s medical history of hypertension is one of the most important risk factors of acute Myocardial infarction as the constantly high blood pressure can cause damage to artery endothelium and make her more vulnerable in developing atheroschelerosis plaque If the cessation of blood flow will stop oxygen and nutrient supply to heart muscle, the heart muscle becomes injured and eventually myocardial…

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…

According to Schouten et al (2008), sepsis involves the activation of the coagulation cascade coupled with down-regulation of anticoagulation and fibrinolysis. An intricate link between inflammation and coagulation exists within the body (Neligan, 2006). When a pathogen is present in the bloodstream or when tissue injury occurs, an inflammatory response occurs. The response causes a stimulation of the immune system to produce interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis…

of a stroke is from atheroma, or plaque buildup on the artery wall leading to narrowing and then finally an infarction of the brain, or a stroke (VanMeter & Hubert, 2014, p. 347). The progression of an atherosclerosis, starts with damage to the endothelium of the artery (VanMeter & Hubert, 2014, p. 235). This leads to inflammation and an accumulation of lipids, and white blood cells in the (middle) muscle layer of the vessel (VanMeter & Hubert, 2014, p. 235). This leads to further inflammation…