This is class 107's biology blog. Please refrain from using inappropriate terms. Instead, use proper ENGLISH.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Coronary heart disease (Elgin's Group)



Q i. What is the cause of the disease?
A:Coronary disease (or coronary heart disease) refers to the failure of coronary circulation to supply adequate circulation to cardiac muscle and surrounding tissue. It is already the most common form of disease affecting the heart and an important cause of premature death in Europe, the Baltic states, Russia, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. It has been predicted that all regions of the world will be affected by 2020.
It is most commonly equated with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, but coronary disease can be due to other causes, such as coronary vasospasm. It is possible for the stenosisto be caused by the spasm.
Q ii. How does the component of blood/ blood vessel affected in the disease?
A:How does the component of blood/ blood vessel affected in the disease?
When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the heart doesn't get the blood it needs to work well. Over time, this can weaken or damage the heart. If a plaque tears, the body tries to fix the tear by forming a blood clot around it. The clot can block blood flow to the heart and cause a heart attack.
Q iii: What is the function of the blood component/ structure in circulatory system?
A: Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle. Like all other tissues in the body, the heart muscle needs oxygen-rich blood to function, and oxygen-depleted blood must be carried away. The coronary arteries consist of two main arteries: the right and left coronary arteries. The left coronary artery system branches into the circumflex artery and the left anterior descending artery.

Since coronary arteries deliver blood to the heart muscle, any coronary artery disorder or disease can have serious implications by reducing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the heart, which may lead to a heart attack and possibly death. Atherosclerosis (a build-up of plaque in the inner lining of an artery causing it to narrow or become blocked) is the most common cause of heart disease.
Q iv: How does this blood component/ structure differ from the rest in the circulatory system?
A: The cells are crescent-shaped, shaped like the sickle used to cut wheat, are stiff and sticky and tend to form clumps and get stuck in the blood vessels.It contains abnormal haemoglobin rather than the normal haemoglobin. Causes: pain episodes,strokes,increased infections,leg ulcers,bone damage,yellow eyes or jaundice,early gallstones,lung blockage,kidney damage and loss of water in urine,painful erections in men(sequestration),eye damage,low red blood cell counts (anemia) & delayed growth
Q v: How will the absence of the blood component / structure affect the health of the patient?
A: When these hard and pointed red cells go through the small blood tube, they clog the flow and break apart. This may cause pain, damage and a low blood count, or anemia. Abnormal haemoglibin: They stick together when it delivers oxygen to the body’s tissues. These clumps of haemoglobin are like liquid fibers.It is formed when there is a mutation, caused by a single nucleotide effecting the change in the β-globin (.composed of five genes located on a short region of chromosome 11, responsible for the creation of the beta parts (roughly half) of the oxygen transport protein Hemoglobin) , resulting in the substitution of valine for glutamic acid as the sixth amino acid of β-globin.
Q vi: How technology is used to facilitate the analysis of one’s state of health and improve one’s lifestyle?
A: In order for patient preferences to be effectively used in the delivery of health care, it is important that patients be able to formulate and express preferences, that these judgments be made known to the clinician at the time of care, and that these statements meaningfully inform care activities. Decision theory and health informatics offer promising strategies for eliciting subjective values and making them accessible in a clinical encounter in a manner that drives health choices. Computer-based elicitation and reporting tools are proving acceptable to patients and clinicians alike. It is time for the informatics community to turn their attention toward building computer-based applications that support clinicians in the complex cognitive process of integrating patient preferences with scientific knowledge, clinical practice guidelines, and the realities of contemporary health care.
Q vii: How technology is used to save lives with respect to the disease investigated?
A: Ice slurry is an equal mix of ultra-small (equivalent to the diameter of a human hair) ice particles and a salt water liquid carrier. It is a mixture of ice and salt water that may be injected into the lungs for rapid cooling to sustain the heart and brain cells after cardiac arrests, thus "freezing" the body until the patient can recieve medical help.

NOTE: the questions are not completed yet, I am just inputting all the answers that I have so far into the blog. I will edit this pose when I get the answers.

23 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've learned that...

    1)Coronary heart disease refers to the failure of coronary circulation to supply adequate circulation to cardiac muscle and surrounding tissue.

    2) Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1. I learnt that this disease can be very deadly and can lead to heart attack or even death.
    2. It has become a very common heart disease and may spread throughout the regions of the world by 2020.

    Darius Low

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1)Coronary arteries are arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle.
    2)I learnt that ice slurryis an equal mix of ice particles and salt water

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1) I have learnt that the coronary heart disease is due to the dead heart muscle cell which is caused by plague buildup in the artery.
    2) I have learnt that due to sickle cell which get stuck in the blood vessels the patient feels pain and suffer from heart attack and other pains.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 1. I learnt that Coronary Heart Diease causes the red blood cells to become hard and pointed.

    2. It has something to do with sickle cell diease.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have learnt that Doctors can "freeze" the patient to prevent him from dieing until he receives medical treatment.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have learnt that sickle cells can get stuck in the blood vessel and cause pain to the person.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've learnt that even though the blood cells are smaller, they are more prone to blood clogs in the vessels.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've learnt that Coronary's Heart Disease is the most common form of disease that affects the heart and is usually the cause of premature death.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've learnt that 'freezing' the patient can save him, and keep him alive until he can receive treatment.

    ReplyDelete
  12. 1) I learnt that coronary heart disease is caused by the failure of blood circulation.

    2)It is the most common form of disease affecting the heart.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've learnt that:
    1) coronary disease refers to the failure of coronary circulation to supply sufficient circulation to cardiac muscle and the surrounding tissue
    2) coronary arteries supply blood to heart muscle

    ReplyDelete
  14. 1. I have learnt that the coronary artery although small is very important to the body as it helps to transport oxygen from the blood to the other parts of the body and therefore coronary heart disease, which is caused by the blockage of that artery, can cause death.
    2. I have learnt that someone who grows slower than other people may be having coronary heart disease.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I learnt that coronary heart disease is the most common form of disease affecting the heart.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've learnt that ice slurry can help in rapidly cooling of the body to sustain the heart and brain cells.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I learnt that just a clogged blood vessel can cause something as serious as death.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've learnt that
    1. Coronary disease involves the coronary arteries deliver blood to the heart muscle and carry blood away from the blood.
    2.The cure for this disease is to 'freeze the patient's body' until medical help arrives.

    ReplyDelete
  19. 1) I learnt that coronary heart disease is caused by the failure of coronary circulation.
    2) I learnt that the cells are crescent-shaped.

    ReplyDelete
  20. 1) I learnt that coronary heart disease is caused by the failure of coronary circulation.
    2) I learnt that the cells are crescent-shaped and thus they are more likely to get stuck in the capillaries

    ReplyDelete
  21. I've learn that we can get it easily if we do not balance our lifestyle and diet.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I've also learn that it is life-threatening and can lead to death.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Good information… We need more information about heart specialist, supplements and medicine etc..
    heart tablet

    ReplyDelete