Artery

The arteries are blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to all organs in the body during the heart pulses. During the blood circulation a pressure is exerted on the walls of the blood vessels or arteries. The case where the ability of such walls to expand or contract in response to blood pressure changes is called Arterial Stiffness (AS). Arteries need to be flexible to expand when oxygen is needed by muscles and heart, and stiffening of the arteries place an extra load on heart which can lead to hypertension. Globally, hypertension is the major factor for serious conditions such as heart diseases, strokes and kidney diseases. Aorta is the main artery originating from the left ventricle of the heart, and extending to the lower part…

Arteries Arteries carry blood at high pressure (80 - 120 mm Hg) They have a narrower lumen (to maintain high pressure) surround by a thick wall made of two layers The middle layer (tunica media) contains muscle and elastin to help maintain pulse flow (it can contract and stretch) The outer layer (tunica adventitia) contains collagen prevents the artery rupturing due to the high pressure blood flow Veins Veins carry blood under low pressure (<10 mm Hg) They have a very wide lumen (keeps…

The heart muscle itself has its own set of arteries, capillaries, and veins, as does every other organ in the body. They are called the coronary arteries and veins since they encircle the heart. Coronary arteries are supplied with oxygenated blood from the aorta to the myocardium to keep contracting. The left coronary artery feeds most of the left ventricle, the septum and much of the conduction system. The right coronary artery feeds the right side of the heart, including the sinoatrial (SA)…

Description of Disease Transposition of the great arteries is a life threatening congenital heart defect. In transposition of the great arteries, the two main arteries, the aorta and the pulmonary artery, are reversed. These arteries are responsible for carrying blood away from the heart through the left or right ventricle depending on whether the blood has been oxygenized or not. In a normal heart, there is a constant blood flow pattern in which blood is cycled from the body to the heart, the…

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…

Peripheral artery disease (PAD), also known as arterial occlusive disease, is the obstruction or narrowing of aortic passages--including lumen and its major branches. This blockage interrupts blood flow, usually to the feet and legs. The prognosis will vary depending on the occlusion's site. The symptoms vary depending on the location of the occlusion. For example: in femoral arteries, having pain in the feet, no pulse in ankles and feet, and pallor or coolness in legs are symptoms.…

Coronary arteries are one of the most important parts of the body because of many different factors. Heart muscle needs blood rich in oxygen to function and pump more blood throughout the circulatory system. If the blood does not carry enough oxygen, the veins will carry it away. Blood can only be delivered when the heart is relaxed; because once they contract they become narrow. These arteries are structured differently as opposed to many of the other arteries in the human body. The coronary…

1. The epidemiology and pathophysiology of coronary artery disease The term cardiovascular disease covers a heterogeneous group of clinical syndromes that affects the heart and the circulatory system. Coronary artery disease (or ischemic heart disease) accounts for the greatest portion of cardiovascular diseases, and alone caused 8.2 million deaths globally in 2013 [1, 2], therefore it is the major cause of death worldwide. It remains responsible for about 30-35% of all deaths in individuals…

Peripheral artery disease is due to a blockage of small or medium arteries that gives off blood to the rest of the body. This disease, especially affects the lower extremities and tend to be common. Patients with this peripheral artery disease (PAD) is at greater risk of myocardial infarctions and strokes. PAD affects is known to affect at least 29% of the population and the chance of you getting it, increases with age. Also gender, cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking and high blood…

The factors playing a major role in deciding the rate of risk of suffering from a cardiovascular or heart disease are age, gender, diet, physical activity, alcohol and tobacco consumption, genetic factors, pre-existing diseases and geographical location. Most heart diseases affects older adults. In fact with every decade, the chances of getting a heart disease increases threefold. Gender wise, men are more prone to develop a cardiovascular or heart disease than women. Of all the deaths caused by…