Coronary artery bypass surgery

In the current semester, I have had the pleasure of caring for patients on the postoperative (PO) cardiac surgery unit at St. Mary’s Hospital. In this professional practice experience, I received the opportunity of caring for a female client who unfortunately suffered a myocardial infarction and subsequently received coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Whilst caring for my client, I observed her using her incentive spirometer (IS) which is a standard protocol for PO CABG patients on the…

heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and total hip/total knee replacement. According to the survey by the Leap Frog Group, in 30 days the number patients under heart attack were 300, under heart failure were 870, under pneumonia were 759, under chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were 581, under coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) were 161, and under total hip/total knee replacement were 498.…

Coronary Heart Disease Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart diseases. According to the CDC, coronary heart disease kills more than 370,000 people every year.1 Coronary heart disease results from the damage of the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with nutrients and oxygen. Coronary heart disease causes plaque formation in the coronary arteries narrowing the arteries and decreasing blood flow to the heart. Eventually, heart attack results from the complete…

can lead to diseases such as coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, and colon cancer, according to Harvard researchers. Coronary heart disease, or Atherosclerosis, is a disease in which plaque, a waxy substance, is built up in the coronary arteries. Plaque can harden or break open after a while. Hardened plaque partially blocks the arteries and reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Ruptured plaque can lead to blood clots which can completely block the artery. Symptoms include chest…

Coronary artery disease (CAD) results when our body’s coronary arteries become damaged. Our coronary arteries are important because “they supply our heart with blood, oxygen, and nutrients” (Coronary artery disease, 2014). Our arteries typically get damaged because of plaque and inflammation developing inside them. “The buildup of plaque causes our arteries to become narrower and that decreases our blood flow to our heart” (Coronary artery disease, 2014). This decreased blood flow can cause…

CORONARY STENTS Before stents were used, balloon angioplasty was used to treat narrowed coronary arteries. This involved inserting a very thin, long, balloon-tipped tube into an artery where there was a blockage. The balloon at the tip of the catheter was inflated to compress the blockage and restore blood flow. It was then deflated to remove the catheter and balloon but because no support was left at the site of the blockage, in some cases, the artery collapsed. This is why small stents were…

muscular organ that pumps blood throughout our bodies through veins, arteries and capillaries. These blood vessels supply our other major organs and tissue with oxygen and carries away the carbon dioxide and waste. Image from university of Nottingham, http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing/practice/resources/cardiology/function/anatomy.php Angina is a pain or discomfort and tightness in the chest and is usually caused by coronary Heart disease. There are four types of Angina: • Stable •…

Atherosclerosis What is Atherosclerosis? Atherosclerosis is thickening, or hardening of the arteries, which can lead to plaque build up. This build up causes the arteries to narrow and makes it harder for the blood to flow. Sometimes a clot will form and stop the flow completely, causing a stroke or heart attack. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin. Atherosclerosis begins at a young age and progressively increases with age, it can…

Heart disease is a disorder of blood vessels which can lead to a heart attack. Also called cardiovascular disease/ cardiac disease. Heart disease is a condition that involves narrowed or blocked blood vessel. That prevent other body part of your body like the heart from recieving blood. Symptoms and effects of this disease Effects; heart disease, chest pain, stroke, can effect your heart muscle valves. Symptoms; shortness of breath, pain in neck, jaw, throat, numbness and weakness. Since…

With coronary artery disease, involves health professionals that are essential in taking care of these patients. The role of the health professional or professionals is to treat the disease, and also to have the treatment plan managed. Health professionals for CAD are a primary care physician, cardiologist, nurse educator, a cardiac rehabilitation team, a mental health professional, and a dietitian. Each of their roles differ depending on how complicated the disease becomes. A primary care…