Download Heart valve disorder

Diseases of the Cardiovascular System
Atherosclerosis / Arteriosclerosis
Pathological thickening and loss of elasticity of arterial walls “hardening of arteries” due to
deposits of atherosclerotic plaques that narrow the arterial lumen. Hypercholesterolemia
causes atherosclerosis. This condition places the individual at high risk of stroke, coronary
heart disease and heart attack. Circulating blood clot and/or an arterial spasm may block the
vessel completely.
When atherosclerosis affects the coronary arteries of the heart, it leads to:
a. Silent ischemia: blood flow to the heart muscle is interrupted without any pain to
provide warning!
b. Angina pectoris: chest pain caused by inadequate O2 to the heart muscle cells. This
condition may also result from stress-induced spasm of the atherosclerotic coronary
arteries.
c. Myocardial infarction: when the blockage of a coronary artery is more complete or
prolonged. This leads to death of the cardiac muscle cells, or severe heart attack.
Heart valve disorder
Defects of the heart valves are due to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Congenital and genetic abnormalities.
Inadequate blood supply to the valve as a result of a heart attack.
Bacterial infection of the endocardium; such as subacute bacterial endocarditis.
Rheumatic heart disease; such as rheumatic fever during childhood.
Heart valve defects are classified into 2 types: incompetent or stenotic.
Heart failure
Heart failure is a progressive weakening of the heart as it fails to keep pace with the demands
of pumping blood thus cannot meet the body demands for oxygenated blood. Mitral valve
stenosis, aortic valve stenosis or insufficiency, or weakened ventricles as a result of heart
attack may be a cause of the heart failure.
Aneurysm
Is a sac-like widening or outpocketing of an Artery or a vein that places the vessel at risk of
rupturing. The aneurysm may result from:
a. Congenital weakness.
b. Hypertension or arteriosclerosis may cause gradual weakening of the arterial wall.
Deep vein thrombosis of the lower limb
Is the formation of clots in the veins of lower extremity. The clot may detach and travel to the
heart and pulmonary trunk, then blocks a branch of the pulmonary artery causing
Pulmonary Embolism.
Congenital heart defects
The most common is Ventricular Septal Defect, in which the superior region of the
interventricular septum fails to form, leaving a hole between the two ventricles.
Hypertension
Blood Disorders