Download The Circulatory System - Heart and Blood

Circulatory System Disorders
Arteriosclerosis
• Walls of arteries thicken and lose some elastic properties
• Most common type is atherosclerosis
• Atherosclerosis: plaque builds on in the inside of the walls
• As it narrows, blood flow is decreased and blood pressure is
increased
How to treat arteriosclerosis
Angioplasty is a surgical method
• Surgeon inserts tube into clogged artery
• A tiny balloon is inflated to force the artery open
Coronary Bypass
• Take a section of healthy artery or vein from another part of body
• Used to create a new pathway for blood around the blockage
Aneurysm
• Bulge in an artery due to weakened area of arterial wall
• Blood pressure causes it to grow larger over time
• If it bursts, internal bleeding can lead to death
Arrhythmia
• Problem with speed or rhythm of heartbeat
• Can lead to insufficient blood flow to brain or other organs
• Can be treated with medicines or pacemaker
• Pacemaker: device that emits electrical impulses to control
the rate of heartbeat
Stroke
• Arteries supplying blood to brain are damaged, cutting off oxygen
and nutrients
• Ischemic stroke: clot in the blood vessel blocks the flow of blood
to brain
• Hemorrhagic stroke: blood vessel in the brain bursts and blood
flows into surrounding brain tissue
• Treatment: drugs (clot busters) and surgery