Care & problems of circulatory system Chapter 17 lesson 3

Care of the circulatory & lymphatic systems Don’t smoke! Smoking puts added stress on circulatory system. Nicotine increases blood pressure & heart rate by narrowing the arteries Maintain an appropriate weight Being overweight in linked to high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. Exercise regularly, eat healthily, get sufficient sleep, regular checkups

Blood pressure The force of the blood in the main arteries. Rises/falls as the heart & muscles of your body cope with varying demands. Each time a ventricle contracts, blood surges through the arteries with so much force that the artery walls bulge (pressure is the greatest = systolic pressure) As the ventricles relax and refill with blood, arterial pressure is at its lowest = diastolic pressure)

Measuring blood pressure Inflate arm cuff around upper arm until it is tight enough to stop the flow of blood (around 200). As air is slowly released from the cuff, use a stethoscope to listen for the sound of blood flow (the first heart beat). This is the systolic pressure (top #). Normal is between 110-140 Further deflate the cuff until the beat disappears. The last beat you hear is the diastolic pressure. Normal is between 70-90

What does my reading mean?

Circulatory system problems Congenital heart disease Heart murmur Varicose veins Anemia Leukemia hemophilia

Congenital heart disease Congenital = occurring at birth Congenital heart disease covers a wide range of conditions Hole between two chambers of the heart Valves may not function properly Blockage of blood flow Defects in the blood vessels leading into or away from heart Most cases can be treated with surgery.

Heart murmur Heart murmur = abnormal sound (when listening to heartbeat). Major cause = defective valve that is too narrow causing blood to be pushed through the restricted opening with more force than normal. Valve that doesn’t close properly allows blood to leak back through it. Most murmurs are slight and do not need correction. Others may require surgery.

Varicose veins Varicose veins = swollen & enlarged veins, especially in the legs. They develop when valves in the veins are weakened and cannot close tightly to prevent the backflow of blood. Blood then collects in the veins. Can affect men/women of any age. Exercise is a means of both prevention and treatment. In severe cases surgery may be necessary.

anemia Condition in which the concentration of hemoglobin (carry oxygen) is below normal levels. Low levels = insufficient amounts of oxygen Most common cause is a deficiency of iron in the diet. Iron rich foods = green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, or enriched cereals.

leukemia Any of several types of cancer resulting from abnormal production of white blood cells in the bone marrow. The abnormal cells may spill into the blood, enter other organs, and interfere with their function. Far worse, the abnormal cells prevent the bone marrow from producing red blood cells, platelets and normal white blood cells. Chemotherapy & radiation are used to slow down the disease.

hemophilia Inherited bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency of a blood protein that is essential to the process of blood clotting. This causes the blood to clot very slowly or not at all.

Lymphatic system problems Immune deficiency Hodgkin’s disease tonsillitis Elephantiasis

Immune deficiency When the immune system defenses fail in fighting off infection. May be the result of a congenital or inherited defect. The result of an immune deficiency disorder is infections that recur and are hard to treat.

Hodgkin’s disease Known as Hodgkin’s lymphoma is cancer of lymph tissue (lymph nodes and spleen). The cancer cells spread quickly throughout the lymphatic system. Radiation therapy can usually successfully treat early stages.

tonsillitis The function of the tonsils is to help protect the upper respiratory tract against infection. Sometimes the tonsils themselves become infected by the organisms they are fighting. Tonsillitis occurs mainly in childhood. The tonsils become inflamed and tender. Symptoms = sore throat & fever Usually treated with antibiotics or surgical removal of tonsils.