Understanding the Heart Anatomy and physiology Of Coronary Artery Disease And Treatment

How the heart works. The heart and circulation. The heart as a pump. Blood supply to the heart - the coronary arteries. The heart valves.

The heart is a muscular pump. Circulating blood carries oxygen from the lungs and nutrients from the liver.

The heart itself must receive enough oxygenated blood. Blood is supplied to the heart through the coronary arteries, two main branches which originate just above the aortic valve.

The Heart has Four one-way Valves: Aortic Valve. Mitral Valve. Pulmonary Valve. Tricuspid Valve.

Artery walls have three layers. The inner layer provides a slippery surface. The middle layer is strong, elastic and muscular. The outer, fibrous, layer adds strength and contains tiny blood vessels that supply blood to the arteries themselves. Narrowing or obstruction of the coronary arteries is the main cause of a group of disorders known as ischaemic heart disease.

Coronary Artery Disease. Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is the phrase used when referring to any cardiac condition involving the coronary arteries. Angina is a feeling of tightness or pain across the chest that may spread outwards to the shoulders, upper arms and back. Angina may occur with exercise or strong emotion and can be worse after a meal or in cold weather. Symptoms usually disappear after 1-2 minutes rest.

Heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI) Heart attack is when part of the heart muscle dies. This is usually caused by a blood clot (coronary thrombosis), which has blocked one of the coronary arteries supplying the heart and depriving the tissues of oxygen.

Coronary Artery Disease treatment Angioplasty & Stent Coronary Artery Bypass Graft.

Treatment for C.A.D involves the removal or treatment of risk factors. Sometimes procedures to enlarge or bypass coronary artery narrowing are required. If Coronary Disease is not treated and the coronary artery becomes blocked the result may be a heart attack.

Treatments for coronary disease - angioplasty Coronary angioplasty involves inserting a balloon into a diseased (blocked/narrowed) coronary artery through an artery in the groin or arm. Commonly a metal support (stent) is inserted into the artery to help keep it open.

A close up of a Stent.

C. A. B. G. Veins and sometimes arteries are grafted from the aorta to a point on the coronary artery beyond the area of disease. This enables an adequate blood supply to reach those parts of the heart suffering from ischaemia.

Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR) Mitral Valve Replacement (MVR) Valve Replacements Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR) Mitral Valve Replacement (MVR)

An Assortment of Replacement Valves Artificial Valves Tissue Valves Tricuspid & Bicuspid Mitral Valves