Toumaniba Traoré Medical English Med 3-2021

Lesson Plan One

School: College of Medicine and Odonto-Stomatology Grade: 3rd Grade
Course: Medical English Duration: 02 hours
Lecturer: Toumaniba Traoré

Title: Cardiovascular system: Some diseases and their signs and

Symptoms
Main objective of the course:
- To allow medical students to express themselves in English language in general and to
learn medical terminologies in particular.
Specific objectives:
- allowing learners to define the cardiovascular system in English language;
-developing language skills through discussions and debates around the topic, easily accessible;
- introducing medical terminologies with emphasis on pronunciation;
- permitting students to identify diseases linked to cardiovascular system among other illnesses;
- permitting learners to identify the signs and symptoms of the cardiovascular diseases;
- students being able to read and understand a medical text in English.
Warm up your memories
1) What does an ensemble of tissues constitute?
2) What does an ensemble of organs compose?
3) What make our body function?
4) Look at the image below and tell what it talks about.
Toumaniba Traoré Medical English Med 3-2021

Contents:
 Definitions
 Cardiovascular system
 Symptoms
 Signs
 Difference between symptom and sign
 Some diseases linked to cardiovascular system, symptoms and signs

I. Definitions
I.1 Cardiovascular system:
Human cardiovascular system, an organ system that carries blood through vessels to and
from all parts of the body, carrying nutrients and oxygen to tissues and removing carbon
dioxide and other wastes. It is a closed tubular system in which the blood is propelled by a
muscular heart.
I.2 Symptoms:
Medical symptoms are complaints which indicate disease. They are noticed by the patient
and cause people to go and see a health practitioner.
I.3 Sign:
A medical sign is an objective indication of a disease, injury, or abnormal physiological
state that may be detected during the physical examination of a patient.
II. Difference between symptom and sign:
A symptom is subjective, that is, apparent only to the patient (for example back pain or
fatigue), whereas a sign is any objective evidence of a disease that can be observed by others
(for example an injury or inflammation).
Signs and symptoms are abnormalities that can indicate a potential medical condition.
III. Some diseases linked to cardiovascular system, symptoms and signs:
Angina
Myocardial infarction (Heart attack)
Pericarditis
Aortic dissection
III.1 Angina
Toumaniba Traoré Medical English Med 3-2021

III.1.1 Definition
Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pain or discomfort due to coronary heart
disease. It occurs when the heart muscle doesn't get as much blood as it needs.
III.1.2 Symptoms:
• Angina symptoms include chest pain or discomfort, possibly described as pressure,
squeezing, burning or fullness.
• You may also have pain in arms, neck, jaw, shoulder or back.
• Other symptoms that you may have with angina include:
Dizziness, fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, sweating
• People with the disease may have the following symptoms:
Painful areas: chest, neck or jaw
Types of pain: like a tight fist inside the chest or sudden, in the chest.
Whole body: fatigue, inability to exercise, sweating, dizziness or lightheadedness
Gastrointestinal: heartburn, indigestion or nausea
Respiratory: shortness of breath or rapid breathing
Other common symptoms: anxiety, high heart rate, or chest tightness
III.2 Myocardial infarction (Heart attack)
Toumaniba Traoré Medical English Med 3-2021

III.2.1 Definition:
A myocardial infarction also called a heart attack, happens when a part of the heart muscle
doesn’t get enough blood.
The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the greater the damage to
the heart muscle.
III.2.2 Symptoms:
Its symptoms include:
 Pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of the chest that lasts for more
than a few minutes.
 Pain extending beyond the chest to the shoulder, arm, back, or even to the teeth and
jaw
 Increasing episodes of chest pain
 Nausea and vomiting
 Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen
 Shortness of breath
 Sweating
 Fainting

III.3 PERICARDITIS
III.3.1 Definition:
Inflammation of the lining around the heart (the pericardium) that causes chest pain and
accumulation of fluid around the heart (pericardial effusion).
Toumaniba Traoré Medical English Med 3-2021

III.3.2 Symptoms:
 Chest pain may be sharp or ‘raw’. Exacerbated by lying flat and respiration. Eased by
leaning forwards. May be associated with breathlessness and fever.
 Chest pain is the most common symptom of pericarditis.
 The pain usually occurs behind the breastbone or in the left side of the chest.
 It may spread to the left shoulder and neck.
 It often gets worse when you cough, lie down or take a deep breath.
 Sitting up and leaning forward makes you feel better.
Other signs and symptoms of pericarditis may include:
 Abdominal or leg swelling
 Cough
 Fatigue or general feeling of weakness or being sick
 Low-grade fever
 Pounding or racing heartbeat (heart palpitations)
 Shortness of breath when lying down
 Nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain
 Cold sweat
 Fatigue
 Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness

III.4 AORTIC DISSECTION

III.4.1 Definition
Toumaniba Traoré Medical English Med 3-2021

It is a progressive tear in the aorta. The inner lining (intima) of the aorta tears and blood
surges through the tear, creating a new false channel and separating (dissecting) the middle
layer (media) from the outer layer of the aorta.

III.4.2 Symptoms
 Severe ‘tearing’ interscapular pain. May be associated with ischemia in other regions
if the blood supply is compromised, e.g. stroke (cerebrovascular ischemia), abdominal
pain (mesenteric ischemia), paraplegia (spinal cord ischemia).
Ischemia: Ischemia is decreased blood flow to or from an organ.
 Aortic dissection symptoms may be similar to those of other heart problems, such as
a heart attack. Typical signs and symptoms include:
 Sudden severe chest or upper back pain, often described as a tearing also called
ripping or shearing sensation that radiates to the neck or down the back.
 Sudden severe abdominal pain.
 Pounding or racing heartbeat (heart palpitations)
 Shortness of breath when lying down
 Nausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal pain
 Cold sweat
 Fatigue
 Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
 Leg pain
 Difficulty of walking
 Leg paralysis