CHAPTER 10:

Transport in Humans and Animals

10.6 Health Issues Related to the Human Circulatory

System
 ***PENJAJARAN
10.6.1 The necessity for a healthy circulatory system

 To ensure optimum health by :

i) balanced intake of food that is low in fat.

ii) regular exercise.

iii) not smoking

iv) not drinking alcoholic drinks

10.6.2 Cardiovascular diseases

1 Atherosclerosis

• formation and deposition of plaque on the artery walls.

• The plaque is formed from cholesterol, lipid, dead

muscle tissues and coagulated platelets.

• The plaque will clog and narrow the lumen in blood

vessels.

2 Hypertension

• Causes by restricted blood flow

• causes fine arteries to break and the patient can suffer from
stroke if this happens in the brain.

• Stroke is also caused by blood clots (thrombus) that clog the

flow of blood in the brain.
 3 Arteriosclerosis

• Atherosclerosis is the early stage of arteriosclerosis.

• Arteriosclerosis occurs when calcium is deposited on

the plaque and causes the artery to become hard and
lose its elasticity

Angina and myocardial

4
infarction

• If the lumen of the coronary artery (artery for the

heart) is narrowed, the insufficient oxygen supply to
the heart muscles can cause angina (severe chest pain).

• If the artery is completely clogged, myocardial infarction (heart

attack) will occur.
Treatments for heart failure patients

1. Medications

2. Surgery and medical devices

i. Coronary bypass surgery

- severely blocked arteries.
- blood vessels from leg, arm or chest bypass a blocked artery in your heart to allow
blood to flow through your heart more freely.

iii. Heart transplant.

 Risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular diseases

#1. Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices

 sedentary lifestyle
 not enough exercise or physical activity
 unhealthy diet that is rich in sugary foods, trans fats, sodium
 excessive drinking and smoking

#2. Weight and Waist Size

 body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more are termed as obese.

 For a woman with a waist beyond 31.5 inches or 80 cm and for a man with a
waist beyond 39 inches or 94 cm are typically at a higher risk of developing a
cardiovascular ailment.
#3. High Cholesterol

 prevents enough blood from reaching the heart and the other parts of the body. 
 bring it down with regular exercise.
 follow a diet that is low in trans-fat, saturated fats and cholesterol.
 taking doctor prescribed cholesterol medicines.

#4. Depression and Heart Disease

 Excess stress, consistent sad feeling or both increases your blood pressure.
 With timely intervention and professional help, depression can be completely cured and the
risk of cardiovascular disease also comes down. 

#5. Diabetes and Heart Disease

 people with diabetes are twice as likely to develop a heart disease.

 Uncontrolled glucose levels increase the amount of plaque that is formed within the blood
vessel walls. This stops or hinders the blood flow to the heart and hence results into
myocardial infarction.
#6. Smoking

 smokers have double the risk of having a heart attack.

 A cigarette’s smoke contains chemicals that substantially damage arteries and makes your
heart work twice as hard.

#7. Family History

 If parents have a heart disease, then their children are likely to develop the same, especially if a
parent developed it during an early age. 
 Individuals with a strong family history of a cardiovascular disease are likely to develop one or
more risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
 involve yourself into a disciplined exercise regime and prefer eating only balanced diet
THE END