OPPapers.com

Angina Pectoris

Angina Pectoris


Angina pectoris is a medical condition that literally means a choked
chest. The victim feels acute pain in his chest for a few seconds, and then it
goes away. This occurs when myocardium cells, the muscle portion of your heart,
are temporarily denied oxygen. At this stage they do not die, but maybe weakened.
If left untreated and the disease continues, a serious condition known as
myocardial infraction or commonly called a heart attack may occur. This can
severely damage the heart's functionality. Which in turn effects our well being.
We should be educated about the risks that go along with our cardiovascular
system.
The most common cause of the condition angina pectoris is over
consumption of cholesterol. This chemical is only needed in minute amounts, but
is often eaten in every meal. In the body, cholesterol is responsible for the
stability of plasma membranes of cells, and hormones are produced from it. If
consumed at higher rate then needed it is stored in the tunica interna, the
innermost layer, of blood vessels. As it is stored it starts to build up
eventually clogging the vessel. As a result of this all cells feed by the
vessel die because of a lack of oxygen. If this condition is found early, it
can be corrected with surgical procedures or, in some minor cases, corrective
procedures. Surgical procedures include bypass, laser and balloon surgery. In
bypass surgery a vein is removed from the lower leg and a clogged vessel is
worked around. Often in type of surgery the whole mid section of the body is
cut and the ribs are pulled back, very painful with a very slow recovery. Some
hospitals have now implemented a new technique where only a small hole is made
and everything is done via a view screen. In balloon surgery a balloon is
inserted into the vessel with the clog and is inflated. When this occurs the
vessel is damaged, this causes the cells to repair the damage and clear the clog.
This is not as successful as other...