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B2 M) Heart Issues & Blood
B2 M) Heart Issues & Blood
Heart Transplants
Individuals with heart failure can have a heart transplant. A natural heart transplant is where a donor heart from an individual who has just died is used to replace the failed heart of an individual who needs a heart transplant. Heart transplants are complex operations because the heart is such an essential organ in the body. There is a high risk of infection, complications and a risk of rejection (the transplanted heart may be rejected by the immune system of the individual receiving the heart). In order to reduce the risk of the transplanted heart being rejected, a carefully selected heart is chosen and the individual having the heart transplant is given immunosuppressive drugs (drugs that reduce the immune response).
An issue with natural heart transplants is that there is a very long waiting list as few hearts are donated and individuals can only receive certain hearts. Therefore, if an appropriate heart is not available, doctors may use an artificial heart.
Individuals with heart failure can have a heart transplant. A natural heart transplant is where a donor heart from an individual who has just died is used to replace the failed heart of an individual who needs a heart transplant. Heart transplants are complex operations because the heart is such an essential organ in the body. There is a high risk of infection, complications and a risk of rejection (the transplanted heart may be rejected by the immune system of the individual receiving the heart). In order to reduce the risk of the transplanted heart being rejected, a carefully selected heart is chosen and the individual having the heart transplant is given immunosuppressive drugs (drugs that reduce the immune response).
An issue with natural heart transplants is that there is a very long waiting list as few hearts are donated and individuals can only receive certain hearts. Therefore, if an appropriate heart is not available, doctors may use an artificial heart.
Artificial Heart
Artificial hearts are usually used as a temporary fix, which keeps a person alive until an appropriate donor heart is found. Artificial hearts are also used if the patient’s heart has been damaged but will recover with time off (the artificial heart takes control of pumping blood around the body, which allows the damaged heart to rest and recover). Sometimes artificial hearts are used as a permanent fix.
Artificial hearts are made out of metal and plastic. They have an electric motor that causes the heart to move which pumps blood around the body. A huge positive of artificial hearts is that they can allow a damaged heart to recover. Also, they give an individual who needs a heart transplant time to find an appropriate heart. Another benefit of an artificial heart is that the artificial heart will not be rejected. This is because the heart is made out of metal and plastic, which means that the immune system will not recognise it as foreign, thus meaning that the immune system won’t attack it and reject it.
However, there are some negatives with artificial hearts. One negative is that blood does not flow through an artificial heart as smoothly, which can lead to blood clots or a stroke. Doctors reduce the risks of these events occurring by getting patients to take drugs that thins their blood, thus reducing the risk of a blood clot or a stroke. Another negative of artificial hearts is that the artificial hearts may get worn out and the motor may stop; these would have huge consequences for the individual that has the artificial heart. In addition, the artificial heart is inserted during a surgical procedure, which means that there is a risk of infection and complications (these risks are quite low).
Artificial hearts are usually used as a temporary fix, which keeps a person alive until an appropriate donor heart is found. Artificial hearts are also used if the patient’s heart has been damaged but will recover with time off (the artificial heart takes control of pumping blood around the body, which allows the damaged heart to rest and recover). Sometimes artificial hearts are used as a permanent fix.
Artificial hearts are made out of metal and plastic. They have an electric motor that causes the heart to move which pumps blood around the body. A huge positive of artificial hearts is that they can allow a damaged heart to recover. Also, they give an individual who needs a heart transplant time to find an appropriate heart. Another benefit of an artificial heart is that the artificial heart will not be rejected. This is because the heart is made out of metal and plastic, which means that the immune system will not recognise it as foreign, thus meaning that the immune system won’t attack it and reject it.
However, there are some negatives with artificial hearts. One negative is that blood does not flow through an artificial heart as smoothly, which can lead to blood clots or a stroke. Doctors reduce the risks of these events occurring by getting patients to take drugs that thins their blood, thus reducing the risk of a blood clot or a stroke. Another negative of artificial hearts is that the artificial hearts may get worn out and the motor may stop; these would have huge consequences for the individual that has the artificial heart. In addition, the artificial heart is inserted during a surgical procedure, which means that there is a risk of infection and complications (these risks are quite low).
Faulty Valves
The heart has four valves that ensure that blood travels through the heart in one direction; the valves ensure that there is no backflow of blood. The valves in the heart can become damaged for a variety of different reasons, such as old age, heart attacks or infections. There are two main types of damage to the valves in the heart. One type of damage is that the valves in the heart do not close properly, which can allow blood to go backwards/ the wrong way through the heart. The second type of damage is that the valve may become narrow or stiff, which restricts the flow of blood through the valve. This causes the heart to have to pump blood at a greater pressure, which puts excessive strain on the heart.
Both of these valve issues means that blood does not circulate around the body as effectively as it should. We can solve these issues by replacing the faulty valves with new valves. The replacement valves can be biological valves (from a human heart or another mammal; pig or cow) or mechanical valves (man-made). There are fewer risks associated with a valve replacement compared to a whole heart transplant. However, the valve replacement requires a surgical procedure, which means that there is a risk of complications and infections (these risks are quite low). Also, there potentially could be blood clots after the valves in the heart have been replaced.
The heart has four valves that ensure that blood travels through the heart in one direction; the valves ensure that there is no backflow of blood. The valves in the heart can become damaged for a variety of different reasons, such as old age, heart attacks or infections. There are two main types of damage to the valves in the heart. One type of damage is that the valves in the heart do not close properly, which can allow blood to go backwards/ the wrong way through the heart. The second type of damage is that the valve may become narrow or stiff, which restricts the flow of blood through the valve. This causes the heart to have to pump blood at a greater pressure, which puts excessive strain on the heart.
Both of these valve issues means that blood does not circulate around the body as effectively as it should. We can solve these issues by replacing the faulty valves with new valves. The replacement valves can be biological valves (from a human heart or another mammal; pig or cow) or mechanical valves (man-made). There are fewer risks associated with a valve replacement compared to a whole heart transplant. However, the valve replacement requires a surgical procedure, which means that there is a risk of complications and infections (these risks are quite low). Also, there potentially could be blood clots after the valves in the heart have been replaced.
Artificial Blood
Artificial blood is a substitute for real blood. An example of artificial blood is saline, which is a salt solution. Artificial blood is used to replace the volume of lost blood so that the circulatory system works effectively. Artificial blood is given to someone after they lose a lot of blood, which usually happens after an accident of some kind (e.g. a car crash). The inserting of artificial blood increases the volume of blood, which allows the circulatory system to work effectively. This gives the patient time to create new red blood cells. Artificial blood can keep a patient alive even if they have lost two thirds of their red blood cells.
If a patient has lost too many red blood cells, they will need to have a blood transfusion; this is where blood from a donor is inserted into the patient’s bloodstream, which increases the number of red blood cells in their blood.
Artificial blood is a substitute for real blood. An example of artificial blood is saline, which is a salt solution. Artificial blood is used to replace the volume of lost blood so that the circulatory system works effectively. Artificial blood is given to someone after they lose a lot of blood, which usually happens after an accident of some kind (e.g. a car crash). The inserting of artificial blood increases the volume of blood, which allows the circulatory system to work effectively. This gives the patient time to create new red blood cells. Artificial blood can keep a patient alive even if they have lost two thirds of their red blood cells.
If a patient has lost too many red blood cells, they will need to have a blood transfusion; this is where blood from a donor is inserted into the patient’s bloodstream, which increases the number of red blood cells in their blood.