Biomed 4.2 & 4.3 Quiz

Blood Pressure

Pressure exerted by the blood upon the walls of the blood vessels, especially arteries, usually measured by means of a sphygmomanometer and expressed in millimeters of mercury - the pressure of the blood in the circulatory system, force exerted on arteries/walls of blood vessels - the beat of the heart creates blood pressure- force of the blood exerting on vessel walls - @ highest when ventricle contracts - taken with sphygometer & listen with stethoscope over brachial artery in arm by cuff - listen for loud "doom doom doom" initially for systolic, then "whooshing" sound for diastolic

Pros & cons of cholesterol lowering meds

Pros- lower cholesterol and help with health Cons- pain in the muscles, vomiting, brown urine, pain in the abdomen, cramps, or gas

bundle branches

conduct the impulses through the interventricular septum - Branches off the Bundle of His that conduct impulses to the left and right ventricles - branches of the AV bundle that divide to the right and left sides of the interventricular septum - the electrical system controls the heartbeat and is made up of several parts that tell the ventricular muscle when to contract, the SA node starts the heartbeat, causing the atria, or upper chambers of the heart, to contract - The signal then travels through the AV node and the bundle of His and splits into the left and right bundle branches, directing the impulse to the respective left and right ventricles - The signals end at the Purkinje fibers causing the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart, to contract, The usual flow of electrical signals produces a normal heartbeat - If either the right or left bundle branch fail to conduct the impulse properly or cause a delay in the signal, it is called a "bundle branch block"

Lifestyle changes that help obtain healthy cholesterol levels

diet, exercise, tobacco, cessation, weight loss, stress management, stop tobacco useage - smoking increases risk of atherosclerosis & tendency for blood to clot, damages endothelium which leads to plaque buildup, & could damage/block blood vessels

EKG

(electrocardiogram) instrument used in measuring the electrical potential during a heartbeat - The electrocardiogram translates the heart's electrical activity into line tracings on paper, the spikes and dips in the line tracings are called waves - P wave is a record of the electrical activity through the upper heart chambers (atria) - QRS complex is a record of the movement of electrical impulses through the lower heart chambers (ventricles) - ST segment shows when the ventricle is contracting but no electricity is flowing through it, usually appears as a straight, level line between the QRS complex and the T wave - T wave shows when the lower heart chambers are resetting electrically and preparing for their next muscle contraction

Total Cholesterol

- Below 200 mg/dL: good - 200-239: borderline high - 240+: high Total blood cholesterol is a measure of the cholesterol components LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein, which is the triglyceride-carrying component of lipids)

How restriction enzymes & gel electrophoresis can be used to analyze genetic information

- DNA migrates towards + pole at the end of the electrophoresis, due to the deoxyribose-triphosphate exterior being negative - RFLPs compare genetic sequences, they are used to identify alleles that cause a disease when diagnosing a genetic disease

Compare/contrast HDL & LDL

- LDL (low-density lipoprotein), sometimes called "bad" cholesterol, makes up most of your body's cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol raise your risk for heart disease and stroke. - HDL (high-density lipoprotein), or "good" cholesterol, absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver. The liver then flushes it from the body. High levels of HDL cholesterol can lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.

How to decide if a patient needs BP/Cholesterol lowering meds

- check BP & cholesterol levels, then examine LDL, HDL, total cholesterol & triglyceride levels - to see what needs to be changed to make the patient reach their goal range - meds prescribed according to results

Familial Hypercholesterolemia

A metabolic disorder that is caused by defective or absent receptors for LDLs on cell surfaces, that is marked by an increase in blood plasma LDLs and by an accumulation of LDLs in the body resulting in an increased risk of heart attack and coronary heart disease, and that is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait - autosomal dominant - In rare cases, a child may inherit the gene from both parents, the increase in cholesterol level is much more severe, risk for heart attacks and heart disease are high, even in childhood - One Inherited Mutation: Called Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), one abnormal mutation is passed down to a child, typically from one parent. - Two Inherited Mutations: When the mutation for HeFH is passed on from both parents to their children this can result in Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), the more rare and severe form of FH.

atrioventricular (AV) node

A small mass of specialized cardiac muscle fibers, located in the wall of the right atrium of the heart, that receives heartbeat impulses from the sinoatrial node and directs them to the walls of the ventricles to the atrioventricular bundle - neurological tissue in the center of the heart that receives and amplifies the conduction of impulses from the SA node to the bundle of His - venticles wouldn't have the electrical charge to contract and blood wouldn't be able to flow through the body if AV couldnt do its job

Cholesterol

A waxy, fat-like substance that's found in all the cells in your body, your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods - Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs - if you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can combine with other substances in the blood to form plaque - Plaque sticks to the walls of your arteries, This buildup of plaque is known as atherosclerosis, can lead to coronary artery disease, where your coronary arteries become narrow or even blocked

sinoatrial (SA) node

AKA the sinus node, a specialized area of cardiac tissue, located in the right atrium of the heart, which initiates the electrical impulses that determine the heart rate; often termed the pacemaker for the heart - One of the major elements in the cardiac conduction system, the system that controls the heart rate, generates electrical impulses and conducts them throughout the muscle of the heart, stimulating the heart to contract and pump blood - the electrical signal generated by the SA node moves from cell to cell down through the heart until it reaches the atrioventricular node (AV node), a cluster of cells situated in the center of the heart between the atria and ventricles

Hypertension

Abnormally high blood pressure; having blood pressure over what is normal - High blood pressure is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease - BP is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries - the more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure - You can have hypertension for years without any symptoms, even w/o symptoms, damage to blood vessels and your heart continues and can be detected - Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke

Role of cholesterol in cells and body

Cholesterol is another lipid which can be found within the cell membrane, helps give the cell membrane extra support - Aids in production of hormones - Helps with digestion as it helps make bile: aids us in digesting the food that we eat, w/o bile fat goes undigested & causes blockages of arteries - Structural component of cells: provides protective barrier

Cardiovascular Technologist

An individual who assists with cardiac catheterization and angioplasty procedures, monitors patients during open-heart surgery, and performs tests to check circulation in blood vessels - an individual who has advanced skills and can assist physicians with invasive cardiovascular diagnostic tests, such as angioplasty or heart surgery - assist with cardiac catheterization procedures and angioplasty (a procedure to remove blockages in blood vessels), monitors patients during open-heart surgery and the implantation of pacemakers, and perform tests to check circulation in blood vessels

ACE inhibitors

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are often used as a part of combination therapy (like with statins) - treats raised B.P., sclerodermat, migraines, heart failure, and asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction - helps relax/widen blood vessels, prevents an enzymes in your body from producing angiotensin II, a substance that narrows your blood vessels & releases hormones that can raise your B.P. - this narrowing can cause heart to work harder - side effects include dry cough, high blood potassium, low B.P., fatigue, dizziness, headaches, angioedema and loss of taste - renal damage

Physiology behind FH

Autosomal dominant disorder that causes severe elevations in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) - caused by a reduction or defect in the LDL receptor, which is also called the apo B/E receptor because it binds both apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein E, LDL levels can be 190 mg/dL of blood - the LDL receptor is responsible for the uptake of LDL-C into the liver, which metabolizes approximately 70% of circulating LDL-C - genetic mutations cause alterations in the LDL receptor, which lead to inadequate hepatic uptake of LDL-C and an increase the circulating LDL-C levels - with the homozygous gene, disease is much worse and total cholesterol is higher, need bypass surgeries before adulthood, w/o treatment, people with homozygous FH rarely live into their 20s

How cholesterol plaques affect overall function of heart

Can block arteries and cause heart disease - Plaques begin in artery walls and grow over years, growth of cholesterol plaques slowly blocks blood flow in the arteries, a cholesterol plaque can suddenly rupture, the sudden blood clot that forms over the rupture then causes a heart attack or stroke - Blocked arteries caused by plaque buildup and blood clots are the leading cause of death in the U.S, reducing cholesterol and other risk factors can help prevent cholesterol plaques from forming - Occasionally, it can even reverse some plaque buildup

Cardiac Nurse

Cardiac care nurses treat and care for patients with a variety of heart diseases or conditions - this can include patients suffering from coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure, or those recovering from angioplasty or bypass surgery - needs 2 yrs of nursing

How cholesterol buildup can impact blood flow through arteries

Cholesterol plaques form by a process called atherosclerosis, another name for atherosclerosis is "hardening of the arteries." - LDL or "bad cholesterol" is the raw material of cholesterol plaques - Progressive and painless, atherosclerosis grows cholesterol plaques silently and slowly. The eventual result is blocked arteries, which places blood flow at risk - Damaged endothelium: lining of blood vessels, high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, or diabetes can damage the endothelium, creating a place for cholesterol to enter the artery's wall - Cholesterol invasion: LDL circulating in the blood crosses the damaged endothelium, LDL cholesterol starts to accumulate in the wall of the artery - Plaque formation: White blood cells stream in to digest the LDL cholesterol, Over years, the toxic mess of cholesterol and cells becomes a cholesterol plaque in the wall of the artery

How the heart works as a pump

Contracts and relaxes to pump blood throughout the body - Your heart is divided into two separate pumping systems, the right side and the left side - The right side of your heart receives oxygen-poor blood from your veins and pumps it to your lungs, where it picks up oxygen and gets rid of carbon dioxide - The left side of your heart receives oxygen-rich blood from your lungs and pumps it through your arteries to the rest of your body. Your heart has four separate chambers that pump blood, two on the right side and two on the left

Parts of medical history

Current illness, prior illnesses, allergies, hospitalizations, and treatment. Current health status, any type of drug therapy or drugs, prescription, nonprescription, and herbal items, including food supplemements - Personal Identification Information, Medical History, Family Medical History, Medication History, Treatment History, Medical Directives - Patients name, age, date, height, weight, temperature, BP, pulse, respiration rate

Determining alleles from Gel Electrophoresis

Either 1 or 2 bands will appear - 1 band: 1 allele, homozygous (if where disease is then dominant, if not where disease is then recessive) - 2 bands: 2 different alleles, heterozygous - bands on DNA must match for at least one allele on original DNA/disease being represented

Purkinje fibers

Fibers that carry stimulation throughout the ventricles - specialized conductive fibers located within the walls of the ventricles - fibers in the ventricles that transmit impulses to the right and left ventricles, causing them to contract - part of the conduction system of the heart, which initiates and coordinates the electric signal that causes the rhythmic and synchronized contractions of the atria and ventricles - any of the specialized cardiac muscle fibers forming a network in the ventricular walls that conduct electric impulses responsible for the contractions of the ventricles

How blocked vessels affect BP

High blood pressure can damage the cells of your arteries' inner lining - When fats from your diet enter your bloodstream, they can collect in the damaged arteries - Eventually, your artery walls become less elastic, limiting blood flow throughout your body - High blood pressure can affect the ability of the arteries to open and close, if your blood pressure is too high, the muscles in the artery wall will respond by pushing back harder - this will make them grow bigger, which makes your artery walls thicker - thicker arteries mean that there is less space for the blood to flow through, this will raise your blood pressure even further

What does the pacemaker reveal in the heart?

It replaces the electrical charge which makes the heart contract and allow blood to flow through the body - needed for regular beats like the SA node would provide

Angioplasty & Stent

Means surgical repair of a blood vessel, however, in relationship to heart, involves coursing a tube up through blood vessels to the heart, then a balloon is inflated to open the coronary arteries, a mesh cage is left in place - balloon inserted in blood vessel to expand it, then a stent is placed inside to hold the vessel up - procedure to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels that supply blood to the heart, these blood vessels are called the coronary arteries - a coronary artery stent is a small, metal mesh tube that expands inside a coronary artery - a stent is often placed during or immediately after angioplasty, helps prevent the artery from closing up again

Atherosclerosis

Occurs when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body (arteries) become thick and stiff — sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues - healthy arteries are flexible and elastic, but over time, the walls in your arteries can harden, a condition commonly called hardening of the arteries - a specific type of arteriosclerosis, refers to the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on your artery walls (plaque), which can restrict blood flow, the plaque can burst, triggering a blood clot - caused by high bp, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, smoking, diabetes/obesity, inflammation by diseases - in heart=chest pain or pressure (angina) - in brain=sudden numbness or weakness in your arms or legs, difficulty speaking or slurred speech, temporary loss of vision in one eye, drooping muscles in your face, signal a transient ischemic attack (TIA) which can lead to stroke - in kidneys=high blood pressure or kidney failure - condition in which fatty deposits called plaque build up on the inner walls of the arteries

HDL

Stands for high-density lipoproteins - It is sometimes called the "good" cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver, your liver then removes the cholesterol from your body - made by liver, remove extra cholesterol & plaque - below 40 for women/50 for men is poor - 40-59: fair - 60+: best

LDL

Stands for low-density lipoproteins - It is sometimes called the "bad" cholesterol because a high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries - travels through bloodstream & is delivered to cells that need it, if it builds up it creates plaque on outside of artery - artery is compressed & narrowed, can be fixed with a baloon/stent, if occurs in coronary: risk of heart attack, if occurs in carotid: risk of stroke - below 100: good for those @ risk of coronary artery disease - 100-129: good w no disease, high w CAD - 130-159: borderline high to high - 160+

How do systolic and diastolic relate to what is happening in the heart?

Systolic: When the heart is actively beating (an event called "systole"), it is ejecting blood out into the arteries - this dynamic ejection of blood into the arteries causes the pressure within the arteries to rise - the peak blood pressure reached during active cardiac contraction is called the systolic blood pressure Diastolic: The diastolic blood pressure is the pressure the blood exerts within the arteries in between heartbeats, that is, when the heart is not actively ejecting blood into the arteries - after the heart is finished contracting, the cardiac ventricles relax momentarily so that they can be refilled with blood, in preparation for the next contraction - this period of ventricular relaxation is called "diastole," and the blood pressure during diastole is called the diastolic blood pressure

Myocardial Infarction

The occlusion of one or more coronary arteries caused by plaque buildup (heart attack) - deprives the heart from getting oxygen, muscle cells served by blocked arteries begin to die

Tachycardia

Tachycardia is a condition that makes your heart beat more than 100 times per minute - 3 types: Supraventricular: when the electrical signals in the organ's upper chambers misfire and cause the heart rate to speed up, it beats so fast that it can't fill with blood before it contracts, that reduces blood flow to the rest of your body Ventricular: a rapid heart rate that starts in your ticker's lower chambers, happens when the electrical signals in these chambers fire the wrong way - the heart beats so fast that it can't fill with blood or pump it through the rest of your body Sinus tachycardia: happens when your heart's natural pacemaker sends out electrical signals faster than normal, your ticker beats fast, but it beats the way it should - caused by exercise, stress, meds, anemia, smoking, drinking, caffiene

How blood pressure and pulse relate

The numeric difference between your systolic and diastolic blood pressure is called your pulse pressure - For example, if your resting blood pressure is 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), your pulse pressure is 40 - While your blood pressure is the force of your blood moving through your blood vessels, your heart rate (pulse) is the number of times your heart beats per minute - Pulse and blood pressure are intimately coupled in healthy people, If you exercise vigorously, both your blood pressure and pulse will go up - if you sit quietly, blood pressures go down - there are a complex series of chemical messengers that cause the heart rate to increase if blood pressure drops too low - the relationship between pulse and blood pressure is less well-defined in people who have heart disease or who have experienced physical trauma - For example, patients in severe shock who have severe blood loss may have a very rapid heart beat (tachycardia), but low blood pressure.

Pulse

The rhythmic expansion and recoil of arteries resulting from heart contraction; can be felt from the outside of the body - can be taken at wrist (radial artery), and neck (carotid artery) - Your pulse is your heart rate, or the number of times your heart beats in one minute, Heart rates vary from person to person - pulse is lower when you're at rest and higher when you exercise - 60-100 bpm - Resting, sitting or standing, your pulse is usually the same, Sometimes as you stand for the first 15 to 20 seconds, your pulse may go up a little bit, but after a couple of minutes it should settle down - Emotions: If you're stressed, anxious or "extraordinarily happy or sad" your emotions can raise your pulse

Gel electrophoresis

The separation of nucleic acids or proteins, on the basis of their size and electrical charge, by measuring their rate of movement through an electrical field in a gel - Procedure used to separate and analyze DNA fragments by placing a mixture of DNA fragments at one end of a porous gel and applying an electrical voltage to the gel - restriction enzyme is applied to gathered DNA which creates RFLPs, smaller fragments move fastest down gel @ end up towards bottom, creates DNA fingerprint - buffer solution that gel goes in helps conduct electricity bc DNA is more dense than the buffer

Difference between systolic and diastolic

The top number is the maximum pressure your heart exerts while beating (systolic pressure), and the bottom number is the amount of pressure in your arteries between beats (diastolic pressure) Systolic pressure (most important): represents the blood pressure against the vessel walls when the heart is pumping blood, starting at about age 60, it becomes the most important predictor of cardiovascular problems like stroke and heart disease Diastolic pressure: measures the force exerted by blood against vessel walls when the heart is relaxing between beats — that's why it's the lower of the two blood pressure numbers - With age, arteries stiffen, as a result they don't stretch out as much every time the heart beats, so more blood gets pushed right on through the larger vessels into smaller ones - because there's less blood in the large arteries between heartbeats, diastolic pressure tends to decrease

How do parts of an EKG relate to the parts of the heart electrical system?

This test detects and records the heart's electrical activity, EKG records the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart - data is recorded on a graph so doctors can study heart's electrical activity - different parts of the graph show each step of an electrical signal's journey through the heart, each electrical signal begins in a group of cells called the sinus node or sinoatrial (SA) node - SA node is located in the right atrium, upper right chamber of the heart - In a healthy adult heart at rest, the SA node fires off an electrical signal to begin a new heartbeat 60 to 100 times a minute - From SA node, signal travels to the right and left atria, this causes the atria to contract and pump blood into the heart's two lower chambers, the ventricles, this is recorded as the P wave on the EKG - The signal passes between the atria and ventricles through a group of cells called the atrioventricular (AV) node, the signal slows down as it passes through the AV node - this slowing allows the ventricles time to finish filling with blood, on the EKG, this is the flat line between the end of the P wave and beginning of the Q wave - electrical signal then leaves the AV node and travels along a pathway called the bundle of His, from there the signal travels into the right and left bundle branches, on the EKG, this is the Q wave - As the signal spreads across the right and left ventricles, they contract and pump blood out to the lungs and the rest of the body, on the EKG, R marks the contraction of the left ventricle and S marks the contraction of the right ventricle - the ventricles then relax (shown as the T wave on the EKG) - this entire process continues over and over with each new heartbeat

Bypass surgery

Usually a vein from the leg is taken and used to bypass a clogged artery - surgery to create a detour past blocked arteries, operation in which blood flow is restored through the creation of a diversionary channel - Redirects blood around a section of a blocked or partially blocked artery in your heart to improve blood flow to your heart muscle, involves taking a healthy blood vessel from your leg, arm or chest and connecting it beyond the blocked arteries in your heart - doesn't cure the heart disease that caused the blockages, can ease symptoms, such as chest pain and shortness of breath - can improve heart function and reduce the risk of dying of heart disease

How LDL, HDL, and cholesterol relate to heart disease

When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries, causing a process called atherosclerosis, a form of heart disease - The arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart muscle is slowed down or blocked - The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if not enough blood and oxygen reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain - If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack - LDL is the main cause of heart disease, HDL lessens it

Metabolic Syndrome

a medical condition associated with obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension - A cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes - A syndrome marked by the presence of usually three or more of a group of factors (as high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, high triglyceride levels, low HDL levels, and high fasting levels of blood sugar) that are linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes - a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, these conditions include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels

Arrhythmia

a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat, it means that your heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or with an irregular pattern - When the heart beats faster than normal, it is called tachycardia - When the heart beats too slowly, it is called bradycardia - The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular and fast heart beat - heart rhythum affected by: a heart attack, smoking, congenital heart defects, and stress, some substances or medicines may also cause arrhythmias Symptoms: Fast or slow heart beat, Skipping beats, Lightheadedness or dizziness, Chest pain, Shortness of breath, Sweating - Your doctor can run tests to find out if you have an arrhythmia, Treatment to restore a normal heart rhythm may include medicines, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or pacemaker, or sometimes surger

Triglycerides

an energy-rich compound made up of a single molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acid - <150 mg/dL, higher than this means its high - can tell a person if they are more apt for a stroke/heart attack - check for high triglycerides as part of a cholesterol test, which is sometimes called a lipid panel or lipid profile - contribute to hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls which increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease

How techniques of molecular biology can be used to analyze DNA for presense of FH mutation

gel electrophoresis - Compare patient DNA to DNA positive for FH mutation

Statins

lower cholesterol in the blood and reduce its production in the liver by blocking the enzyme that produces it, which is responsible for 70% of the body's cholesterol Lower cholesterol, works by blocking a substance your liver needs to make cholesterol, causing liver to remove cholesterol from blood - may help body reabsorb cholesterol that has built up in plaques on your artery walls, preventing further blockage in your blood vessels and heart attacks - reduces risk of heart attack or stroke - used w/ ACE Inhibitors to treat coronary heart disease - can cause muscle pain/damage, liver damage, increased blood sugar (explains Annas high levels), neurological side effects - side effects can be caused by taking multiple meds, being female, drinking too much alc

Clinical Laboratory Technician

performs tests to examine and analyze body fluids, tissues, and cells - bachelors degree

Nuclear medicine technologist

prepare radioactive substances for administration to patients - performs radioactive tests and procedures under the supervision of a nuclear medicine physician, who interprets the results - 2 to 4 yrs of education, $65,000 average salary

atrioventricular bundle

specialized muscle fibers connecting the atria with the ventricles and transmitting electrical impulses between them - a bundle of modified heart muscle that transmits the cardiac impulse from the atrioventricular node to the ventricles causing them to contract

How is blood pressure measured?

systolic/diastolic - millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) - sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff) and stethoscope - inflate cuff to a pressure higher than your systolic blood pressure, and it will tighten around your arm, then it will be released - as cuff deflates, the first sound heard through the stethoscope is the systolic blood pressure, the point where this noise goes away marks the diastolic blood pressure - 120/80 mmHg: normal levels, if over then considered high