Circulatory Health

Factors that Affect the

Circulatory System
•Genetics
•Pollution
•Smoking
•Substance abuse
Under Direct Control
•Food choices
•Activity and exercise
Smoking
Negative effects on circulatory system
◦ Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict – heart has to
pump more strongly to push blood through the vessels
◦ Can interfere with heart contraction and relaxation
Substance Abuse
Negative effects on circulatory system
◦ Stimulants damaged heart muscle
◦ Can cause blood clots – impair circulation
Food Choices
Negative effects on circulatory system
◦ Saturated and trans fat deposit fatty substances inside
blood vessels – restrict blood flow
◦ Foods in high salt and sugar can raise blood pressure
Activity and Exercise
Negative effects on circulatory system
◦ Too little activity and exercise can stress the heart – heart
contractions are less effective and blood flow is reduced
◦ Too little exercise can cause unhealthy weight gain – adds
more stress to the heart
Circulatory Illnesses
that Disturb
Homeostasis and
Impair Function
Arrhythmia
Description
◦ A heartbeat with an irregular rate or rhythm
◦ Occurs if the electrical signal is delayed or blocked
◦ Causes – smoking, drugs, caffeine, alcohol, stress or inherited
Symptoms
◦ Fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
◦ Anxiety
◦ Weakness
◦ Fainting
◦ Shortness of breath
◦ Chest pain
Arrhythmia
Tests
◦ Electrocardiogram (ECG) – a tool that measures electrical activity in
the heart
Treatment
◦ Medication to restore normal heart rate and rhythm
◦ Pacemaker – a device that sends electrical signals to the heart
Leukemia
Description
◦ Cancer of the blood or bone marrow – large numbers of
abnormal cells are produced
◦ Cells (typically white blood cells) crowd other blood cells so
that blood cannot carry out its normal functions
◦ Cause is unknown – genetic factors, and environment may play
a role
Symptoms
◦ Fatigue
◦ Frequent infection
◦ Weight loss
◦ Swollen lymph nodes
Leukemia
Tests
◦ Blood counts to determine number of white blood cells
◦ Blood and bone marrow are examined with a microscope
for cancer cells
Treatment
◦ Chemotherapy and radiation
◦ Bone marrow transplant
Stroke
Description
◦ Brain does not receive enough blood and brain cells start to die
◦ 80% are caused by a clot blocking an artery
◦ 20% are caused by broken blood vessels in or around the brain
– aneurism
◦ Paralysis and impaired mental function often occur
Symptoms
◦ Weakness
◦ Speech and vision problems
◦ Headache
◦ Dizziness
Stroke
Tests
◦ Check for vision, movement and speech problems
◦ Angiography – a technique that x-rays the inside of blood
vessels to find blocked arteries
Treatment
◦ Must be treated right away
◦ Clot busters – medication that destroy clots
◦ Angioplasty – procedure that opens up blocked arteries
◦ Post-stroke therapy – help recover some physical and mental
function
Atherosclerosis
Description
◦ Condition where arteries narrow or become blocked by plaque that
limits blood flow to the body
◦ Causes
◦ High fat diet
◦ Smoking
◦ Genetic factors
Symptoms
◦ Shortness of breath, chest tightness and fatigue
◦ Heart attack – when an artery that feeds the heart oxygen is blocked
◦ Known as the “silent killer” – many people have no symptoms until a
heart attack occurs
Atherosclerosis
Tests
◦ Physical exam to check for weak pulse – a sign of a narrowed or
blocked artery
◦ Blood tests – to check for high levels of certain fats (i.e. cholesterol)
Treatment
◦ Coronary bypass surgery – surgically rerouting blood flow around a
blockage
◦ Angioplasty – to open a blocked artery