Circulation Aids
- Created by: Jo Wells
- Created on: 18-04-13 21:26
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- Circulation Aids
- artificial blood can be used in an emergency
- when someone loses a lot of blood, the heart can still pump blood round, so long as volume of blood is topped up
- artificial blood is a substitute (e.g. a salt solution - 'saline') used to replace lost volume of blood
- it is safe (so long as no air gets in) - can keep people alive if they lose 2/3 of their red blood cells
- may give patient time to produce new blood cells - or will need a blood transfusion
- it is safe (so long as no air gets in) - can keep people alive if they lose 2/3 of their red blood cells
- artificial blood is a substitute (e.g. a salt solution - 'saline') used to replace lost volume of blood
- ideally would replace the function of the red blood cells so that there's no need for a blood transfusion - being developed, but have side-effects
- when someone loses a lot of blood, the heart can still pump blood round, so long as volume of blood is topped up
- the heart can be repaired with artificial parts
- artificial hearts
- pump blood if heart fails
- usually temporary - until a donor heart can be found
- sometimes used as a permanent fix - reduce need for donor hearts
- usually temporary - until a donor heart can be found
- main advantage = not rejected by body's immune system
- made of metal and plastic - body doesn't recognise them as 'foreign'
- disadvantages
- also don't work as well as normal hearts
- parts could wear out or electrical monitor could fail
- surgery to fit an artificial heart can lead to bleeding and infection
- blood doesn't flow through as smoothly - could cause blood clots and lead to strokes
- patient has to take drugs to thin their blood - make sure clots don't form - which can cause problems with bleeding if in an accident
- also don't work as well as normal hearts
- artificial hearts
- stents keep arteries open
- coronary heart disease is when the the arteries that supply the muscle of the heart get blocked (by fatty deposits) - causes arteries to become narrow and blood flow is restricted = can cause heart attack
- stents are tubes inserted inside arteries - keep them open to make sure blood can flow
- are a way of lowing the risk of heart attack in someone with coronary heart disease
- coronary heart disease is when the the arteries that supply the muscle of the heart get blocked (by fatty deposits) - causes arteries to become narrow and blood flow is restricted = can cause heart attack
- over time the artery can narrow again as stents irritate the artery and make scar tissue grow
- patient has to take drugs to stop blood clotting on the stent
- artificial blood can be used in an emergency
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