Module 11: Cardiovascular Diseases
Study Objectives

1. Describe the progression of coronary artery disease from risk factor identification through the complications of acute myocardial infarction.

Acute coronary occlusions result in infarction, through clinical stenosis. This can be a risk factor. Chronic irritation like hypertension often results in coronary artery disease. Eventually the heart could try to overcompensate for the loss in venous return that it will hypertrophy and its pressure composition will become compromised from myocardial infarction.

2. Compare and contrast right vs left sided congestive heart failure. Include a description of causes, patient symptoms, treatment, and complications.

Left sided heart failure is primarily caused by IHD, systemic hypertension, mitral or aortic valve disease, and primary diseases of the myocardium. It is characterized by primarily affecting the pulmonary system, including symptoms like cough due to fluid transudation into airspaces, and orthopnea due to increased venous return when lying down. Complications can include cardiomegaly, and tachycardia. Right sided heart failure is usually due to left sided heart failure, backing up and primarily affecting the rest of the venous systems, resulting in edema and other swelling from pleural effusion. RCHF has few pulmonary symptoms.

3. Characterize aortic valve disease. Include in your description a summary of both aortic stenosis and arotic regurgitation.

Aortic stenosis is the failure of a valve to open completely, obstructing the forward flow. Aortic regurgitation is reversed flow resulting from a failure to close completely. Aortic valve