THE POTENTIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STEM CELLS AND MYOCARDIAL INFARCTIONS
A myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack, is when “the heart’s oxygen supply is interrupted” [1]. Every cell in our body need oxygen to survive and function; so, when the heart is “starved of oxygen for too long, a portion of the heart can die, never to revive” [1]. The “lifeless [parts] of the heart are replaced by inflexible scar tissue not designed for pumping blood…causing the remaining muscle [to] push itself to work harder” [1]. The product of having a myocardial infarction leads to heart failure due to the weakening of the heart [1]. “Roughly half of patients diagnosed with the condition will not live five more years, especially with treatments
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He died due to his heart failure, and there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it. As a future bioengineer, I want to research innovative methods that can potentially help the millions of people experiencing heart failure from myocardial infarctions. After researching potential treatments, I fell upon an innovation that can realistically be developed into a successful cure to heart failure only if enough resources are available and engineers work towards the goal; it involves using stem cells to repair the weakened heart after a myocardial infarction. “Stem cells can be found in the bone marrow, fat, blood, [and] embryonic connective tissue” [3]. Stem cells are “unique in their ability to develop into many types of cells” [3]. Stem cells have the potential to develop into heart cells, leading to the prospect of repairing the damage to the heart due to a myocardial infarction. With stem cells being readily available in the body, we can research ways to inject the stem cells to the heart and engineer the stem cells to develop into heart cells, in turn repairing the heart, and likewise, preventing heart failure. Scientists and engineers across …show more content…
All our organs, including the heart, are composed of cells. However, there is not only one type of cell, but many different. For example, our heart is made up of heart cells, our brain has brain cells, our bones have skeletal cells, et cetera. Our body’s cells regularly divide essentially replenishing our old cells with newer cells. However, our cardiac (heart) cells do not regularly divide, hence the fact that once cells in the heart are damaged, they stay damaged. Damage occurs especially after a myocardial infarction. A damaged heart leads to heart failure, increasing the chance of early death. This is where stem cells come into play. Stem cells have the “potential to develop into many different cell types…and [divide] essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive” [4]. “When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a [heart cell]” [4]. Stem cells start off as generalized, meaning they do not have specific functions such as a heart muscle cell designed for pumping blood to the entire body [4]. “Stem cells can give rise to specialized cells in a process called differentiations” [4]. During differentiation, “the cell goes through several stages [and receives many signals], becoming more specialized at each step” [4]. It is understood that “internal signals
The purpose for the stent was to hold the coronary artery open to allow the blood to flow more freely.
Cardiomyopathy, by definition, means the weakening of the heart muscle. The heart is operated by a striated muscle that relies on the autonomic nervous system to function. Cardiomyopathy is diagnosed in four different ways based on what caused the illness and exactly what part of the heart is weakened. The four main types of cardiomyopathy are dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. One other category of cardiomyopathy that is diagnosed is “unclassified cardiomyopathy.” Unclassified cardiomyopathy is the weakening of the heart that does not fit into the main four categories.
An artery is an elastic blood vessel that transports blood away from the heart. There are two main types of arteries: pulmonary arteries and systemic arteries.
Atherosclerosis is a disease that occurs when arteries become blocked, inflamed, or hardened. As a result of this, blood cannot easily pass through the artery, and blood pressure increases. Many people suffer from atherosclerosis as they age, but young people can be affected by atherosclerosis also. There are many preventative steps that can be taken to decrease the risk of atherosclerosis; however, if atherosclerosis does develop in the arteries, medications can be given to help the individual receive adequate blood flow to important tissues. Atherosclerosis is a very serious condition that requires medical attention and a change in life style because it is a precursor to many dangerous and potentially fatal diseases.
Cardiovascular disease has become an increasingly significant issue in many countries as it is the leading cause of death for the whole human population. According to World Health Organization, ischemic heart disease had caused about 7 million people to lose their life in 2011. One of the most common cardiovascular illnesses is myocardial infarction. It is defined as the death of cardiac myocytes due to complete blockage of a coronary artery. t-PA is a thrombolytic drug that used to treat myocardial infarction by dissolving the thrombus that causes the occlusion.
This assignment is a case study that aims to explore the biospychosocial impacts of a myocardial infarction on a service user. It will focus on the interventions used by healthcare professionals throughout the patient’s journey to recovery. To abide by the NMC’s code of conduct (2015) which states that all nurses owe a duty of confidentiality to all those who are receiving care, the service user used in this case study will be referred to as Julie. Julie is a 67 year old lady who was rushed to her local accident and emergency following an episode of acute chest pain and was suspected to have suffered from a myocardial infarction. Julie who lives alone reported she had been experiencing shortness of breath and
“Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood through to meet the body's needs for blood and oxygen” (American Heart Association, 2012, para 3). What this basically means is that the body is functioning in a way that the heart cannot keep up with. Although heart failure can be acute and occur suddenly, it usually develops over time and is a long-term or chronic condition. There are two different types of heart failure, left-sided and right-sided, and they can be caused by other diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, or high blood pressure (National Institutes of Health, 2012). In most cases, both sides of the heart are affected simultaneously.
The primary concern for Mr. Miller would be preventing further ischemia and necrosis of the myocardial tissues, preventing serious complications such as cardiac dysrhythmias and heart failure, as well as relieving his chest pain that radiates to his left arm. Preventing further ischemia and necrosis of the myocardial tissue will help prevent the development of heart failure due to myocardial infarction, whereas relieving his pain will help reduce his episodes of shortness of breath, and will also help to reduce any anxiety and restlessness he may be having from being in pain and short of breath.
Coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease affects 16.8 million people in the United States and causes more than 607,000 deaths annually (Lemone, chap.30). It is caused by atherosclerosis which is the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries causing impaired blood flow to the myocardium. CAD or coronary artery syndrome is usually without symptoms but may induce heart attack, angina and acute coronary syndrome if not properly treated. There are many risk factors associated with CAD like obesity, high cholesterol diet, hereditary, physical inactivity, just to name a few. Patients with CAD may be unable to identify and manage their risks factors. It is imperative for nurses to educate the patient about CAD and measures to enhance their health.
One of the leading causes of death in the United States is heart disease. “Approximately every 29 seconds one American will have a heart attack, and once a minute one American will die from a heart attack” (Ford-Martin and Odle, 915). According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine men over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55 are considered at risk for heart disease. Heart disease is a major cause of death. It is beneficial to individuals who seek to prevent heart disease to recognize the risks leading to heart attacks as they are one of the primary indications of developing heart disease; especially those that fall into the at risk age groups. These risks consist of some that cannot be changed such as heredity risks, or those that can change such as smoking habits. It is very important to know these specific risks for prevention and to understand the symptoms of heart attacks, such as sweating or the feeling of weakness so if these or other symptoms occur people are aware. Finally heart disease treatment is of vital importance if you experience a heart attack so you can learn how to prevent another one from occurring.
There are many causes in America that leads to mortality. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in America. Coronary heart disease, heart attacks, and other diseases can lead to heart failure. Coronary heart disease cost an estimate of $108.9 billion for the United States in 2010. The total costs include medications, decrease in productivity, and medical services.
Throughout history, it seems that medicine and spirituality have been linked in many circumstances. In a study looking at the use of complementary and alternative therapies in cardiac patients, spiritual healing was one of many practices patient sought to utilize. In another study, 29% of participants chose to use prayer or premeditation as a way to cope with their chronic illness. In both studies, prayer or meditation was more likely to be used by individuals who had a large social network, as well as support from another person in the same health situation. Based on these studies, it seems that many individuals (not just cardiovascular patients) turn to their spirituality in times of health distress.
(Slide 2) What is Cardiomyopathy? If we break down the word we can see “Cardio” which means of the heart, “myo” which means muscle, and “pathy” which means disease, therefore cardiomyopathies are diseases of the heart muscle. (Slide 3) There are 3 main types of cardiomyopathies; hypertrophic, dilated, and restrictive. I will only be discussing dilated cardiomyopathy, which is characterized by the enlargement of the hearts chambers with impaired systolic function. It is estimated that as many as 1 of 500 adults may have this condition. Dilated cardiomyopathy is more common in blacks than in whites and in males than in females. It is the most common form of cardiomyopathy in children and it can occur at any age (CDC).
Oxygen was first admitted to the client with chest pain over 100 years ago (Metcalfe, 2011). Chest pain is a large bracket that can contain many different conditions, but for the purpose of this analysis it is focused manly upon a myocardial infarction. A myocardial infarction is mainly referred to as a heart attack, and occurs when one or more coronary arteries leading to the heart reduce or completely stop blood flow (Tuipulotu, 2013 ). Administering high concentrations of oxygen to patients with chest pain is now embedded in guidelines, protocols and care pathways, even with a lack of clear supporting evidence (Nicholson, 2004 ). High concentration of oxygen means that up to 60% is administered (Knott, 2012). More recent research has suggested that the use of oxygen in this scenario is unnecessary and can lead to unwanted side effects, especially in normoxic cardiac patients (Moradkham & Sinoway, 2010 ). The aim of this comparative analysis is to dismantle and understand both the benefits and risks of the commonly known practice of administration of oxygen to the client with chest pain. Through completing this analysis using recent and appropriate evidence a more improved practice can be given and understood.
Myocardial infarction occurs when the coronary arteries are blocked by a blood clot. It is commonly known as “heart attack”. The heart needs its own constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to work properly. Two coronary arteries delivery oxygenated blood to the heart, and if one of these two arteries fail or become blocked, then a portion of the heart will not acquire the necessary oxygen. This clot could be because of CAD (coronary artery disease), which happens when the inner walls of the coronary arteries thicken because of build up of cholesterol, fatty deposit, calcium among other elements that are carried in the blood (Boston Scientific, 2009).