Overview of Circulatory and Respiratory Diseases

Aug 18, 2024

Lecture on Diseases of the Circulatory and Respiratory Systems

Introduction

  • Focus on common diseases associated with the circulatory and respiratory systems.
  • Previous lectures have covered the anatomy and physiology of these systems.

Circulatory System Diseases

Heart Diseases

  • Congenital Heart Disease
    • Birth defects in the heart.
    • Includes murmurs and other defects present from birth.
  • Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
    • Occurs when part of the heart muscle doesn't receive enough oxygen due to blocked coronary arteries.
    • Heart muscle dies and does not regenerate.
  • Cardiac Arrest
    • Heart stops beating due to electrical system failure.
    • Involves issues with the SA node or AV node.
  • Heart Failure
    • Heart cannot pump blood efficiently.
    • Occurs when the heart is too weak or stiff.

Blood Vessel Diseases

  • Aneurysm
    • A bulge in a blood vessel due to wall weakness.
    • Can burst, leading to severe bleeding.
  • Hypertension & Hypotension
    • High and low blood pressure, respectively.
  • Stroke
    • Caused by a block or bleed in the brain.
  • Thrombosis
    • Blood clot formation.
  • Arteriosclerosis
    • Stiffening and thickening of arteries, restricting blood flow.

Blood Diseases

  • Anemia
    • Various types: iron deficiency, aplastic, sickle cell.
    • Caused by lack of oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.
  • Leukemia
    • Cancer of white blood cells leading to excessive production.
  • Hemophilia
    • Genetic disorder affecting blood clotting.

Respiratory System Diseases

Impact of Smoking

  • Main harmful components: Tar, Carbon Monoxide, Nicotine.
  • Tar
    • Damages lungs and causes lung cancer.
  • Carbon Monoxide
    • Reduces oxygen transport by binding to hemoglobin.
  • Nicotine
    • Causes vasoconstriction and increases heart rate.

Respiratory Diseases

  • Chronic Bronchitis
    • Caused by smoking; leads to increased mucus and damaged cilia.
  • Emphysema
    • Breakdown of alveolar elastic fibers leading to impaired gas exchange.

Distinction Between Lung Diseases

Obstructive vs. Restrictive Lung Diseases

  • Obstructive
    • Difficulty exhaling; includes COPD and asthma.
  • Restrictive
    • Difficulty inhaling due to stiffness of lung tissue.

Conclusion

  • Summary of key diseases affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.