Disorders Affecting Circulatory System

Introduction
The circulatory system is much like plumbing: It consists of the heart--a pump; blood vessels--the pipes; and blood--the substance being pumped. Any disease that clogs up the pipes, raises the pressure within them, or otherwise interferes with the delivery of nutrients through the human circulatory system can be life threatening. Many diseases affect the circulatory system.

I.

Coronary Artery Disease Coronary artery disease is a silent killer whose initial damage may begin to occur early in life; smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol or diabetes all damage the artery walls. Plaque, fatty deposits in the blood, cling to the artery walls and build up until pieces break off. Clotting blood cells called platelets accumulate at the site in an effort to repair the artery; the buildup blocks blood flow to the heart. Myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack, is the result. Symptoms of coronary artery disease are few until serious damage is done; chest pain, known as angina, and shortness of breath may come and go.

II.

Hypertension Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a disease caused by narrow blood

vessels. Because the vessels are narrowed, the heart has to pump harder to move blood through them. The overload of work can damage the heart and increase the

risk of heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, stroke, heart or kidney failure, or aneurysm, over distended blood vessels.

Hypertension is measured by two numbers: the upper number, or systolic pressure, is the pressure exerted as the heart beats. The more narrow the vessel, the harder the heart must pump, and the higher the systolic blood pressure. The lower number is the diastolic blood pressure, which is the pressure between beats, when the heart is at rest. Headache, blurred vision and chest pain may occur when blood pressure is high, the University of Cincinnati reports. Blood pressure often rises with age as blood vessels become less elastic; African Americans typically have higher blood pressure generally than Caucasians.

III.

Cardiomyopathy Cardiomyopathy means that the heart muscle itself is damaged. Heart muscle

can be damaged in three ways, according to the Mayo Clinic: the muscle may become overly thick, or hypertrophic; the left ventricle of the heart may be enlarged, or dilated; the heart may be unable to fill with blood, or restrictive cardiomyopathy. Many problems can cause cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, heart damage from drugs, alcohol or viral infection can all cause cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy causes shortness of breath, fluid buildup in the lower extremities, fatigue, feeling like your heart is pounding or beating irregularly, and lightheadedness. The treatment of cardiomyopathy depends on the cause, but drugs and pacemakers may be used. Severe cardiomyopathy may require heart transplant.