Coronary Heart Disease: Treatments and Prevention — AQA GCSE Biology
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a non-communicable disease affecting the blood supply to the heart muscle.
What is CHD?
In CHD, layers of fatty material build up inside the coronary arteries, narrowing them. This reduces the flow of blood (and therefore oxygen) to the heart muscle, which can cause chest pain and lead to a heart attack.
Treatments
| Treatment | How it works | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stents | a wire mesh holds the artery open | quick, long-lasting, keeps blood flowing | risk of infection or clot during/after surgery |
| Statins | drugs that reduce blood cholesterol, slowing fatty build-up | reduce risk of CHD and strokes | must be taken long term; possible side effects (e.g. muscle pain) |
Faulty valves
Heart valves can become leaky or stiff. They can be replaced with biological (from animals/humans) or mechanical valves. Replacement is major surgery.
Heart failure
If the heart fails, options include a donor heart (and lungs) transplant or an artificial heart. Artificial hearts avoid rejection (they are not living tissue) but can lead to blood clots.
Exam tips
- Explain CHD as fatty deposits narrowing the coronary arteries, reducing blood/oxygen to the heart.
- Be able to evaluate treatments (stents vs statins vs surgery) with advantages and disadvantages.
- Statins lower cholesterol; stents physically open the artery.
- Artificial hearts avoid rejection but risk clots.