Evaluate the respective advantages and disadvantages of treating various cardiovascular diseases using drugs, mechanical devices, or biological transplants.
Describe coronary heart disease as the progressive build-up of fatty material layers inside the coronary arteries, causing narrowing and a subsequent critical reduction in blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle.
Explain the use of medical stents to keep coronary arteries open and the widespread use of statins to actively reduce blood cholesterol levels and slow the deposition of fatty material.
Understand the physiological consequences of faulty heart valves that fail to open fully or develop leaks, impairing blood flow.
Describe the medical options for treating faulty heart valves, specifically including replacement with biological or mechanical valves.
Describe the treatment pathways for severe heart failure, including heart or combined heart-and-lung transplants.
Explain the role of artificial hearts in keeping patients alive while awaiting a transplant or allowing the native heart to rest during a recovery period.
