Atherosclerosis

Phonetic exercise: atherosclerosis [,æθərsklə’rusis], blood vessels [‘bld ‘veselz], circulatory system [,s:kjə’leitri; ‘s:kjə’lətri; ‘sistəm ‘sistim], arteries [‘a:triz] , veins [veinz], capillaries [kə’pilriz], phlebitis [fli’baitis], hypertension [,haipə’ten∫n], hypertensive [,haipə’tensive], diabetes [,daiə’bi:ti:z], cessation [səs’ei∫n], plaques [pla:ks; plæks]

Make a report on atherosclerosis according to the plan below:

Definition: a condition in which an artery wall thickens as the result of a build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol.

Causes: formation of multiple plaques within the arteries, low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol plaques, an infection of the vascular smooth muscle cells, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, etc.

Risk factors, risk sitiations, risk groups: hyperlipidemia, hypertension and cigarette smoking; diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipoproteinemia, an LDL:HDL ratio greater than 3:1, advanced age, male sex, close relatives who have had some complication of atherosclerosis (e.g. coronary heart disease or stroke), genetic abnormalities, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, stresses or symptoms of clinical depression, hyperthyroidism (an over-active thyroid), short sleep duration, etc.

Symptoms: often asymptomatic.

Evaluation: History: a personal medical history, a family history, a drug history, an occupational history, an environmental history, etc.

Physical examination: observation and palpation.

Instrumental evaluation: microphotography of arterial walls, coronary calcium scoring by CT, lipoprotein analysis, blood pressure measurement, methods to elevate blood glucose, etc.

Treatment: non-pharmaceutical means: cessation of smoking, regular exercises, reducing carbohydrate intake, diet low in fats, dietary supplements of Omega-3 oils; pharmaceutical means: statins, low dose aspirin, vitamin C, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, beta blockers, folic acid; invasive angioplasty procedures, bypass surgery, etc.

Prophylaxis: low-dose aspirin, statins, warfarin, etc.

Deep vein thrombosis

Phonetic exercise: phlebitis [fli’baitis], thrombophlebitis [,θrombəfli:’baitis], veins [veinz], occur [ə‘kə:], thrombus [‘θrmbəs], swelling [‘sweliŋ], intravenous [,intrə’vi:nəs], miscarriage [mis’kærid3], genes [‘d3i:nz], prevalence [‘prevələns], occurrence [ə’kΛrəns; ə’k:rəns], morbidity [m:’biditi, m:’bidəti], mortality [m:’tæləti], epidemiology [‘epi,di:mi’ləd3i], disorder [dis’so:də; diz’o::də]

Make a report on deep vein thrombosis according to the plan below:

Definition: the formation of a blood clot ("thrombus") in a deep vein, a form of thrombophlebitis (inflammation of a vein with clot formation).

Epidemiology, death rates, and mortality rates: about 1 per 1000 persons per year. It is estimated that approximately 350,000 to 600,000 Americans each year suffer from DVT and pulmonary embolism and at least 100,000 deaths may be directly or indirectly related to these diseases. DVT is much less common in the pediatric population. About 1 in 100,000 people under the age of 18 experiences deep vein thrombosis.

In pregnant women, it has an incidence of 0.5 to 7 per 1,000 pregnancies, and is the second most common cause of maternal death in developed countries after bleeding.

Causes: recent surgery or hospitalization, advanced age, obesity, infection, immobilization, tobacco usage and air travel ("economy class syndrome"), a combination of immobility and relative dehydration, tendency to develop thrombosis, etc.

Risk factors: use of estrogen-containing hormonal contraception, recent long flying, intravenous drug use, a history of miscarriage, (which is a feature of several disorders that can also cause thrombosis). In the case of long-haul flying, recent studies have shown that risk of DVT is higher in travellers who smoke, who are obese, or are currently taking contraceptive pills. A family history can reveal a hereditary factor in the development of DVT. Approximately 35 percent of DVT patients have at least one hereditary thrombophilia, including deficiencies in the anticoagulation factors protein C,etc.

Symptoms, signs, clinical manifestations, clinical features: pains, swelling, redness of the leg, dilation of the veins, cyanosis of the legs, etc.

History: a personal medical history, a family history, a drug history, an occupational history, a flying history, a driving history, etc.

Physical examination: observation, percussion, palpation, and auscultation.

Instrumental examination: venography, blood tests: complete blood count, coagulation studies, liver enzymes, renal function tests, electrolytes, imaging the leg veins, Doppler ultrasonography, ultrasound scanning of the leg veins, etc.