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Exam questions · Biology · The Circulatory System

Coronary Heart Disease and Its Treatment

  • 7 exam questions
  • 19 marks
  • 8 quick checks
  1. 1 State [1 mark]

    State what is meant by coronary heart disease.

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    Model answer

    Fatty deposits build up in the coronary arteries and narrow them, reducing the blood flow to the heart muscle.

    Mark scheme

    • Fatty deposits narrow the coronary arteries — 1 mark
  2. 2 Name [3 marks]

    Figure 1 shows a healthy coronary artery and an artery affected by coronary heart disease. Name the parts labelled A, B and C.

    Three coronary arteries with three parts marked A, B and C.
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    Model answer

    A is the artery wall. B is the fatty deposit. C is the (narrowed) lumen.

    Mark scheme

    • A: wall of the artery — 1 mark
    • B: fatty deposit — 1 mark
    • C: lumen — 1 mark
  3. 3 Explain [3 marks]

    Explain how coronary heart disease can lead to a heart attack.

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    Model answer

    Fatty deposits narrow the coronary arteries. Less blood flows through them, so the heart muscle receives too little oxygen. The muscle cannot respire enough to release the energy it needs, so it cannot contract and the person has a heart attack.

    Mark scheme

    • Narrowed coronary arteries — 1 mark
    • Less oxygen reaches the heart muscle — 1 mark
    • Not enough energy released by respiration for contraction — 1 mark
  4. 4 Describe [2 marks]

    Describe how a stent treats coronary heart disease.

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    Model answer

    A stent is a mesh tube put inside the narrowed artery. It holds the artery open so that blood can flow freely again.

    Mark scheme

    • A tube/mesh placed in the artery — 1 mark
    • Keeps it open so blood flows — 1 mark
  5. 5 Explain [2 marks]

    Explain how statins reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

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    Model answer

    Statins lower the level of cholesterol in the blood. This slows down the rate at which fatty material is deposited in the arteries.

    Mark scheme

    • Lower blood cholesterol — 1 mark
    • Slows the build-up of fatty deposits — 1 mark
  6. 6 Give [2 marks]

    Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using a mechanical heart valve rather than a biological valve.

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    Model answer

    Advantage: it lasts a long time. Disadvantage: the patient needs to take drugs for life to stop the blood from clotting.

    Mark scheme

    • An advantage, such as lasts longer — 1 mark
    • A disadvantage, such as lifelong drugs — 1 mark
  7. 7 Evaluate [6 marks]

    A patient with heart failure could have a heart transplant or be fitted with an artificial heart. Evaluate these two treatments.

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    Model answer

    A heart transplant gives the patient a natural, working heart, which can allow a long and active life. However, there are not enough donors, so patients may wait a long time. The patient must take drugs for life to stop the body rejecting the heart, and these make infection more likely. An artificial heart is available straight away, so it can keep a patient alive while they wait for a donor, or give their own heart time to rest and recover. However, it is a mechanical device, so there is a risk of infection, blood clots or the device failing, and it is usually only used as a short-term measure. A transplant is the better long-term treatment, but an artificial heart is useful in the short term.

    Mark scheme

    • Transplant: a natural working heart — 1 mark
    • Transplant: shortage of donors / rejection drugs — 1 mark
    • Artificial heart: available immediately — 1 mark
    • Artificial heart: keeps patient alive or lets the heart rest — 1 mark
    • Artificial heart: risks such as infection, clots or device failure — 1 mark
    • A conclusion that weighs the two — 1 mark

Quick check

  1. 1

    What builds up inside the coronary arteries in coronary heart disease?

    1. ABlood clots only
    2. BMuscle
    3. CFatty material
    4. DPlatelets
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    C: Fatty material

    Layers of fatty material build up in the arteries and narrow them.

  2. 2

    What does a stent do?

    1. AHolds an artery open
    2. BLowers cholesterol
    3. CReplaces a heart valve
    4. DPumps blood
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    A: Holds an artery open

    A stent is a mesh tube that holds a narrowed artery open.

  3. 3

    What do statins do?

    1. ARemove blood clots
    2. BLower blood cholesterol
    3. CReplace a valve
    4. DIncrease blood pressure
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    B: Lower blood cholesterol

    Statins lower blood cholesterol, which slows the build-up of fatty deposits.

  4. 4

    What is the main disadvantage of a mechanical heart valve?

    1. AIt wears out very quickly
    2. BIt is made from animal tissue
    3. CIt cannot be fitted by a surgeon
    4. DThe patient needs drugs for life to prevent clotting
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    D: The patient needs drugs for life to prevent clotting

    Mechanical valves make blood clots more likely, so the patient needs blood-thinning drugs for life.

  5. 5

    Why are patients given drugs after a heart transplant?

    1. ATo lower cholesterol
    2. BTo make the heart larger
    3. CTo stop the body rejecting the new heart
    4. DTo speed up the heartbeat
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    C: To stop the body rejecting the new heart

    The drugs stop the immune system rejecting the donor heart.

  6. 6

    When might an artificial heart be used?

    1. ATo keep a patient alive while waiting for a transplant
    2. BTo replace a pacemaker
    3. CTo clear fatty deposits
    4. DTo replace a leaking valve
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    A: To keep a patient alive while waiting for a transplant

    An artificial heart can keep a patient alive while they wait for a donor heart, or let their heart rest.

  7. 7

    Why is coronary heart disease called a non-communicable disease?

    1. AIt only affects old people
    2. BIt cannot be passed from person to person
    3. CIt is caused by a virus
    4. DIt is not serious
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    B: It cannot be passed from person to person

    It is not caused by a pathogen, so it cannot be passed from person to person.

  8. 8

    Why does a narrowed coronary artery cause chest pain?

    1. AThe heart is too large
    2. BThe blood is too thick
    3. CThe heart beats too slowly
    4. DThe heart muscle does not get enough oxygen
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    D: The heart muscle does not get enough oxygen

    Less blood flows to the heart muscle, so it lacks oxygen for respiration.