Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular diseases (also called heart disease) is a class of diseases that involve the heart, the blood vessels (arteries, capillaries, and veins) or both.

Cardiovascular disease refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system, principally cardiac disease, vascular diseases of the brain and kidney, and peripheral arterial disease. The causes of cardiovascular disease are diverse but atherosclerosis and/or hypertension are the most common.

Atherosclerosis (also known as arteriosclerotic vascular disease or ASVD) is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol. It is commonly referred to as a hardening or furring of the arteries. It is caused by the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries. Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that remains asymptomatic for decades. There is a number of factors which may determine its development.

Atherosclerosis of the blood vessels results from metabolic disturbances and particularly from disturbances of cholesterol exchange. These disturbances begin long before there is any external evidence of the disease. Therefore the doctor must prevent its appearance beginning preventive measures and treatment as early as possible.

Prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis consist mainly of a certain regimen for the patient, which he must strictly follow. The patient must get up, eat, work, and go to bed at exactly the same time every day.

Sound sleep is very important since it enables the nerve cells to rest. The patient with the signs of atherosclerosis must sleep not less than 7-8 hours and walk before going to bed. Mental and physical overstrain must be excluded.

The incidence of atherosclerosis is high in professional groups with insufficient physical activities. So physical exercises must be part of the prescribed regimen for such persons.

Smoking affects unfavourably the walls of the blood vessels and can result in their spasm, that is why patients suffering from atherosclerosis must not smoke.

The diet of the patients with atherosclerosis must contain sufficient amount of proteins, but fats and carbohydrates must be taken in very limited doses.

Vitamins are widely used in the treatment of atherosclerosis because some of them improve the metabolic processes and others dilate the vessels, particularly the peripheral ones.

Other drugs administered in treating atherosclerosis are the so-called lipotropic substances, which prevent fat from accumulating in the organism.

Since the nervous system affects the metabolic processes in the human body the patients with atherosclerosis are prescribed such drugs as bromide and valerian to improve its general condition.

Complications of advanced atherosclerosis are chronic, slowly progressive and cumulative. Most commonly, soft plaque suddenly ruptures, causing the formation of a thrombus that will rapidly slow or stop blood flow. It will lead to death of the tissues fed by the artery in approximately 5 minutes. This catastrophic event is called an infarction. One of the most common recognized scenarios is called coronary thrombosis of a coronary artery, causing myocardial infarction. The same process in an artery to the brain is commonly called stroke.

Exercise 10. Answer the following questions:

1. What is atherosclerosis?

2. What is atherosclerosis caused by?

3. What does prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis mainly consist of?

4. Why is sound sleep important for patients with atherosclerosis?

5. Who has a high incidence of atherosclerosis?

6. What must the diet of the patients with atherosclerosis contain?

7. Why are vitamins widely used in the treatment of atherosclerosis?

8. What drugs are administered in treating atherosclerosis?

9. What can advanced atherosclerosis lead to?

10. What does sudden rupture of soft plaque cause?

Exercise 11. Match the terms with their definitions:

Exercise 12. Find the equivalents of the following word combinations in the text:

Кількість випадків атеросклерозу; запущений атеросклероз; покращувати загальний стан пацієнта; розширювати периферичні судини; впливати на метаболічні процеси; призначати ліки; приймати у дуже обмежених дозах; містити достатню кількість білків; несприятливо впливати на стінки кровоносних судин; недостатня фізична активність; міцний сон; давати змогу нервовим клітинам відпочити; неухильно дотримуватися певного режиму; порушення холестеринового обміну; зовнішні прояви хвороби; накопичення жирових матеріалів; формування численних бляшок в артеріях.

Exercise 13. Insert the missing prepositions into the gaps:

1. Patients suffering … atherosclerosis must not smoke.

2. Other drugs administered…treating atherosclerosis are the so-called lipotropic substances.

3. Atherosclerosis is commonly referred … as a hardening or furring of the arteries.

4. Atherosclerosis is caused … the formation of multiple plaques … the arteries.

5. Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that remains asymptomatic … decades.

6. Sound sleep is very important … it enables the nerve cells to rest.

7. The diet … the patients with atherosclerosis must contain sufficient amount … proteins.

8. The narrowing or obstruction … blood flow can occur... any artery within the body.

Exercise 14. Fill in the correct word:

1. In atherosclerosis the arterial walls become …. (thinned / thickened)

2. Atherosclerosis is defined as a chronic … response of the blood vessels. (purulent / inflammatory)

3. Atherosclerosis usually begins in …, it affects the majority of the arteries. (the elderly / adolescents)

4. Atherosclerosis … from a low-density lipoprotein molecules. (develops / terminates)

5. The cholesterol … causes the vessel walls to enlarge. (plaque / plague)

6. Atherosclerosis may be … by angiography. (divided / detected)

7. Plaque rupture can … artery lumen occlusion within seconds to minutes. (lead to / aggravate)

8. Some symptoms of atherosclerosis may be …, but the disease itself can't/ (healed / cured)

Exercise 15. Fill in the table to describe the following term “Atherosclerosis”:

Exercise 16. Put questions to the underlined words:

1. The same process in an artery to the brain is commonly called stroke.

2. It will lead to death of the tissues in approximately 5 minutes.

3. Smoking affects unfavourably the walls of the blood vessels.

4. Atherosclerosis is caused by the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries.

5. Mental and physical overstrain must be excluded.

6. Atherosclerosis remains asymptomatic for decades.

7. Atherosclerosis of the blood vessels results from metabolic disturbances.

8. These disturbances begin long before there is any external evidence of the disease.

Exercise 17. Open the brackets with the appropriate forms of the verbs:

1. The diet of this patient (to contain) sufficient amount of proteins.

2. The same process in an artery to the brain (to call) stroke.

3. The nervous system (to affect) the metabolic processes in the human body.

4. The patient (to sleep) 8 hours last night.

5. Lipotropic substances (to administer) in treating atherosclerosis.

6. Lipotropic substances (to prevent) fat from accumulating in the organism.

7. He (to go) to bed at the same time every day.

8. Coronary thrombosis of a coronary artery (to cause) myocardial infarction in this patient.

REPORTING COMMANDS AND REQUESTS

To report commands or requests we use a reporting verb (advise, ask, beg, offer, order, tell etc) followed by a to-infinitive or a not to-infinitive.

Examples:

Exercise 18. Report the doctor’s recommendations to the patient with atherosclerosis:

38. The doctor said to the patient, “Go to bed at exactly the same time every day.”

39. The doctor said to the patient, “Walk before going to bed.”

40. The doctor said to the patient, “Do not smoke.”

41. The doctor said to the patient, “Follow the prescribed regimen strictly.”

42. The doctor said to the patient, “Do not eat a lot of fatty food.”

43. The doctor said to the patient, “Avoid mental or physical overstrain.”

44. The doctor said to the patient, “Do not drink too much coffee.”

45. The doctor said to the patient, “Come for the next check-up in a month”

Exercise 19. Translate the sentences into English:

1. Лікар порадив пацієнту дотримуватися певної дієти.

2. Лікар наказав санітарам відвезти хворого на рентген.

3. Лікар сказав пацієнту не рухатися.

4. Лікар попросив медсестру зробити хворому ін’єкцію.

5. Він сказав їй не хвилюватися.

6. Вона благала лікаря не казати про це її матері.

7. Медсестра попросила хворого лягти на живіт.

8. Вона сказала нам залишатися тут і чекати на неї.

Завдання для самостійної роботи студентів (СРС)

Test

1. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall … as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol.

a) strains b) contracts c) drains d) widens e) thickens

2. It is commonly referred to as a hardening or furring of …

a) the vessels b) the arteries c) the walls d) the ventricles e) the atria

3. It is caused by the formation of multiple … within the arteries.

a) ulcers b) sores c) cells d) plaques e) furs

4. Atherosclerosis of the blood vessels results from metabolic disturbances and particularly from disturbances of … exchange.

a) fat b) glucose c) cholesterol d) carbohydrate e) protein

5. Drugs administered in treating atherosclerosis are the so-called … substances, which prevent fat from accumulating in the organism.

a) lipotropic b) dissolvant c) vasodilator d) accumulative e) vasoconstrictors

6. Since … affects the metabolic processes in the human body the patients with atherosclerosis are prescribed such drugs as bromide and valerian to improve its general condition.

a) the alimentary system b) the respiratory system c) the cardiovascular system d) the endocrine system e) the nervous system

7. Complications of advanced atherosclerosis are …, slowly progressive and cumulative.

a) long-turn b) chronic c) rapid d) acute e) severe

8. Most commonly, soft plaque suddenly …, causing the formation of a thrombus that will rapidly slow or stop blood flow.

a) widens b) thickens c) tightens d) occluses e) ruptures

9. It will lead to death of the tissues fed by the artery in approximately...

a) 5 seconds b) several days c) 5 hours d) an hour e) 5 minutes

10. One of the most common recognized scenarios is called coronary thrombosis of a coronary artery, causing ….

a) rheumatic endocarditis b) angina pectoris c) shock d) myocardial infarction e) stroke

Exercise 1. Topic Vocabulary:

Exercise 2. Match the definitions with the words from active vocabulary:

1. The process of growing old or maturing;

2. Loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain;

3. Characterized by much sitting;

4. Without symptoms;

5. Abnormally low blood pressure;

6. Inadequate or deficient;

7. Insistently repetitive or continuous;

8. Abnormally elevated blood pressure.

Exercise 3. Translate the word combinations:

Cardiac chronic medical condition; systemic arterial blood pressure; primary hypertension; secondary hypertension; obvious medical cause; persistent hypertension; risk factors for stroke; chronic kidney failure; moderate elevation; shortened life expectancy; dietary and lifestyle changes; associated health complications; ineffective or insufficient; accelerated hypertension; direct cause; sedentary lifestyle; potassium deficiency; salt sensitivity; inherited genetic mutations; family history of hypertension.

Exercise 4. Read and translate the text: