Relationship between biomedical engineering with cardiovascular system.

Cardiovascular engineering.

• The vast research conducted by biomedical engineers in finding ways to treat heart related diseases had eventually lead to the birth of a new specialization within biomedical engineering, termed cardiovascular engineering or heart bioengineering. which is defined as a field within biomedical engineering that studies the causes and prevention of heart diseases.

Cardiovascular bioengineering examines all aspects of cardiac health. This fields include several specialization discipline such as.• Cardiovascular Biomechanics.• Bio-signal processing.• Micro and nanotechnology.• Instrumentation, sensors and signals.

Heart diseases.• Cardiovascular diseases continue to be one of the major

causes of death, suffered both in the developed and the developing countries. Its recorded that 9.5 million individuals died of cardiovascular diseases in 2005. this highlights the urgent needs for developing effective means of preventing and treating heart diseases. Such effort should be developed seamlessly and must benefits each other, damaged in the essential components of the heart such as heart muscle or valve can result in irreparable damage. Which can only be treated by replacement using either mechanical or biological substitutes.

Heart disease is a word used to describe many different conditions affecting the heart. Coronary heart disease is a common type of heart disease. This condition results from a build-up of plaque on the inside of the arteries, which reduces blood flow to the heart and increases the risk of a heart attack and other heart complications. Other forms of heart disease include: • irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias)• congenital heart defects• weak heart muscles (cardiomyopathy)• heart valve problems• heart infections• cardiovascular disease.

Symptoms of heart diseases.

Heart disease is often called a “silent killer”. Your doctor may not diagnose the disease until you show signs of a heart attack or heart failure. Symptoms of heart disease vary depending on the specific condition. For example, if you have a heart arrhythmia, symptoms may include:• a fast or slow heartbeat• dizziness• lightheadedness• chest pains• shortness of breath.

If you have weak heart muscles, physical activity may cause tiredness and shortness of breath. Dizziness and swelling in the legs, ankle, or feet are also common with cardiomyopathy. Signs and symptoms of a heart infection can include:• tiredness• coughing• skin rash• irregular heartbeat• swelling in legs and stomach

Risk factors of heart diseases.Several factors increase your risk of heart disease, like a family history of the disease, ageing. Other common risk factors include:• smoking• high blood pressure• high blood cholesterol• diabetes• poor diet• lack of exercise• obesity• stress• poor hygiene (some viral and bacterial infections can affect the

heart).

Diagnosis of heart diseases.1.ECG/EKG. Electrocardiogram.The most common heart diagnostic tool. A test that records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias), and can sometimes detect heart muscle damage.

Echocardiogram (also known as echo)

A non invasive test that uses sound waves to evaluate the heart's chambers and valves. The echo sound waves create an image on the monitor as an ultrasound probe is passed over the heart.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart.

• A diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body. MRI of the heart may be used to evaluate the heart valves and major vessels, detect coronary artery disease and the extent of damage it has caused, evaluate congenital defects, and detect the presence of tumours or other abnormalities. The cardiac MRI may be used prior to other cardiac procedures such as angioplasty or stenting of the coronary arteries and cardiac or vascular surgery:

• Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the heart. A specialized type of MRI procedure used to evaluate blood vessels in the heart.

Cardiac MRI Machine.

Devices and surgical procedures to treat heart failure.

1. Implantable Cardiac defibrillator.ICD is an electronic device that constantly monitors the patient heart rhythm, when the device detect certain abnormal heart rhythm, it delivers a small shock to the heart muscle to restore the normal heart rhythm. The shock will be brief and may feel uncomfortable. Studies shows that an ICD can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

• Cardiac arrest is an unexpected death caused by a loss of heart function due to an abnormal heart rhythm. The heart beats dangerously fast, and the blood is not delivered to the rest of the body. A person suffering from CA will first loss consciousness then death follows.

ICD

2. Heart transplant.A heart transplant is surgery to remove a person's diseased heart and replace it with a healthy heart from a deceased donor. Most heart transplants are done on patients who have end-stage heart failure.Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is damaged or weak. As a result, it can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. "End-stage" means the condition is so severe that all treatments, other than a heart transplant, have failed.• OverviewHeart transplants are done as a life-saving measure for end-stage heart failure.Because donor hearts are in short supply, patients who need heart transplants go through a careful selection process. They must be sick enough to need a new heart, yet healthy enough to receive it.Survival rates for people receiving heart transplants have improved, especially in the first year after the transplant.About 88% of patients survive the first year after transplant surgery, and 75% survive for 5 years. The 10-year survival rate is about 56 %.After the surgery, most heart transplant patients can return to their normal levels of activity. However, less than 30% return to work for many different reasons.

During the transplant procedure, the surgeon connects the patient to a heart lung machine, which takes over the function of the heart and lungs. The surgeon then removes the diseased heart and replaces it with the donor heart. Finally the major blood vessels are reconnected and the new heart is ready to works.

Image of the lungs heart machine.

Total artificial heart.• A total artificial heart (TAH) is a device that replaces the two lower chambers

of the heart. These chambers are called ventricles (VEN-trih-kuls). You might benefit from a TAH if both of your ventricles don't work due to end-stage heart failure.

• Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. "End stage" means the condition has become so severe that all treatments, except heart transplant, have failed. (A heart transplant is surgery to remove a person's diseased heart and replace it with a healthy heart from a deceased donor.)

• Overview• You might need a TAH for one of two reasons:• To keep you alive while you wait for a heart transplant• If you're not eligible for a heart transplant, but you have end-stage heart

failure in both ventricles

• The TAH is attached to your heart's upper chambers—the atria (AY-tree-uh). Between the TAH and the atria are mechanical valves that work like the heart's own valves. Valves control the flow of blood in the heart.

• Currently, the two types of TAHs are the CardioWest and the AbioCor. The main difference between these TAHs is that the CardioWest is connected to an outside power source and the AbioCor isn't.

• The CardioWest has tubes that, through holes in the abdomen, run from inside the chest to an outside power source

• The AbioCor TAH is completely contained inside the chest. A battery powers this TAH. The battery is charged through the skin with a special magnetic charger.

• Energy from the external charger reaches the internal battery through an energy transfer device called transcutaneous energy transmission, or TET.

• An implanted TET device is connected to the implanted battery. An external TET coil is connected to the external charger. Also, an implanted controller monitors and controls the pumping speed of the heart.

overview

A TAH usually extends life for months beyond what is expected with end-stage heart failure. If you're waiting for a heart transplant, a TAH can keep you alive while you wait for a donor heart. A TAH also can improve your quality of life. However, a TAH is a very complex device. It's challenging for surgeons to implant, and it can cause complications.Currently, TAHs are used only in a small number of people. Researchers are working to make even better TAHs that will allow people to live longer and have fewer complications.

How to reduce risk to heart diseases.

Heart disease treatments depend on the condition, but may include lifestyle changes and medications. Lifestyle changes can include: • eating a healthy diet rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, and

vegetables. Choose foods that are low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol to help control your blood pressure.

• increasing physical activity to maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of diabetes, and improve cholesterol levels. Aim for at least 60 minutes of activity per week, says the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

• quitting smoking can lower your risk of heart disease and complications.

• drinking alcohol in moderation can lower blood pressure and decrease the risk for heart disease. Men should drink no more than two, and women no more than one alcoholic beverage per day, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

• learning how to deal with stress, either through exercise, medication, stress management therapy or support groups.