Coronary Artery Disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Coronary Artery Disease - Research Paper Example Finally, it concludes with the summary of what has been provided in the paper. Identification of the Concept: Coronary Art Disease Coronary art disease (abbreviated as CAD) may be defined as the end result of the specific process which sees accumulation, within the walls of those arteries that supply the myocardium, of atheromatous plaques (Kasliwal, 2009). The chronic systemic process of this disease is atherosclerosis. Normally, arteries’ inside walls are rather smooth and flexible, which allows easy blood flow. Plaques, which are fatty deposits, can build up in the wall of artery. This plaque will then narrow the artery and consequently stop or just reduce the blood flow. Atherosclerosis affects all body vascular beds and evolves due to a range of factors (Kasliwal, 2009). Manifested in various representations and involving numerous blood vessels in a body, when atherosclerosis reaches coronary arteries, it leads to coronary art disease; it also causes cerebrovascular disea se (this is linked to the transient ischemic attack and stroke); aortic aneurysms; intestinal ischemia; and peripheral vascular disease (Homoud, 2008). Simply put, coronary art disease (CAD) results from the hardening of coronary arteries that are found on the heart surface. Atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease accounts for a half of all deaths in the developed countries and one-fourth of deaths in the countries of the developing world (Homoud, 2008). In the USA, it is the leading cause of women and men mortality: in case of women it accounts for over 250, 000 deaths each year. The number is even greater in men. Charney (1999, p.3) provides data that by the age of 60 one in five U.S. males have had a coronary event whereas this has been experienced by just one in seventeen females. In the age group 29-44, the number of heart attacks due to coronary art disease is 32, 000 in men and 9, 000 in women; in the age group 45-64, the number of affected males is 218, 000 and female s 74, 000; in the group aged older than 65, the occurrences are 418, 000 for men, and 356, 000 for women (Charney, 1999, p.4). Treatment of coronary artery disease depends on the case severity. The options include medical therapy, stenting and angioplasty, and coronary artery bypass surgery (Michaels & Chatterjee, 2002). If patients’ coronary narrowings do not hinder the flow of blood, they are prescribed medications and modification of lifestyle. This is done to prevent the disease progression. In case the patient is diagnosed with atherosclerosis which clearly limits the flow blood to the arteries, he or she undergoes balloon angioplasty; also, stenting is sometimes offered. In the most severe cases, when the patient has numerous narrowings of the coronary arteries or their blockages, the surgery (coronary artery bypass graft surgery) is typically advised (Michaels & Chatterjee, 2002). Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery and the Helen Fuld School of Nursing Conceptual Framework Coronary artery bypass surgery nurses who are skilled, compassionate, and knowledgeable are essential for achieving the positive outcome in patients in the post-operative phase. This is explained by the fact that care for these patients is rather complex and intense, yet rewarding. Coronary artery bypass surgery nurses are an important part of the surgery team that enable, through their efforts, the patient to restore health and go on living. The foregoing