Mr. Balboack, age 57, height 6?3?, weight 235 pounds, was admitted to your unit with a blood pressure of 196/102, pulse 92, respirations 24, and an oral temperature of 98.4°F. When you perform his assessment, he tells you he has been feeling weak and dizzy for several weeks and has had several "spells of chest pain." He says he has been laid off from his job and "thought maybe the stress was

Question

causing him to feel bad." His wife added that on two occasions, including the incident today, he had complained of chest pain, then seemed to "black out," and would not respond to her calling his name. She was frightened when this attack lasted longer than the previous one and called the ambulance to come to the home. The serum cholesterol level is 679 and isoenzymes indicate cardiac tissue damage. The physician makes the diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and possible myocardial infarction. Mrs. Balboack gives a history that includes cigarette smoking, two packs per day for 30 years, 8-10 cups of coffee a day, and a diet filled with many empty calories, much fat and carbohydrates, and very little fiber.

Describe the pathology that occurs within the cardiovascular system with the ingestion of coffee, nicotine, and fats.

Answer 1

Fats accumulate in the arteries and deposit plaque on the inside of the artery walls, which reduces the space for blood flow. When blood cannot flow through an artery near the heart, a heart attack occurs. If the flow is near the brain, a stroke occurs. Additionally, the caffeine in coffee, nicotine in cigarettes, and high-fat foods contribute to the condition by causing narrowing of the vessels.