AS level Biology Project

2. Effects of Carbon Monoxide on Cardiovascular
System
• Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a poisonous and colourless gas that is produced as a result of incomplete
combustion of carbon. Tobacco smoke contains high levels of CO.
• The CO gas combines with haemoglobin at the same site as O2 more easily compared to oxygen as
haemoglobin has higher affinity for CO than O2 ,forming carboxyhaemoglobin.
• The CO gas that binds with the haemoglobin cannot be released easily and the slow rate of release
of CO causes accumulation of carboxyhaemoglobin.
• Fewer haemoglobin molecules that are available to transport oxygen present, causing lower
oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.
• In order to supply sufficient volume of oxygen to the body tissues, the heart must work harder to
distribute O2 which leads to hypertension in the short term. Prolonged exposure may eventually
result in an increase risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

3. Effects of Carbon Monoxide on Cardiovascular
System
• The reduction in ability for oxygen to be
transported around the body results in
the lack of oxygen passing through the
heart muscle.
• This could lead to angina or worst,
myocardial infarction.
• Myocardial infarction (MI) is the
irreversible death (necrosis) of heart
muscle as a result of prolonged lack of
oxygen supply (ischemia) as blood flow
stops to a part of the heart.

4. Effects of Carbon Monoxide on Cardiovascular
System
• Carbon monoxide can damage endothelial lining
of blood vessels and speed up deposition of
cholesterol and LDLs in atheroma formation.
• LDL is low-density lipoprotein which causes
cardiovascular disease when they invade the
endothelium and become oxidized. High
concentration of LDL leads to accumulation of
atherosclerosis which eventually result in plaque
rupture, blocking blood flow.

5. Effects of Nicotine on Cardiovascular System
• Nicotine is a naturally occurring liquid alkaloid. An
alkaloid is an organic compound made out of carbon,
hydrogen, nitrogen and sometimes oxygen, and it can
have potent effects on the human body.
• The nicotine inside tobacco smoke acts as a stimulant
which results in production of adrenaline by the adrenal
glands. This leads to increase heart rate and blood
pressure. (Hypertension)
• Nicotine can also cause constriction of arteries
(vasoconstriction) which further raises blood pressure.
• Higher risk of coronary heart disease or stroke

6. Effects of Nicotine on Cardiovascular System
• Nicotine also makes platelets sticky.
• Platelets are blood cells responsible for
blood clotting.
• As platelets become more sticky, it will
lead to an increase risk of thrombosis, and
as a result, stroke or myocardial
infarction.
• Thrombosis is the formation of a blood
clot inside a blood vessel, providing
resistance to the flow of blood through the
blood vessels.

7. What is Cardiovascular Disease?
• Cardiovascular diseases consist of diseases which strikes
the circulatory system. The most significant diseases
include:
1. Atherosclerosis
2. Coronary Heart Disease
3. Stroke

8. What is Atherosclerosis?
• Condition where walls of blood vessels thicken due to
accumulation of cholesterol, fatty acid substances and
white blood cells (foam cells) as well as proliferation of
intimal smooth muscle cell creating atheromatous
(fibrofatty) plaque.
• Over time, the walls harden. (Sclerosis)
• In arteries Arteriosclerosis

9. How does Atherosclerosis attack the human
body?
1. Damage to endothelial lining and formation of streaks made up of
white blood cells that take up LDLs which contain cholesterol.
2. Streaks increase in size and form plaques that thicken the wall and
narrow the lumen of artery.
> This thickening is called atheroma
> Commonly occur in large artery
> Fibres, dead smooth muscle cells and cholesterol deposit.
3. Artery lining may rupture, creating rough and uneven surface,
which stimulates the clotting process by platelets.
> The clot blocks the blood flow, starving oxygen from tissues.

10. How does Atherosclerosis attack the human
body?
4. Atheroma disturbs blood flow and forms a clot known as thrombus.
5. Thrombus can grow and become so large, blocking blood vessels.
> Pieces of the thrombus may break off(emboli) and block smaller vessels, causing reduction
of blood supply to specific tissues.
6. After prolonged exposure, calcium may be deposited in atheroma causing the
artery wall to harden. Such condition is called arteriosclerosis and associated
with early aging.

11. What is Coronary Heart Disease?
• Coronary heart disease(ischaemic heart disease) is a disease where a
waxy substance called plaques accumulate inside coronary arteries.
As a result, oxygen rich blood is restricted from reaching to all parts
of the heart.
• As a result, angina occurs which is characterized by:
1. Chest pain or discomfort
2. Pain in your arms, neck, jaw, shoulder or back accompanying chest pain
3. Nausea
4. Fatigue
5. Shortness of breath
6. Sweating
7. Dizziness
• When blockage are large, it may completely deprive oxygen from the
heart muscles causing it to die. (Myocardial Infarction/ Heart Attack)

12. Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease
• According to WHO data published in May 2014 Coronary Heart Disease
Deaths in Indonesia reached 138,380 or 9.89% of total deaths.
• Possible treatments may include:
a) Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as coronary
angioplasty. Doctors sometimes use balloon angioplasty and implantable
steel screens called stents to treat cardiovascular disease and help open
up the blocked blood vessel.
b) Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a type of surgery. In CABG,
arteries or veins from other areas in your body are used to bypass or go
around your narrowed coronary arteries.

13. What is stroke?
• Stroke occurs when the supply of blood to
the brain is reduced resulting in insufficient
oxygen or nutrients to be transported to the
brain region which causes brain cells to die.
• The effects of a stroke is dependent on the
region of the brain it strikes.
• Most common effect is paralysis on one side
of the body.
• According to WHO data published in May
2014 Stroke Deaths in Indonesia reached
328,524 or 23.48% of total deaths.

14. Types of stroke
• It is also called cerebrovascular accident and are divided into two
types:
a) Ischemic stroke accounts for around 85% of strokes. This type of
stroke is caused by blockage of the arteries that provide blood to
the brain. These blockages are caused by blood clots which can
form either in the arteries connected to the brain, or in blood
vessels before being swept through the bloodstream into
narrower arteries within the brain.
b) Haemorrhagic stroke are caused by arteries in the brain leaking
blood or bursting open. The leaked blood puts pressure on brain
cells and damages them. The ruptures can be caused by
conditions such as hypertension and aneurysms (weaknesses in
blood vessel walls).

15. Stroke

16. Haemorrhagic stroke
• Family history. People who have a family history of
brain aneurysms are more likely to have an aneurysm
than those who don't.
• Previous aneurysm. People who have had a brain
aneurysm are more likely to have another.
• Race. African Americans are more likely than whites to
have a subarachnoid haemorrhage.
• High blood pressure. The risk of subarachnoid
haemorrhage is greater in people who have a history of
high blood pressure.
• Smoking. In addition to being a cause of high blood
pressure, the use of cigarettes may greatly increase the
chances of a brain aneurysm rupturing.

17. Treatment for Stroke
• Possible treatment may include:
a) Carotid endarterectomy is a type of surgery to remove plaque build-up from the
carotid arteries in the neck. This procedure restores blood flow to the brain,
which can help prevent a stroke.
b) Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA given through an IV in the arm). tPA works by
dissolving the clot and improving blood flow to the part of the brain being
deprived of blood flow.
c) Aneurysm clipping may be done to stop the bleeding for haemorrhagic stroke. A
metal clip may be placed surgically at the base of the aneurysm to secure it.
d) Coiling procedure. A catheter is inserted into a vessel over the hip and other
catheters are navigated through the blood vessels to the vessels of the brain and
into the aneurysm. Coils are then packed into the aneurysm until it arises from
the blood vessel, preventing blood flow from entering the aneurysm.

18. Treatment for Stroke
Coiling procedure Aneurysm ClippingCarotid endarterectomy

19. References
a) http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/angina/basics/symptoms/con-20031194
b) https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cad
c) https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/smo
d) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7624.php
e) https://www.verywell.com/carbon-monoxide-in-cigarette-smoke-2824730
f) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrombosis
g) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherosclerosis
h) http://www.brainaneurysm.com/treatment

20. THANK YOU!
Smoking Kills!
Stop before its too late!