1. What causes heart disease and how can it be treated?
Friday, 07 December 2018
What causes heart disease and how can it be treated?
All – Aiming for 4: To be able to state that the heartbeat is maintained by a group of cells that acts as a pacemaker and give some ways in which the heart can stop functioning efficiently. Describe why a person may need an artificial pacemaker or an artificial heart.
Most – Aiming for 6: to be able to explain why an irregular heartbeat is detrimental to health and describe why people may have objections to heart transplants. Summarise the advantages and disadvantages of different treatments for heart problems.
Some – Aiming for 8: to be able to explain how a natural pacemaker maintains the heartbeat and suggest how an artificial pacemaker regulates an irregular heartbeat. Evaluate in detail the different methods used in the treatment of heart problems.
Collect the information sheet on stents and statins. Use the information to summarise the benefits and risks associated with the treatments mentioned in the article.

2. The heart rate of the average person is 70 beats per minute.
L4: give some ways in which the heart can stop functioning efficiently
L6: explain why an irregular heartbeat is detrimental to health and describe why people may have objections to heart transplants
L8: explain how a natural pacemaker maintains the heartbeat and suggest how an artificial pacemaker regulates an irregular heartbeat
The heart rate of the average person is 70 beats per minute.
calculate how many times the average human heartbeats in a year?
70 beats per minute
4200 beats per hour
100,800 beats per day
36,792,000 beats per year
If you live to be 80 years old, your heart would have beaten approximately 2,943,360, 000 times

3. What could go wrong with this heart?
L4: give some ways in which the heart can stop functioning efficiently
L6: explain why an irregular heartbeat is detrimental to health and describe why people may have objections to heart transplants
L8: explain how a natural pacemaker maintains the heartbeat and suggest how an artificial pacemaker regulates an irregular heartbeat
What could go wrong with this heart?

4. Advantages
Disadvantages
artificial pacemakers
biological valves
artificial valves
artificial hearts
heart transplants

5. L4: give some ways in which the heart can stop functioning efficiently
L6: explain why an irregular heartbeat is detrimental to health and describe why people may have objections to heart transplants
L8: explain how a natural pacemaker maintains the heartbeat and suggest how an artificial pacemaker regulates an irregular heartbeat
Exam question
M1.(a)     any two from:
•        carbon dioxide / CO2
•        urea
•        protein
•        water / H2O
•        hormones / insulin.
ignore food / waste / alcohol / drugs / enzymes
ignore glucose and oxygen
allow two correct hormones for 2 marks
allow two correct food components for 2 marks
allow antibodies
allow antitoxins 2
(b)     (i)      plasma 1
Platelets 1
(ii)     (cardiac) muscle allow muscular

6. 6 mark question
0 marks - No relevant content Level 1 (1−2 marks) There is a description of at least one advantage of the cow tissue valve or a description of at least one disadvantage of the cow tissue valve. Level 2 (3−4 marks) There is a description of at least one advantage of the cow tissue valve and at least one disadvantage of the cow tissue valve. Level 3 (5−6 marks) There is a description of the advantages and disadvantages of the cow tissue valve a description of several advantages of the cow tissue valve and at least one disadvantage. Examples of the points made in the response Advantages of cow tissue valve: • abundant supply of cows • so shorter waiting time ignore can take many years to find a suitable human donor • no need for tissue typing • quicker operation • less invasive or shorter recovery time • cheaper operation costs • less operation / anaesthetic risks. Disadvantages of cow tissue valve: • made from cow so possible objections on religious grounds ignore ethical arguments • new procedure so could be unknown risks allow possible transfer of disease from cow • risks of using a stent eg. blood clots, stent breaking or valve tearing • not proven as a long term treatment • may be rejected ignore information copied directly from the table without value added.