Question

1) Eddie, an overweight 40-year-old, decides it’s time for his first physical in ten years. He has no history of heart issues, but his father died of a myocardial infarction at age 41 and his mother is diabetic. What tests would the MD order to get a read on his heart? The doctor would also tell him to take a daily over the counter anticoagulant. What should he buy at the drug store?

2) Explain why mature red blood cells cannot undergo mitosis.

Answer 1

1. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have increased to many folds due to modern lifestyle which lacks physical activity and healthy food habits. CVD has become one of the major cause of morbidity and mortality through out the world. Risk for CVD rises with obesity and family history. It is important to get oneself checked regularly for cardiovascular health. Some of the common tests to diagnose the cardiac conditions are :

1. blood tests : blood tests for cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides help detect the cardiovascular health.
Blood tests can also detect troponin and CPK that indicates damage to cardiac myocytes.
2. exercise stress test : this tests helps detect the level of cardiovascular fitness

3. Electrocardiography(ecg) : ECG helps to detect any abnormal heart rhythms

4. echocardiography: diagnostic test used to detect the shape, size, location and functions of the heart.
5. Cardiac CT : it helps to diagnose the deposition of atherosclerotic plague in the arteries and the heart walls.
2. The RBC are the blood cells that contain haemoglobin. The haemoglobin binds to oxygen and transports it to different body parts. A mature RBC is oval in shape and lacks nucleus and cell organelles. This helps the rbc to accomodate more amount of haemoglobin in it which will increase the oxygen carrying capacity of rbc. In the absence of nucleus and cell organelles, rbc cannot undergo mitosis.