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Cardiovascular Diseases and Aneurysms

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The human body is a highly complex system of organs that operates efficiently at a cellular level to ensure proper functionality and longevity of the human race. However, even the slightest changes to its operation can lead to complications. In order to better understand the human body and how it works; an understanding of the diseases it is susceptible to is necessary. The cardiovascular system, in particular, is vulnerable to debilitating disease such as aneurysms, which is a ballooning of a blood vessel, or even an embolism (when any foreign body enters the blood stream). Blood vessels include arteries, capillaries and veins and therefore these events can occur anywhere in the body (i.e. the heart or the brain). There are different types of aneurysms including saccular, fusiform and pseudo-aneurysms. Saccular aneurysms only develop on part of the vessel wall and are spherical in shape. Fusiform aneurysms are ovoid in shape and develop over the entire vessel cross section. Pseudo-aneurysms are not true aneurysms but they occur as a result of a tear in the vessel wall thus collecting the blood pooled by extravascular tissue (Group). The exact cause of an aneurysm is not known but is correlated with certain previous existing conditions. Existing conditions that may have an effect on the development of an aneurysm are inherited predispositions to this disease, lifestyles, and high blood pressure. Some individuals are predisposed to developing aneurysms if their blood

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