Category: Science
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Beth talks blood: Part 8
What is cardiovascular disease?Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels. It is typically associated with a build of fatty deposits inside blood vessels known as atherosclerosis and an increased risk of blood clots known as thrombosis [1-2]. It can also be associated with damage to arteries in…
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Beth talks blood: part 7
Blood & the immune system:The immune system is essential for our survival, without it our bodies would be open to attack from bacteria, viruses, parasites and more. It is made of up of organs, cells and chemicals that fight infection. It can distinguish our tissue from foreign tissue i.e. self from non-self. Dead and faulty…
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Beth talks blood: part 6
Let’s talk about fat… Fats that circulate in the blood are called lipids (fat-soluble components of living cells). Cholesterol and triglycerides are both lipids that have essential roles in the body but in excess they can be harmful [1-3]. What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is required to build cell walls and to produce hormones and vitamin…
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Beth talks blood: Part 5
We all know that I’m a platelet girl at heart but we mustn’t forget the blood coagulation cascade, it is a vital part of haemostasis. Platelets and coagulation factors work together to prevent bleeding in incidences such as vascular injury. So one can’t be without the other and like most systems in the body, it…
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Beth talks blood: Part 4
Platelets (or thrombocytes) are tiny blood cells that help our body to form clots to stop bleeding! Platelets are pretty important for normal haemostasis (arrest of bleeding), without platelets we’d bleed out from the smallest of injuries [1, 2]. Max Schultze in 1865 first described platelets as “spherules” which he noted were much smaller…
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Beth Talks Blood: Part 3
The blood circulatory system (cardiovascular system) delivers oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in the body. It is comprised of the heart and blood vessels that run through the entire body. Blood is circulated around the body through blood vessels by the pumping action of the heart [1]. In animals with lungs, arterial blood…
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Beth talks blood: Part 2
Blood is constantly being made by the cells inside our bone marrow. This means our bodies can usually replace any blood lost through small cuts or wounds. However, when a lot of blood is lost through larger wounds it needs to be replaces via a blood transfusion (donated by other people). In 1628 British physician…
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Beth talks blood: Part 1
What is blood?Blood is actually a tissue, its made up of a variety of different cells with different purposes! It’s a very important bodily fluid in humans and other animals that deliverers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those cells [1-2]. Blood is essential…
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CHECK YOUR BOOBS
PSA – CHECK YOUR BOOBS* *or pecs – this involves everyone! Checking your boobs/pecs regularly might just save your life! THE FACTS: 1 in 8 women will be affected by breast cancer in their lifetime. Around 400 men are diagnosed every year. Breast cancer is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women under 40…
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The importance of cervical screenings
Here in the UK, if you’re 25 or over and have a cervix you should be invited to have a cervical screening test by your GP. If for whatever reason you fit the criteria but are not invited you must speak to your GP to make an appointment, it could save your life. The topic…