340.855.01 SS/R: BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY

Acquaints students without a clinical medicine background with cardiovascular pathophysiology. Topics covered include cardiac structure and function, atherosclerosis, lipids, heart failure, hypertension, kidney function and diabetes. Focuses on the pathological processes that lead to subclinical and clinical disease and common diagnostic techniques.

(1)Understand normal and abnormal cardiac and vascular anatomy and physiology; (2) Describe pathophysiologic processes involved in common cardiovascular disease states, including atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and heart failure; (3) Describe biological mechanisms through which cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, kidney disease and diabetes, affect the cardiovascular system; and (4) Identify the diagnostic techniques used to assess common cardiovascular disease states, including invasive and non-invasive imaging techniques.