Are there misconceptions about the coronary system’s role in heart attacks? A novel and reproducible approach to demonstrate the anatomy of a heart attack (536.8)
Data collected has shown that misconceptions of the Coronary System’s role in heart attacks exist amongst the undergraduate anatomy students surveyed. Namely demonstrated was a misunderstanding of how the heart receives its own blood for its metabolism. Understanding one of the leading causes of death in the United States, Myocardial Infarction or heart attacks, is a part of the undergraduate anatomy curriculum. While studying the anatomy and physiology of the heart, students may have focused more of their time learning about the larger vessels associated with the circulatory system, with less attention paid to the smaller coronary arteries. The purpose of this study was three-fold: 1) To assess whether there were any misconceptions about heart attacks such as the misconception that heart attacks are caused by cessation in systemic circulation (Sudden Cardiac Arrest). 2) To design the Coronary Blood Flow Bio Model (CBBM), a reproducible demonstration of the Coronary System, that is easily implemented in any class setting and is inexpensive to produce. 3) To evaluate the efficacy of the CBBM in regards to students’ understanding of the coronary arteries and their role in heart attacks. Post demonstration assessment suggests that the CBBM demonstration helped clear up misconceptions about heart attacks. The CBBM design allows for a Myocardial Infarction to be simulated by using a cut sponge for the myocardium, wrapped with vinyl tubing to represent the coronary arteries. Using a syringe filled with a red solution and a simple hemostat to simulate an occlusion, students were able to visualize the cessation of perfusion in a coronary artery, leading to cell death, and manifestation as a heart attack.