Case study 1:

atherosclerosis is narrowing of the arteries caused by the accumulation of fatty deposits on the arterial walls. on june 22, 2002, the st. louis cardinals were preparing for their upcoming baseball game against the chicago cubs. concern arose when their prized pitcher, 33-year old darryl kile did not show up for practice. soon after, he was found still in his hotel room where he had suddenly died in his sleep (new york times, 2002). it was discovered that the cause of death was related to three of his coronary arteries being 80–90% blocked as a result of atherosclerosis (new york times, 2002), which ultimately caused him to suffer a heart attack.

answer the following 3 questions in regard to this case study:

provide a description of how the heart functions. based on this, explain why atherosclerosis would result in a heart attack.
how are arteries different from veins and capillaries? describe the functions of arteries, veins, and capillaries.
vertebrates and some invertebrates have a closed circulatory system. describe each of these. explain the advantage of having a closed circulatory system over an open circulatory system.
case study 2:

cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the united states, causing an estimated 438,000 deaths—or about 1 out of every 5 smokers—each year (woloshin, schwartz, & welch, 2008).

mr. amos is 57 years old and has been smoking for the past 30 years of his life. a recent doctor's visit revealed that mr. amos has stage-3 lung cancer, characterized by his symptoms of nagging chest pain, fatigue, coughing up blood, substantial weight loss, and increased carbon dioxide levels in his blood. the doctor informed mr. amos that had he quit his smoking habit several years ago, he would have reduced his risk for developing lung cancer later in life. mr. amos immediately began treatment for the lung cancer that had metastasized to his lymph nodes.

answer the following 3 questions regarding this case study:

briefly describe the respiratory system. what main components in cigarettes affect the respiratory system? explain the effect of 2 compounds on specific organs, cells, and processes in the respiratory system.
there are alternate mechanisms of transporting carbon dioxide (co2) and oxygen (o2) in the blood. explain how smoking might lead to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.
can smoking affect other organ systems of the body? give specific examples, and briefly explain your answer.