Understanding cardiovascular diseases
On this page
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 Tutor-marked assignment (TMA) | |
| End-of-course assessment | No residential school |
Register for the course
This course is available for study in the countries shown.
Summary
This course provides an introductory overview of the diseases of the heart and circulation, and the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system. You’ll study risk factors and patterns and methods of prevention of these diseases in a global context. The course text, case studies, and multimedia illustrate the characteristic symptoms and pathology of peripheral vascular and coronary heart disease; their diagnosis using a variety of techniques; and subsequent medical, surgical and lifestyle management. The course will appeal to patients, health care workers, people working in professions allied to medicine, and those with a general interest in the subject.
Course content
The course will:
- introduce the different major types of cardiovascular disease and underlying risk factors
- describe the cardiovascular system and how it functions normally
- outline the patterns of cardiovascular disease, and the ways in which genetic factors combine with environmental and lifestyle factors to affect risk in different groups of people
- describe how cardiovascular disease can be prevented, both in individuals and whole populations
- outline the pathological processes that occur in vascular disease and show how understanding these processes can lead to effective treatment
- describe what occurs during a heart attack and in the recovery period
- examine the types of investigations that can be carried out to assess the damage that has been caused by a heart attack and any underlying cardiovascular disease
- look at the options for medical management of different types of cardiovascular disease, and relate these options to the diagnostic investigations and the pathology
- describe the types of surgical intervention that may be performed for different conditions
- outline how patients can be rehabilitated following a heart attack, and adapt their lifestyle to slow further disease progression and reduce the likelihood of subsequent attacks.
The course integrates multimedia and text to show how the heart functions in normal conditions and what can occur when things go wrong. Relevant video sequences on DVD are used to show what happens during, for example, cardiac emergencies, and how medical teams diagnose and manage heart attacks. Case studies of different people are incorporated throughout the text, in order to convey the experience of the individual patient. These clinical case studies are used to link the medical aspects of patient care to the underlying science.
Entry
You are not expected to have any knowledge of cardiovascular diseases, but you should be able to read and understand written English of a style and complexity characteristic of a professional magazine or quality newspaper. If you have not studied up to GCSE level fairly recently, you should expect to spend longer on the course materials.
It is essential that you establish whether or not your background and experience give you a sound basis on which to tackle the course, since students who are appropriately prepared have the best chance of completing their studies successfully. Level 1 courses provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning, to help you to progress to courses at Level 2.
The package Are you ready for science study? offers an interactive quiz to help you decide whether you already have the recommended background knowledge or experience to start the course or whether you should consider first studying an Openings course.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Outside the UK
The course focuses on the person with cardiovascular disease in the context of the UK National Health Service and includes, where necessary, references to the treatment plans and diagnostic tests used in the UK. Although the provision of services for cardiovascular treatment and education is likely to differ outside the UK, the course makes references to global issues and ethnic and class differences in the incidence of disease.
Preparatory work
We suggest that students who have not studied formally for some time consider taking an Openings course, such as Understanding health (Y158) , before starting SK121. If you do not already have the necessary computing and internet skills, we recommend you study sections three and four of the SAFARI materials, provided by the OU Library, before you begin your study of SK121. As an alternative you may wish to take one of the many courses available at your local night school or college.
If you particularly wish to improve your study skills you’re strongly advised to read The Sciences Good StudyGuide (1997) by A. Northedge, J. Thomas, A. Lane and A. Peasgood, ISBN: 9780749234119 which can be purchased from www.ouw.co.uk. Further advice is available from the Learning with the OU website.
Qualifications
SK121 is an optional course in our:
- BSc (Honours) Natural Sciences (B16)
- BA/BSc (Honours) Health Studies (B17)
- BSc (Honours) Life Sciences (B28)
- Diploma of Higher Education in Health Sciences (E49)
- Diploma of Higher Education in Paramedic Sciences (E52)
- Diploma of Higher Education in Operating Department Practice (E58)
- Foundation Degree in Paramedic Sciences (G11)
- Foundation Degree in Health Sciences (G12)
- Foundation Degree in Operating Department Practice (G19)
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it can help to weight your degree towards a BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
If you have severely impaired sight or manual dexterity you may find using the web and the multimedia resources challenging. All electronic or multimedia aspects of the course materials are accessible, allowing navigation through the use of keyboard and short cut keys. The printed course materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) as screen readable eBooks. Some components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Large print versions of the course material can be provided on request. Other alternative formats of the course materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting your needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
A course book and other printed materials, a DVD-ROM, course website and online forum facilities.
You will need
You will need a simple calculator.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the course material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. We also offer computer-based tutorials in which you are encouraged to participate. Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in November 2009. We expect it to be available once a year, in November.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Health and Social Care and Science.
Study explained
- Course
- - a module of study that can count towards a qualification.
- Credit points
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
- Level
- - indicates how difficult a course is. Undergraduate study starts at Level 1.
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
Student Reviews
I really enjoyed this course and found the course materials very interesting. The course gave a good overall view of ...
Read more
This was a brilliant course with excellent tutor support. It was well designed and written with interesting assignment questions. Assignment ...
Read more
Course satisfaction survey
See the satisfaction survey results for this course.
Got a question?
Contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service
Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90
Browse the prospectus
Request a print prospectus
Share
This PageThe University wishes to emphasise that, while every effort is made to regularly update this site, the material on it is subject to alteration or amendment in the light of changes in regulations or in policy or of financial or other necessity.