Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LH Cardiovascular Diseases
School	Inst of Cardiovascular Science
Department	Inst of Card Sciences
Module Code	01 38953
Module Lead	Dr Victoria Heath and Dr Neil Morgan (Co-leads)
Level	Honours Level
Credits	40
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites	LI Cardiorespiratory Physiology and Pharmacology - (02 30821)
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-30 hours Tutorial-10 hours Practical Classes and workshops-10 hours Guided independent study-350 hours Total: 400 hours
Exclusions
Description	Heart failure, primarily caused by atherosclerosis in coronary arteries is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Heart attack is most commonly associated with the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque and the resulting thrombus causing vessel occlusion. Understanding the biological processes that contribute to this pathology is central to this module. There will be an emphasis on cellular and molecular mechanisms of function and how these may change in disease. Topics will include the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, platelet function, thrombosis, cardiac myopathies and cardiorenal disease. This module draws on local expertise and research excellence in this area of cardiovascular sciences. It builds on the content from a range of first and second year modules, including that from modules on the cardiovascular system, Immunology and cell biology.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Describe and explain current knowledge in the field of cardiovascular pathology, including on blood flow, platelet function and vessel formation, with reference to the primary scientific literature Discuss what is currently known about how these biological processes malfunction in and contribute to various pathologies, such as bleeding disorders, atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathies, cardiac infarction, heart failure and ischaemia reperfusion injury, with reference to the primary scientific literature. Appraise scientific research papers and explain to peers experimental method, interpretation of results and the contribution to / advancement of the field of vascular biology and pathology. Perform and explain the methodology of experimental techniques used to research cardiovascular biology and pathology Analyse and interpret experimental data in written reports and discuss and present the methodology, demonstrating understanding of the experimental limitations and complexities, and placing findings in the context of the scientific literature.
Assessment	38953-01 : Overall Module Mark : Mixed (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	The module is assessed by a combination of a 3 hour written examination (50%) and course work (50%) - experimental data interpretation Reassessment: Academic failure: If a student fails the module then they will be required to repeat the failed components only. Failure to submit: Submission of coursework is compulsory for the programme. Students are advised that failure to submit without justifiable reason could result in failure of the module. Students will be required to submit outstanding work to meet the module outcomes.
Other
Reading List