title: An educational device for a hands-on activity to visualize the effect of atherosclerosis on blood flow.
abstract: An educational device was created to develop a hands-on activity to illustrate how atherosclerosis can dramatically reduce blood flow in human vessels. The device was conceived, designed, and built at the University of Coimbra, in response to a request from the Exploratório Infante D. Henrique Science Centre Museum, where it is presently installed. The device was designed to allow lay audience to operate it, including school-age youngsters. The two blood flow reduction mechanisms that can be visualized are 1) thickening of the artery wall and 2) hardening of the artery wall. The main objective is to promote the understanding of atherosclerotic cardiovascular physiology by simple and direct experiments. This original educational interactive device was constructed using, in the conceptual and design stages of the project, a Newtonian theoretical flow model based on Poiseuille's equation. This device is driven by human force and provides a visualization of the effect of atherosclerosis on flow. The main aspects relating to its design and construction are described here to explain and disseminate this approach. Throughout more than 4 yr of real operation, this educational device proved to be a simple and attractive way of understanding atherosclerosis, especially among young people.
authors.affiliation: Marine and Environmental Research Centre, Institute of Marine Research, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra, Rua Luís Reis Santos, Coimbra, Portugal Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: J P P G L
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: J L M P
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: de Lima
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001775:Blood Circulation; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology; D003187:Compliance; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D006801:Humans; D010827:Physiology / Q000193:education; D011174:Portugal
keywords: didactic cardiovascular apparatus; thickening and hardening of the artery wall