1. CVD: classification, epidemiology and risk

Question 1

What are the possible Cardio Vascular Diseases (3)?

Answer 1

Disorders of the Heart and blood Vessels
Disorders of Blood Coagulation (thrombosis)
Disorders relating to other organs due to abnormal blood supply e.g. Stroke in the brain

Question 2

What are the diseases often mistaken for CVD but is not?

Answer 2

Diseases relating to the formation of blood - Haemotological disease like blood cancers

Question 3

What are the 2 CVD association and which is the most common?

Answer 3

CVD can be Inherited (congenital)

or it can be acquired (develops over time). Most CVD is acquired.

Question 4

Of the 50,000 people a day killed by CVD globally, what is the % killed by coronary heart disease and what is the % killed by stroke?

Answer 4

42% Coronary Heart disease leading to Heart Attack

37% Stroke

Question 5

In the UK, what is currently happening to people with CVD in terms of Mortality and Morbidity?

Answer 5

Morbidity (having the disease) is increasing but Mortality (dying from the disease) is decreasing

Question 6

What is one of the reasons why Mortality and Morbidity is this way?

Answer 6

Morbidity is increasing due to more people leading unhelathy lifestyles e.g. diet and excercise.
Less is dying from the disease due to developments in medicines to control the disease and also different clinical procedures.

Question 7

What are some of the reasons for some areas having a higher % of deaths due to CVD than others?

Answer 7

1. Socioeconomic reasons e.g. empolyment, education and income
2. Lifestyle

Question 8

Most CVD is acquired over time as a result of lifestyle factors, but what are the genetic factors often involved in the increased risk of acquiring CVD?

Answer 8

Age (older = increase risk)
Gender (Male = increased risk)
Family History
Smoking
Sedentary lifestyle (little physical activity)
Diabetes
Serum LDL cholesterol (high LDL-C = increased risk)
Hypertension

Question 9

What is the substantial evidence for the risks listed?

Answer 9

Longitudinal Large Cohort Studies

Question 10

There is an Algorithm available involving the different risk factors, what do the results mean?

Answer 10

If an individual gets a result of >10% risk, then intervention is required to lower it.

Question 11

What does the term ‘primary prevention’ mean?

Answer 11

Preventative measures to stop the disease from occuring for example preventing exposure to hazards, making beneficial lifestyle changes and altering unhealthy or unsafe behaviours that increase the risk of disease e.g. stop smoing, getting Immunistations

Question 12

What does the term ‘Secondary Prevention’ mean?

Answer 12

This is aimed to reduce the impact of a disease or injury that has already occured. This is done by treating the disease to halt or slow its progress, encouraging personal stratergies to reduce the risk of reccurance of disease, and implementing programmes to return people to their original health.

Question 13

What are the preventative measures in individuals at high RISK of developing CVD (i.e. haven’t developed it yet)

Answer 13

1. Screening Programes: To identify populations at risk, and investigate the risk to individuals
2. Intervention to reduce modifiable risks: educate the individual of the risk, implement lifestyle and behavioural alteration and if necessary use pharmacological intervantion to reduce the risk of CVD.

Question 14

What are the aims of Secondary Prevention?

Answer 14

Extend Survival
Improve quality of life
Decrease the need for major intervention
Reduce the risk of subsequent major CVD event