1.2.1 - Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
What Is CVD?
Is the general term for conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels.
What Are Risk Factors?
Are factors that can be linked to an increased risk of diseases.
What Are The Lifestyle Factors Linked To CVD?
(3 Points)
~ Diet.
~ High blood pressure.
~ Smoking.
One Lifestyle Factor Is Diet, Explain It
(2 Points)
~ A diet high in saturated fat, increases blood cholesterol levels, increasing atheroma formation and therefore thrombosis.
~ A diet high in salt increases blood pressure.
One Lifestyle Factor Is High Blood Pressure, Explain It
Increases risk of damage to artery walls, increasing atheroma formation and therefore thrombosis.
One Lifestyle Factor Is Smoking, Explain It
~ Carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin in red blood cells, reducing its oxygen carrying capacity, decreasing respiration in the cells of the brain and heart leading to strokes and heart attacks.
~ Nicotine causes increased risk of thrombosis by increasing the agglutination of platelets.
~ Smoking decreases the levels of protective chemicals called antioxidants in the blood, increasing the risk of damage to cells lining the arteries, leading to an atheroma forming and therefore thrombosis.
What Are The Factors Beyond Control Linked To CVD?
~ Genetics.
~ Age.
~ Biological sex.
One Factor Beyond Control Is Genetics, Explain It
Individuals can inherit alleles making them more prone to high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol, therefore more likely to develop CVD.
One Factor Beyond Control Is Age, Explain It
The risk of developing CVD increases with age due to blood vessels becoming more fragile and plaque building up over time.
One Factor Beyond Control Is Biological Sex, Explain It
Men are three time more likely to suffer with CVD than premenopausal women, most likely due to lower levels of hormones such as oestrogen, which increases the level of good cholesterol in the blood.
