20. Nutritional Aspects of Cardiovascular Diseases Flashcards
What is the number 1 mortality cause in Western countries?
cardiovascular disease
What is the main cause of cardiovascular disease?
atherosclerosis
What happens in coronary heart disease?
- plaque builds up in coronary arteries
- these arteries are vital for supplying the heart with oxygen
What are 3 types of main coronary heart disease?
- stable/ unstable angina
- acuta myocardial infarction (MI; heart attack)
- sudden death with or without history of chest pain and/or previous infarction
Define stroke.
-sudden localised loss of brain function due to ischaemia OR haemorrhage and lasting longer than 24 hours
What are MOST stroke causes due to in UK?
Due to ischaemia; which is due to thrombosis (85%); blood clot in vessel and and emboli; travelling blood clot
What are haemorrhagic strokes due to?
consequence of rupture of arterial wall due to aneurysm or wall disease
What are 2 types of strokes?
- Ischaemic (due to thrombus or embolus)
2. Haemorrhagic (bleeding)
What other disease often co-exists with cardiovascular disease?
paripheral vascular disease
What vessels does peripheral vascular disease affect? (3)
disease of the... 1. aorta 2. iliac arteries 3. leg arteries (essentially restricted blood supply to leg muscles)
What are 6 main “groups” of cardiovascular disease?
- coronary heart disease (CHD)
- stroke
- peripheral vascular disease
- rheumatic heart disease
- congenital heart disease
- deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
What does rheumatic heart disease cause?
damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever caused by streptococcal bacteria
What are congenital heart disease?
malformations of heart structure existing at birth
With developing atherogenesis, what 3 diseases become increasingly more common particularly?
- ischaemic heart disease
- stroke
- peripheral vascular disease
Describe the steps in formation of an atherosclerotic plaque. (4)
- normal
- fatty streak (with foam cells)
- fibrous cap and lipid core formed (lipid-rich plaque)
- thrombus formed
List the steps of the development of an atheroscletotic lesion. (7)
- endothelial cell dysfunction (decrease in NO production and LDL production)
- endothelial cell activation (VCAM1 and ICAM1 produced with collagen proteins)
- infammation (monocyte, t cell and foam cell recruitment)
- proteolysis and apoptosis
- lipid core and fibrous cap formation
- angiogenesis (thrombus attaches to atheroma formed_
- thrombosis (formation of established blood clot in blood vessel wall)
What 2 processes occur in the tunica intima which induce cytokine and macrophage production that create proliferation and foam cell production in atheromas?
- monocyte adhesion
2. diapedesis
What is diapedesis?
passage of blood cells through the intact walls of capillaries, typically accompanying inflammation
What are foam cells?
- indication of plaque build up and atherosclerosis
- formed when macrophages sent to fatty deposits on blood vessel walls
- macrophages surround fatty tissue to destroy it but become filled with lipids
- lipids surrounded by macrophages gives it the “foamy” appearance
What are main risks of cardiovascular disease? (9)
- diet (if excess energy intake)
- obesity
- hypertension
- insulin resistances, diabetes
- physical activity
- smoking
- alcohol
- foetal and infant growth
- genetic
What substances are pro-atherogenic? (5)
- cholesterol
- saturated fatty acids
- trans fatty acids
- sodium
- alcohol
What substances are anti-atherogenic?
- polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)
- carbohydrate rich diet
- non-starch polysaccharides
- monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA)
- antioxidants
What are 2 miscellaneous factors (different elements) that decrease risk of CV disease?
- homocysteine
2. B12 and folate
What type of cholesterol has a strong link with coronary heart disease?
LDL cholesterol in plasma
What is plasma concentration of LDL influenced by? (2)
- fat content
2. quality in diet
How does reduction in plasma cholesterol affect risk of coronary heart disease?
1% reduction in plasma cholesterol translates to 2-3% lower risk of coronary heart disease
What can hypercholesterolaemia be caused by?
- poor lifestyle
2. genetic
What is HDL cholesterol associated with?
associated with LOWER risk of coronary heart disease but only when LDL cholesterol is high
When is dietary cholesterol a problem to health?
when there is a presence of hypercholesterolaemia