2.6 Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis?
The process of the accumulation of fatty materials under the endothelium forming an atheroma
What is atherosclerosis the root cause of?
- Angina
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Peripheral Vascular Disease
What happens if atheromas rupture?
They damage the endothelium
What is prothrombin converted to?
Thrombin due to clotting factors being released
What does thrombin cause to be formed?
Causes molecules of the plasma protein fibrinogen to form threads of fibrin
What does fibrin form?
A meshwork that clots the blood, seals the wound and provides a scaffold for the formation of scar tissue
What is formation of a thrombus called?
Thrombosis
What happens if thrombus breaks loose?
Forms an embolus and travels through the bloodstream until it blocks a narrower blood vessel
What does thrombosis in a coronary artery lead to?
A heart attack
What does thrombosis in an artery in the brain lead to?
A stroke
What is Peripheral Vascular Disease?
Narrowing of the arteries due to atherosclerosis of arteries other than those of heart or brain
Where does DVT form a blood clot?
A deep vein most commonly in the leg
What does DVT result in?
Pulmonary Metabolism
What is cholesterol?
A type of lipid molecule found in the cell membrane
What does a higher blood cholesterol level lead to?
A higher risk of heart disease
What does cholesterol contribute to?
The formation of atheromas
What are the two lipoproteins?
High Density Lipoproteins and Low Density Lipoproteins
What do HDL’s do?
Transport cholestrol from body tissues to liver to be broken down
What do HDL’s prevent?
High level of cholesterol build up in blood stream
What is HDL known as?
Good cholesterol
What do LDL’s do?
Transport cholestrol made by liver to body cells
What do body cells have?
LDL receptors
What happens if body cells have sufficient cholestrol?
Negative feedback is triggered
What happens when negative feedback is triggered?
It inhibits the synthesis of new LDL receptors
What happens after the synthesis of new LDL receptors?
Less LDL is taken up by body cells, so more is left circulating in blood vessels
What happens when less LDL is taken up by body cells?
Endothelial cells now take up cholesterol deposited in artery walls called atherosclerosis
What does a higher ratio of HDL:LDL mean?
Lower blood cholesterol and a reduced chance of atherosclerosis
What are treatments of high cholesterol?
- Regular exercise
- Dietary
- Statins
