96. Lipids in Health and Disease

Question 1

Cholesterol Functions in Health (name 3)

Answer 1

• Plasma Membrane: Cholesterol helps maintain membrane integrity and acts as a barrier to ions and solutes.
• Cell Signalling: Forms lipid rafts that facilitate communication between receptor proteins and second messengers.
• Precursor Molecule: Essential for the synthesis of bile acids, vitamin D, and steroid hormones.

Question 2

Triglycerides Functions in Health (name 2)

Answer 2

Cell Membranes: Similar to cholesterol, they have both polar and non-polar regions.

Energy Storage: Serve as highly concentrated energy stores.

Question 3

Specialized proteins that transport lipids in the blood due to their hydrophobic nature.

Answer 3

Lipoproteins

Question 4

describe Lipoproteins

Answer 4

Specialized proteins that transport lipids in the blood due to their hydrophobic nature.

Question 5

name the types of lipoproteins (4)

Answer 5

VLDL, IDL, LDL, and HDL, each varying in density and lipid content.

Question 6

Cholesterol Transport. where are the 2 places lipids are transported to

Answer 6

liver to tissues
tissues to liver

Question 7

when cholesterol is being carried from the liver to the tissues. what is it being carried by……. which then becomes ….. and then? why?

Answer 7

From Liver to Tissues: Carried by VLDL, which becomes IDL and then LDL as it loses triglycerides.

Question 8

when cholesterol is being carried to the liver from the tissues. what is it being carried by…….

Answer 8

HDL

Question 9

Atherosclerosis is essentially …………of the arterial walls.

Answer 9

inflammation

Question 10

arly lesions consisting of lipid-laden white blood cells are called

Answer 10

fatty streaks

Question 11

Describe Fibrous Cap Formation

Answer 11

Advanced lesions form a fibrous cap over a necrotic core.

Question 12

Plaque Rupture: Leads to what?

Answer 12

thrombosis and potential artery occlusion.

Question 13

The Lipid Hypothesis was propsed by who and when?

Answer 13

Virchow in 1856

Question 14

what was the lipid hypothesis

Answer 14

Linking cholesterol and saturated fat to cardiovascular disease.

Question 15

which trials showed clear benefits in reducing cardiovascular events

Answer 15

Statins

Question 16

what are types of medical research

Answer 16

Expert Opinion: Insights from specialists in the field.
Case Reports/Case Series: Detailed reports of individual or series of cases.
Case-Control Studies: Compare groups with different outcomes to identify causal factors.
Cohort Studies: Follow groups over time to study risk factors and outcomes.
Randomised Clinical Trials (RCTs): Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups to test interventions.
Systematic Reviews: Comprehensive reviews of all relevant high-quality studies on a specific question.
Meta-Analyses: Statistical techniques to combine results from multiple studies.

Question 17

1990s Trials: Demonstrated that statins reduce cardiovascular events by ….

Answer 17

25-30%

Question 18

Explain Statins: Modes of Action

Answer 18

Cholesterol Synthesis: Statins inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver, leading to increased LDL receptor expression and reduced blood cholesterol levels.

Beyond Cholesterol: Statins also reduce inflammation and stabilize atheromatous plaques, preventing their formation and progression.

Question 19

what does VLDL stand for

Answer 19

very low density lipoprotein

Question 20

what does IDL stand for

Answer 20

intermediate density lipoprotein

Question 21

LDL Clearance

Answer 21

If not enough LDL is cleared from the bloodstream, it accumulates.

Question 22

Inflammation and Cholesterol Transport:
inflammation inhibits what?
which causes?

Answer 22

Inflammation: Inhibits reverse cholesterol transport (the process of removing cholesterol from tissues and returning it to the liver).

Vicious Cycle: Increased LDL leads to more inflammation, which further inhibits cholesterol clearance, creating a cycle of worsening conditions.

Question 23

where does atherosclerosis take place

Answer 23

endothelium of arteries

Question 24

what are early changes in atherosclerosis

Answer 24

• increased endothelial permeability to lipoproteins and other plasma constituents
• up-regulation of leucocyte (white blood cell) and endothelial adhesion molecules; and migration of leucocytes into the artery wall.
• This last is mediated by various things notably including oxidised low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

Question 25

Macrophages laden with lipids are called ……cells

Answer 25

foam

Question 26

what are foam cells

Answer 26

Macrophages laden with lipids

Question 27

The fibrous cap covers a mixture of leucocytes, lipid, and debris, which may form a what

Answer 27

necrotic core