Atherosclerosis Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis?
a disease in which plaque builds up inside your arteries.
What is plaque made of?
- Fat
- Cholesterol
- Calcium
- Other substances found in the blood
What occurs with this plaque over time?
Narrows your arteries and limits the flow of O2 to the body’s tissues and organs
What is atherosclerosis the usual cause of?
- Myocardial Infarction (MI) or Heart attack
- Cerebral vascular disease (CVA) or Stroke
- Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
Name four atherosclerosis-related diseases
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) or Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
- Carotid Artery Disease
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Chronic Kidney Disease
Explain the pathophysiology of CHD/CAD
- Atherosclerosis develops within the coronary arteries, which supply O2 directly to the cardiac muscle.
- As the plaque builds up, it restricts/blocks blood flow to the cardiac muscle
- The cardiac muscle doesn’t receive its O2 and will lead to irreversible tissue damage (angina/pain), or death.
What is angina and what are the two types?
- Angina is heart pain
- There is acute and chronic angina
What is important to remember about chronic angina (conditions)?
Chronic conditions can always lead to an acute exacerbation of whatever condition
Explain the pathophysiology of Carotid Artery Disease
- plaque build up in the carotid arteries which feed the brain
- Reduced or blocked flow results in a CVA/Stroke
- CVA = Cerebrovascular Accident
Explain the pathophysiology of Peripheral Arterial Disease
plaque builds up in the major arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the legs, arms, and pelvis.
What are the s/s of PAD?
The effected areas may have:
- numbness,
- pain,
- & sometimes infections
Explain the pathophysiology of Chronic Kidney Disease
- plaque build up in the renal arteries.
- Over time, chronic kidney disease causes a slow loss of kidney function
What are some early signs of kidney failure?
- Decreased urine output, although occasionally urine output remains normal.
- Fluid retention, causing swelling in your legs, ankles or feet.
How can we quickly check to assess blockage from atherosclerosis?
Palpate the pulses following the effected area, starting at the closest pulse to suspected location
What are the risk factors for atherosclerosis?
- Lack of exercise - modifiable
- Smoking - modifiable
- Unhealthy diet- modifiable
- High cholesterol
- may be modifiable PENDING on genetics
- Age
- Family history of heart disease
- Hypertension
Which risk factors of atherosclerosis are modifiable?
- Lack of exercise
- Smoking
- Unhealthy diet
- High cholesterol (MAYBE)
- PENDING on genetics
What is the MAIN treatment for atherosclerosis?
Lifestyle changes
In what organ is cholesterol produced?
Liver
How is cholesterol transported?
Via lipoproteins
What are the two types of lipoproteins?
- Low density lipoproteins (LDL)
- High density lipoprotein (HDL)
Describe LDLs
- Bad cholesterol
- Xports cholesterol throughout the body
- This is how cholesterol would collect in the artery walls
Describe HDLs
- Good cholesterol
- Removes excess cholesterol (from artery, etc) and xports back to liver for degradation
What type of medication is used to help manage atherosclerosis?
Statins
How do statins help with atherosclerosis?
Lowers production of LDLs by the liver
How do you identify the generic name of statins?
The names will end in “statin”
What are three name brands of statins?
- Lipitor
- Zocor
- Plavix
What is Niacin and how does it help in conjunction with statins?
- It is a vitamin
- It reduces LDL production
- It increases HDL production which will help rid the blood vessels of excess cholesterol
What do we want to keep in mind for pt teaching for Niacin?
- It causes vasodilation so the PT may become flush and warm
- Can take an aspirin to manage fever.
How is an atherosclerosis blockage assessed for severity?
- Via coronary angiography
- a procedure that uses a special dye (contrast material) and x-rays to see how blood flows through the arteries in your heart.
