Atherosclerosis

Question 1

Aneurysm

Answer 1

Weakened bulging area of artery wall that results from blood clotting behind a blockage caused by plaques.
Can be treated by surgery before they burst.
If it bursts, leads to massive internal bleeding, blood loss and drop in bp.
Often occur in arteries supplying brain or in aorta, especially abdominal aorta.

Question 2

Hypertension

Answer 2

plaque = narrower = higher blood pressure
• may cause severe damage in organs
• damages tiny blood vessels in kidney narrowing the vessels = high blood pressure
= proteins forced out through walls
• blood vessels supplying retina = easily damaged
blockage = starved of O2 = death of cells = blindness

Question 3

Angina

Answer 3

• plaques deposited on endothelium ca
• reduces blood flow to cardiac muscle
• not enough O2 = cm resorts to anaerobic respiration

• pain exercise
• regular exercise, losing weight, not smoking

• drugs rapid dilation of ca
• stent: metal mesh tube inserted into artery

Question 4

Myocardial infarction

Answer 4

• clot blocks coronary artery enturely
• deprives cardiac muscle of O2
• cells dies, can stop heart functioning
• can result from CHD

Question 5

Thrombosis

Answer 5

• when blood cells gather and form a blood clot in a blood vessel

Question 6

what do thrombosis often lead to?

Answer 6

a heart attack or a stroke

Question 7

how does a thrombosis form

Answer 7

plaque formation >
wall is stiffened, making it much more likely to suffer cracks of damage >
platelets touch damaged endothelial surface and clotting process is triggered