Atherosclerosis

Question 1

What are positive risk factors for atherosclerosis?

Answer 1

High LDL concentration
Cigarette Smoking
Diabetes
Hypertension

Question 2

What are negative risk factors for atherosclerosis?

Answer 2

High HDL concentration

Physical fitness

Question 3

What is metabolic syndrome?

Answer 3

Abdominal obesity
Hypertension
Elevated fasting blood glucose
Elevated blood lipid

Question 4

What are the features of metabolic syndrome?

Answer 4

Fat in organs not designed for fat storage

Question 5

What makes the plaque unstable?

Answer 5

Thin fibrous cap

High lipid content in core

Question 6

What are the four consequences of atherosclerosis?

Answer 6

Narrowing of lumen
Chronic occlusion
Embolism
Aneurysm

Question 7

What happens when the vessel lumen narrows?

Answer 7

When the plaque ruptures, it releases pro-coagulants which produce a clot that can occlude the entire vessel

Question 8

What happens in chronic occlusion?

Answer 8

Insufficient blood flow to organ (ischaemia)

Question 9

What happens during embolism?

Answer 9

Fragments of atherosclerosis can cause occlusion in other regions

Question 10

What happens during aneurysm?

Answer 10

Plaque extends into the medial layer, which severely weakens the artery wall