atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolaemia

Question 1

what is hypercholesterolaemia?

Answer 1

elevated cholesterol rich LDL

Question 2

what is atherosclerosis?

Answer 2

intima thickened by fibrous deposits

Question 3

process of plaque evolution from fatty streaks?

Answer 3

• fat present in young adults
• soft plaques more vulnerable
• interaction of substrate with circulating cells
• fibrous cap develops when smooth muscle cells migrate to intima
• tough fibrous matrix glues cells together

Question 4

what differentiates unstable and stable plaques?

Answer 4

unstable - thin cap
stable - thick cap

Question 5

drug class that inhibits cholesterol synthesis? and how it works?

Answer 5

statins
- inhibits HMG-CoA reductase

Question 6

what drug class prevents cholesterol reabsorption? and how it works?

Answer 6

resins
- non-absorbable macromolecules bind to cholesterol to prevent reabsorption

Question 7

drug that reduces VLDL secretion?

Answer 7

niacin (vit B3)
- decrease in secretion of particles from liver

Question 8

what drugs increase synthesis of lipoprotein lipase?

Answer 8

fibrates
- activate PPAR alpha , increasing lipoprotein lipase synthesis and beta-oxidation of lipids