Bikman - BV Path Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis?
- The most common form of arteriosclerosis.
- A narrowing and hardening of arteries due to intimal atheromas
- Atherosclerotic plaque
What vessels are most affected by atherosclerosis?
- Abdominal aorta
- Coronary arteries
- Popliteal arteries
- Carotid arteries
- Vessels of the circle of Willis
What are the contents of a plaque in atherosclerosis?
- Fibrous cap
- Lipid Core/Necrotic center
- Cell debris, cholesterol or foam cells, Ca2+) - Media
What factors can induce chronic endothelial “injury” that leads to atherosclerosis progression?
- Hypertension
- Hyperlipidemia
- Smoking
- Toxins
- Viruses
- Immune reactions
Doesn’t have to be a tearing of the endothelium
What are the steps of atherosclerosis progression?
- Chronic endothelial “injury”
- Endothelial dysfunction. Monocyte adhesion and emigration.
- Macrophage activation. SM recruitment. Cytokines recruit other lymphocytes.
- Leukocytes and SM cells engulf lipid.
* Hyperlipidemia is likely a primary player in etiology* - SM proliferation. Collagen and EC lipid deposition (complicated plaque)
How are atherosclerosis and BP related?
High BP damaged the endothelium and activates inflammation.
- Promotes turbulent flow in a BV
- Turbulent flow is evident in areas of branching or constriction of the BV
- Turbulent flow damages the endothelium
- Endothelial damage increaseslikelihood of cholesterol invasion/clot formation
What are the two categories of major risk factors of atherosclerosis?
Non-modifiable
- Age
- Gender
- Genetics
Modifiable
- Lifestyle
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Inflammation
What are complications of atherosclerosis?
- Stenosis
- Thrombosis/embolus
- Aneurysm
- Calcification
What modification is necessary for cholesterol to be pathogenic?
Oxidation
Does cholesterol have any impact on heart disease or mortality?
Very little
Two LDL cholesterol patterns/types?
A type
- Large, less dense
B type
- Small, more dense
Which LDL cholesterol type penetrates endothelium more easily?
B type
What are risk factors for pattern B cholesterol?
Genetics
Oral contraceptives
Diet
What kind of diet can induce LDL type B expression?
Low fat, high carb
-Can therefore increase heart disease
How can we measure LDL-B cholesterol?
LDL-S3 GGE test to measure the diameter of the LDL
What is a good surrogate to measure LDL-B in the absence of LDL-B measurements? What should the ideal value be?
TG:HDL ratio (
Do low fat diets increase or decrease heart disease risk for some?
Increase; increased dietary fat improved every lipid blood marker
Does promoting a high fat diet affect LDL particle size? And if so, how?
Increases diameter of LDL particle
Does sugar affect LDL size? And if so, how?
Decreases diameter
Sugar also impairs glucose and lipid metabolism
What enzyme mediates the conversion of O2 to H2O2?
Superoxide dismutase
What enzymes convert H2O2 into H2O? Which is most important?
Glutathione (GSH)
Catalase
GSH is most important
What happens if you don’t have enough GSH?
If you don’t have enough GSH due to excess oxidative stress, you have HO- free radicals floating around that can oxidize LDLs, making them pathogenic
T/F? Antioxidant therapy reduces atherosclerosis development?
True.
People with CAD have reduced antioxidant capacity
What is one way that we can increase antioxidant mechanisms?
Exercising
Keto diet increases GSH
What enzyme is a key regulator of cholesterol production?
HMG CoA Reductase
What two hormones affect cholesterol absorption?
Glucagon
Insulin
What is the effect on cholesterol absorption when insulin is high?
Increased absorption
Insulin activates HMG CoA Reductase, increasing cholesterol
What is the effect on cholesterol absorption when glucagon is high?
Decreased absorption
What are statins? What do they do?
HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitors
Prolong life in those with a h/o CV event, but they provide very little primary protection
What are some adverse side effects of statins?
Increased risk of adverse events - 40%
- Increased risk of diabetes
- – T2DM increased by 50%
- Kidney failure
- Liver failure
- Muscle pain
- – Rhabdomyolysis may be b/c of reduced ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10)