Cardio Flashcards
Definition of atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on your artery walls.
Does atherosclerosis occur in low or high pressure systems?
Occurs in high pressure systems such as aorta and systemic arteries.
What are the main 4 risk factors for atherosclerosis?
Cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes (poorly controlled) and hyperlipidaemia (raised serum levels of one or more of total cholesterol) .
Is the lipid insudation theory the correct mechanism for atherosclerosis?
Nope.
What is the more commonly accepted mechanism for atherosclerosis?
Endothelial damage theory
Endothelial cells are delicate. What can damage them?
Free radicals, nicotine and carbon monoxide. Hypertension creates shearing forces. Diabetes results in superoxide anions glycosylation products. Hyperlipidaemia causes direct damage to endothelial cells.
How does atherosclerosis cause coronary heart disease?
Coronary arteries become clogged with plaques.
What is angina and how does atherosclerosis cause it?
Short periods of tight, dull or heavy chest pain caused by coronary heart disease.
How does atherosclerosis cause heart attacks?
Blood supply to the heart is blocked a blood clot getting lodged in the plaque in a clogged artery.
How does atherosclerosis cause strokes?
Blood supply to the brain is blocked.
What are TIAa and how does atherosclerosis cause them?
Temporary symptoms of a stroke. Blood supply to the brain is temporarily blocked.
What it peripheral arterial disease and how does does atherosclerosis cause it?
Blood supply to your legs is blocked, causing leg pain when walking.
What are ways you can control atherosclerosis?
Stop smoking. Exercise. Lose weight.
Eat healthily.
Manage stress.
Definition of thrombosis
Solid mass of blood constituents formed within an intact vascular during life.
What is laminar flow? (referring to the circulatory system)
Blood flowing through the middle of the vessel.
What does endothelial cell injury often lead to?
Platelet aggregation, which in turn leads to thrombus formation.
3 things that cause thrombosis
Change in vessel wall, change in blood flow, change in blood constituents.
How does COVID affect thrombosis?
Get lots of little thrombi all over the place.
What is an embolus?
Mass of material in the vascular system that can get lodged within the vessel and block in.
What is ischaemia?
Reduction in blood flow. Insufficient supply of blood to an organ or tissue.
What are the results of ischaemia and what is myocardial ischaemia?
Cells furthest from the arteries don’t get enough oxygen. Myocardial ischemia is reduced blood flow to the heart.
What is infarction?
Death of cells due to lack of blood. Myocardial infraction is death of myocardial cells due to reduced blood flow.
Why are the lungs, liver and some parts of the brain more resistant to infarction?
Lungs, liver and some parts of the brain have dual blood supply.
