Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
What are the basic components of the cardiovascular system?
- heart
- blood vessels
- blood
Transports oxygen, nutrient, and waste products throughout the body
What is the function of the heart?
pumps blood throughout the body: pumps
contraction=systole
relaxation = diastole
what is the anatomy of the heart (chambers, valves, arteries)?
4 chambers ---Blood flow through heart/body 4 valves ---regulate flow of blood through the heart coronary arteries ---provide blood supply to the heart ---blockages cause M.I
what are the names of the blood vessels and what do they do? (arteries, veins, arterioles, venules, capillaries…)
Arteries: carry blood away from the heart
Veins: carry blood to the heart
other vessels…
Arterioles: small arteries
Venules: small veins
Capillaries: smallest vessels, exchange O2/CO2 between blood and tissue
Define hypertension and the two types of hypertension
abnormally high pressure on the same artery walls
- Essential (primary) hypertension:
- Most common type (90%-95%)
- No known underlying medical cause
- Likely combination of genetics + lifestyle - Secondary hypertension
- Less frequent (5-10%)
- Cause related to a disease (renal disease)
what are the risk factors for hypertension, both non-modifiable and modifiable?
Non modifiable -Age -Male -Family history -Ethnicity (black, hispanic) Modifiable -Inactivity -overweight/obesity -High cholesterol -High stress -Smoking -Diabetes -Heavy alcohol consumption -High sodium consumption
Where does dietary salt end up?
the skin and skeletal muscle
how do you reduce hypertension/blood pressure?
Weight loss...if overweight Regular PA Avoid excessive alc Stop smoking Manage stress Healthy eating - reduced sodium & fat Pharmacological management -Antihypertensive drugs ALL have side effects
define atherosclerosis. what does it cause? what is it a response to? what are the stages? what are the consequences?
process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste, calcium…build up in the inner lining of an artery
- causes coronary artery disease
- —an immune reaction
- —response to retention of LDL
- —stages: fatty streaks, fibrous plaques, and plaque rupture
- —consequences: angina, MI, stroke, peripheral artery disease…
What is possible treatment for atherosclerosis?
Angioplasty and stents --opening up the blocked artery -----angioplasty: widens artery with balloon -----stent: props artery open CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) --going around the blocked artery -----Vessels from leg or arm grafted to bypass blocked coronary artery/arteries *promotes the birth of new blood vessels
What is angina and what causes it?
Pain in the chest (typically) Caused by lack of oxygen Due to blockage of coronary arteries Typically brought on by stress or PA Absolute contraindication to exercise May or may not experience angina before a heart attack
“stable” vs “unstable” angina
Stable: onset from exertion
Unstable: sitting here, random chest pain. Clots happening randomly. Dangerous
how do you treat angina?
rest or drugs (nitroglycerin)
what happens during a heart attack? what does the damage consist of?
Heart tissue does not receive blood/oxygen
Damage can be minor, major, or fatal
Irreversible damage if blood supply not quickly restored
what causes a heart attack?
Blood flow is blocked in one or more of the coronary arteries
what are the signs to a heart attack?
Nausea, vomiting Sweating Pallor (pale skin) Anxiety “Crushing” chest pain Difficulty breathing
what are the symptoms of a heart attack in men and women?
Women --nausea/vomiting --Jaw pain --Back pain Men --Chest discomfort --Arm pain --Shortness of breath
what is peripheral arterial disease?
Atherosclerosis of peripheral arteries
Lack of blood supply in the extremities
what does peripheral arterial disease cause?
Causes pain, weakness, numbness (cramping)
Amputation can be necessary
what is peripheral arterial disease a sign of?
Sign of advanced, widespread vascular disease
what is heart failure and what causes it?
Heart muscles too weak to pump blood
-Due to chronic, long-term damage (hypertension/ left ventricular hypertrophy)
what are the symptoms of heart failure?
Shortness of breath
Fluid build-up (congestion)
Fatigue
what is Arrhythmias and where does it start from?
Abnormal HR due to electrical problems Electrical conduction - starts from the SA node ---Pacemaker ---Controls firing rate ---Normal HR
what causes arrhythmias?
SA node fires faster or slower than normal
Other areas of the heart act as “pacemakers”
what may arrhythmias reflect?
Some arrhythmias reflect underlying disease…and result in incomplete chamber filling
Others are relatively harmless (PVCs in old people)
what is stroke? and what happens with the arteries and brain cells?
“Brain attack” caused by lack of blood flow to the brain
Blockage of a cerebral arteries
Brain cells die within minutes
what are the two types of strokes?
Ischemic stroke
—-Obstruction of blood vessel
Hemorrhagic stroke
—-Weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain (aneurysm) - 15-20% of all stroke causes
what are the signs of a stroke?
Face dropping
Arm weakness
Speech difficulty
Time to call 911
what are the risk factors of a stroke? both non-modifiable and modifiable?
Non-modifiable -Age -Family history -Race -Sex -Prior TIA, stroke or heart attack Modifiable -High blood pressure -Smoking -Diabetes -High cholesterol -Poor diet -Inactivity -Other CVDs -Arrhythmias
what is a TIA? are long are blockage and symptoms?
Transient ischemic attack: “mini” or “warning” stroke --Same signs and symptoms are stroke Blockage & symptoms are temporary ---Usually less than 5 minutes ---Typically no permanent damage
what is the relationship between exercise and CVD?
Consistent inverse relationship between PA and mortality rate from all CVD
what are the surgical strategies that have to do with CVD?
stenting, bypass surgery, pacemaker, CABG, angioplasty,
what did the London transport workers study in 1953 find?
Compared CHD mortality in:
1. Bus and train drivers
2. Bus and train conductors
Conclusion: men in physically active jobs suffer less CHD than comparable men in sedentary jobs. The disease the active DO develop, is less severe and strikes at later ages
