Cardiovascular disease

Question 1

what does pathophysiology do?

Answer 1

describes how diseases develop in the body

Question 2

What is the main disease process that leads to CVD?

Answer 2

Atherosclerosis.

Question 3

What are lipoproteins and what is their function?

Answer 3

small bags made up of a monolayer of phospholipids and a few floating proteins, they carry hydrophobic molecule in the bloodstream (steroids and triglycerides).

Question 4

Describe development of atherosclerosis (which takes many years)

Answer 4

artery wall is injured.
LDL add cholesterol under the endothelial lining.
Phagocytic cells move under endothelium to remove cholesterol but turn to foam which accumulates.
Fibroblasts deposit fibrous material over foam cell.
This causes build up of fibrous material within the cell wall and formation of a plaque which causes lumen of the artery to become narrower, restricting the blood flow.

Question 5

Describe hypertension

Answer 5

condition in which blood pressure is consistently high (140/90).
Long periods of high blood pressure can cause injury to artery wall which allows atherosclerosis to start.

Question 6

What is angina pectoris and what causes it?

Answer 6

The anaerobic respiration of the heart causes extreme chest pain, cause by atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries which reduces blood flow to the myocardium.

Question 7

Define thrombus and thrombosis.

Answer 7

Thrombus is a blood clot in the artery caused by platelets attaching to the plaque and releasing clotting factors.
Thrombosis is when a thrombus blocks an artery completely which cuts off blood supply to cells that are supplied by that artery.

Question 8

Define embolus and embolism.

Answer 8

embolus: free-floating clot in arteries (formed by breaking off of thrombus)
Embolism: when an embolus blocks a smaller part of the system

Question 9

what does an embolisms or thrombosis in the coronary artery cause?

Answer 9

Myocardial infarction (heart attack). Area that recieves blood from artery dies due to lack of oxygen

Question 10

What does a thrombosis or embolism in the brain cause?

Answer 10

Cerebral infarction (stroke). Brain tissue dies to lack of oxygen

Question 11

Is CVD in the uk rising or falling?

Answer 11

Faling (but 1/3 of people under 75 die because of it)

Question 12

What are the non-modifiable risk factors for CVD?

Answer 12

Age (atheroscl. increases for m over 45 and f over 55)
Gender (men have more LDL in blood)
Heredity (family history of CVD)
Race (african or indian)

Question 13

What are the modifiable risk factors for CVD?

Answer 13

Diet (high fat diet causes more LDL in blood)
Smoking (CO makes platelets more likely to cause clots)
Obesity (more LDL in circulation)
Inactivity (heart muscle is less adapted for exercise)

Question 14

What are the functions of exercise regarding CVD?

Answer 14

Used in rehabilitation of CVD patients

Protective effects against development of CVD

Question 15

In what way does exercise improve the efficiency of the heart?

Answer 15

increases density of capillary networks so protects the heart against oxygen deficiency.
increases thickness of muscle fibres, enhancing contractile properties (lower HR at rest and during exercise)

Question 16

In what other ways does exercise reduce the risk of CVD?

Answer 16

Reduces percentage body fat (and chance of obesity)
Increases HDL in blood (reduce cholesterol level)
More HDL causes a corresponding decrease in LDL which are involved in developing atherosclerosis