Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
What is the main function of the cardiovascular system?
transport gases, nutrients, wastes, hormones
What are the 3 that make up the cardiovascular system?
heart, vessels, blood
What are the 4 main types of CVD?
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
- Stroke/ Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
- Aortic disease (aneurysm)
What other ways can cause CVD?
- hypertension
- heart valve disease
- cardiomyopathy
What is cardiovascular disease?
general term
for diseases of the heart
or blood vessels/ circulatory system
(includes all the diseases of the heart and circulation
including coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack, congenital heart disease and stroke)
How can blood flow be reduced to the heart, brain or body?
- blood clot (thrombosis)
- build-up of fatty deposits inside artery (artery hardens, narrows = atherosclerosis)
What is angina?
pain which occurs in areas of the body when heart muscles don’t get enough oxygen-rich blood
What is myocardial infarction?
dead cardiac muscle tissue
What do the coronary arteries do?
supply blood and oxygen to heart muscles
When does thrombosis start?
when plaque becomes unstable and ruptures, clotting process starts
Why do the muscle tissues die in thrombosis?
blood supply to heart muscle is reduced
What are the types of diagnostic tests for the heart?
- EKG (electrocardiogram)
- Stress testing
- Echocardiography
- Chest X ray
- Blood tests
- Coronary Angiography
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Angiogram
What is a transient ischaemic attack?
When the atherosclerotic plaque ruptures, the tiny pieces of plaque travel into bloodstream to the brain
What method is used to remember warning signs of stroke (cerebrovascular disease)?
FAST
What does FAST stand for?
- Face - ask them to smile, does one side droop?
- Arms - ask to raise both arms, does one arm drift downward?
- Speech - Repeat simple phrase, is speech slurred/strange?
- Time - observed the signs? Call 911 immediately
What is the difference with ischaemic and haemorrhage stroke?
ischaemic = 85% blockage bleed = 15% bleed
What same problem causes coronary heart disease and stroke?
atherosclerosis
What is atherosclerosis?
A progressive inflammatory disorder of the artery wall: when your arteries become narrowed by a gradual build-up of fatty material (called atheroma) within their walls. Plaque forms.
What initiates thrombosis?
platelet aggregation
What controls platelet aggregation?
balance in pro-thrombotic compounds (TXA2) and anti-thrombotic compounds (PGI2)
Describe the 3 layers of the arteries:
- Tunica adventitia - collagen fibres
- Tunica Media - smooth muscle cell + elastic fibres
- Tunica intima - endothelium lining
In atherosclerosis, what does the gradual build-up of fatty material cause?
- injury of endothelium
- inflammation
- fatty deposits in vessels (atheroma)
- thrombosis
What is the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis? (11 steps though)
- Response to injury hypothesis
- Begin with injury to endothelium (smoking, oxidised
- Endothelium becomes permeable
- Triggers an immune response - macrophages & monocytes
- Macrophages migrate through endothelium & situate themselves in subendothelial layer and vascular wall
- Macrophages accumulate lipid = large foam cells
- Foam cells release growth factors/cytokines - smooth muscle cells migration/proliferation
- Platelets adhere
- Foam cells and smooth muscle cells eventually form fatty streak
- Fatty streaks progress = fibrous cap
- Rupture of fibrous cap = thrombosis
What are 3 traditional primary risk factors of atherosclerosis?
- hyperlipidemia
- hypertension
- smoking
