Cardiovascular Epidemiology

Question 1

What are the different types of risk factors for CV disease

Answer 1

Irreversible
Reversible (patient)
Reversible (medical)

Question 2

Give examples of irreversible risk factors for CV disease

Answer 2

Age
Sex
Family history

Question 3

Give examples of patient reversible risk factors for CV disease

Answer 3

Smoking
Obesity
Diet
Exercise

Question 4

Give examples of medical reversible risk factors for CV disease

Answer 4

Hypertension
Hyperlipidaemia
Diabetes

Question 5

What must a patient have to modify their risk of CV disease

Answer 5

Information
Belief
Motivation
Behavioural change

Question 6

How does CV risk differ between sexes and why

Answer 6

Males predominately have a higher CV risk due to females degree of protection from sex hormones - this is lost at menopause

Question 7

What approaches to prevention should be made

Answer 7

Lifestyle changes
Control total cholesterol - statins
Control hypertension
Anti platelet drugs - aspirin

Question 8

Describe primary prevention

Answer 8

Stopping a disease before it happens
Take into consideration family history
Assessing total risk of patients and consider whether giving advice and trying to change patient modifiable risk factors is enough or if they should consider medical intervention

Question 9

Describe secondary prevention

Answer 9

Requires the patient to have all of the advice for primary prevention but after an event has taken place eg - heart attack
Prevention of a second heart attack is easier to justify to the patient as they understand their personal risk
Simpler to motivate the patient to change