ch. 33: CAD, MI

Question 1

What is atherosclerosis?

Answer 1

a disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of plaques of fatty material on their inner walls.

Question 2

What is coronary artery disease?

Answer 2

a disease caused by the buildup of plaque resulting in the arteries to become hardened and narrows

Question 3

What is C-reactive protein?

Answer 3

The liver produces C-reactive protein (CRP) during periods of acute inflammation. So it is a predictor of cardiac events and is emerging as an independent risk factor for CAD.

Question 4

What are the stages of development in atherosclerosis?

Answer 4

1) fatty streaks

2) fibrous plaque

3) complicated lesions

Question 5

What are fatty streaks?

Answer 5

-Earliest lesions

-can be seen by age 20

-Characterized by lipid-filled smooth muscle cells

-Potentially reversible

-Treatment: lower LDL cholesterol

Question 6

What is fibrous plaque?

Answer 6

-A progressive change in endothelium of artery wall

-Collagen covers the fatty streak

-Result is a narrowing of vessel lumen and decreased blood flow

-can appear by age 30

Question 7

What is complicated lesion?

Answer 7

An ulceration or rupture of the plaque that occurs and platelets adhere to the lesion. Platelet adherence can cause a coagulation cascade with the development of a thrombus that obstructs the artery.

Question 8

What is collateral circulation?

Answer 8

The development of new, smaller branches of coronary arteries that grow in response to a vessel that has slowly become occluded or nearly occluded over time.

Question 9

What are modifiable risk factors for CAD?

Answer 9

1) Elevated serum lipids

2) elevated BP

3) tobacco use

4) physical inactivity

5) obesity

6) DM,

7) metabolic syndrome

8) psychologic states

9) homocysteine level