CVD Flashcards
CVD = group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, such as… (name 5)
- Strokes
- Heart attacks
- Heart failures
- Arrhythmias
- Heart valve problems
Most cvd are due to ..
plaque build-up in the circulatory system (atherosclerosis)
X = important causes of the following diseases:
- coronary heart disease – A
- cerebrovascular disease – B
- peripheral arterial disease – C
- deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism – D
Explain (very roughly) what is going on with these diseases
Atherosclerosis + high blood pressure
A) a disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle;
B) a disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain;
C) a disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs
D) blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs
Often, the first signs of an underlying cardiovascular disease are..
A)
B)
..As C and D are often unnoticed.
A Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
B Stroke (cerebrovascular incident)
C atherosclerosis
D high blood pressure
What is angina? What might follow after angina?
(= chest pain as a result of myocardial ischemia = reduced blood flow).
Myocardial infarction might follow (= blood flow = completely cut off)
Besides lifestyle-related types of CVD, there is also congenital heart disease:
birth defects that affect the normal development and functioning of the heart caused by malformations of the heart structure from birth; the exact cause is unknown.
What may play a role in congenital heart disease?
Genes may play a role, or when a baby is exposed to viral infections, alcohol, or drugs before it is born
Risk factors for CVD?
- Unhealthy diet
- Physical inactivity
- Tobacco use
- Harmful use of alcohol
How do the effects of the risk factors may show up?
The effects may show up as
- Raised blood pressure
- Raised blood glucose
- Raised blood lipids
- Overweight
- Obesity
Symptoms CVD?
- Inactivity, due to exhaustion, pain, inability to do something
- Other symptoms, depending on the type of CVD, can be.. (see later in this chapter)
- shortness of breath
- fluid & water retention
- dizziness
- fainting
- irregular heart beat
For most cardiovascular diseases, the following four play a role:
hypertension, increased blood lipids, atherosclerosis and thrombosis
- explain the cascade from high LDL cholesterol via atherosclerosis to thrombus formation using terms like fatty streaks, foam cells, macrophages
- High cholesterol -> fatty streaks in the walls of the arteries -> plaques = atherosclerosis
- macrophages in plaques attach to damaged vessels -> eat LDL -> accumulation of lipids: foamy appearance.
- These foam-cells make the plaque grow: inflammatory response.
- Fibrous tissue + calcium stiffens the arteries
- Plaque ruptures: formation blood clot: thrombus.
- Blocked blood flow -> no oxygen supply. Can cause heart attack/myocardial infarction.
Ventricular fibrillation may lead to..
cardiac arrest
- describe the cause of heart failure and who is at increased risk
when the heart is too weak/stiff to pump the blood into the body.
Patients with previous myocardial infarction and hypertension are at increased risk.
- distinguish the two major types of cerebrovascular disease (stroke) and their causes
- Ischemic stroke: blocked brain artery
- Embolic stroke: thrombus from elsewhere
- Hemorrhagic stroke: ruptured brain vessel
