CVD Flashcards
what is artheroclerosis
the hardening of arteries caused by the build up of fibrous plaque
atheromas
fibrous plaque made up of cholesterol, white blood cells, etc that accumulate in artery walls
what are stages of atheroscleosis
endothelial damange
inflammatory response
plaque formnation
narrowing of artery
what happens during endothelial damage
the endothelium (inner linning of artery) is damaged by high blood pressure or cholesterol
what is the imflammotary response in atherosclerosis
white blood cells move into artery wall to absorb cholesterol, forming fatty deposits
how does plaque formation occur
over time, calcium salts and fibrous tissue build up around the fatty deposits, forming a hardened plaque
what effect does plaque have on the artery
it narrows the artery, making it less elastic and reducing blood flow
how does narrowing of the artery lead to heart disease
less oxygen and nutrients reaching tissues, leading to risk of heart attack and stroke
what is the purpose of blood clotting
to prevent excessive blood loss and protect against infection when a blood vessel is damaged
what is the first stage of blood clotting
platelets stick to damaged blood vessel and release clotting factors
what role do platelets play in blood clotting
they clump together at the injury site to form a temporary platelet plug
what is the role of thromboplastin
enzyme that triggers conversion of prothrombin to thrombin
what is thrombin
an enzyme that converts fibrinogen (soluble protein) to fibrin (insoluble protein)
what is fibrins role in blood clotting
fibrin forms a mesh that traps red blood cells and platelets creating a stable clot
why is calcium needed for blood clotting
required for activation of clotting factors like thromboplastin
what is role of plasmin in blood clotting
breaks down the clot after injury is healled
how can excessive clotting lead to health problems
it can cause thrombosis
- cloth block blood vessels
- increases risk of heart attack
