Diet and Chronic Disease: Atherosclerosis Flashcards
what are the ten leading causes of death in the US?
heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries, stroke, alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, influenza & pneumonia, kidney disease, and suicide
what is the leading cause of death in the US in both men and women?
atherosclerosis
what is a risk factor?
a factor which is statistically linked with a greater incidence of a specific disease in a given population
According to the NIH, what are risk factors for atherosclerosis?
high blood cholesterol (LDL,HDL); high blood pressure; cigarette smoking; diabetes or prediabetes; overweight/obese/physically inactive; family history of early heart disease; history of preeclampsia during pregnancy; unhealthy diet; age (55 or older for women)
what are other risk factors for atherosclerosis not recognized by the NIH?
blood triglycerides; C-reactive protein (CRP); and blood homocysteine
what is normal LDL receptor metabolism?
receptor takes up LDL; synthesis of cholesterol and receptor down regulated
What is familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) LDL receptor metabolism?
no receptor; no LDL uptake; cholesterol synthesis continues
how common is homozygous FH?
1 in 1,000,000
how common is heterozygous FH?
1 in 500
how does HeFH increase risk of CHD?
5% by age 30; 24% by age 40; 51% by age 50; 85% by age 60; 100% by age 70
what parts of the diet is important when looking at atherosclerosis?
lipids (fatty acid saturation and chain length; fat level; trans fatty acids); dietary fiber; available carbohydrates (sucrose/fructose vs. starch); protein (animal vs. vegetable); micronutrients; phytochemicals
What is the bottom line for risk assessment for atherosclerosis?
multiple factors (risk factors; diet; exercise) and genetics
