Fitness and health Flashcards
what is blood pressure measured in?
millimetres of mercury
blood pressure has two measurements…
systolic pressure is the maximum pressure the heart produces and diastolic pressure is the blood pressure between heart beats.
what can high blood pressure cause?
it can cause blood vessels to burst. This can cause damage to the brain causing a stroke, it can also cause damage to kidneys.
what can low blood pressure lead to?
dizziness and fainting as the blood supply to the brain is reduced
how does smoking increase blood pressure?
carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke causes the blood to carry less oxygen. This means that the heart rate increases so the tissue receives less oxygen.
how does carbon monoxide decrease the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood?
it combines with haemoglobin, preventing it from combining with oxygen, so less oxygen is carried.
how does smoking increase blood pressure?
nicotine in cigarette smoke directly increases heart rate.
what causes heart disease?
a restricted blood flow to the heart muscle
what can reduce blood flow to heart muscle?
the narrowing of the arteries caused by plaques in the coronary arteries can reduce blood flow.
what do plaques also make?
the plaques make blood clots or thrombosis more likely to happen which will also block the artery.
what five different factors affect fitness?
strength, flexibility, stamina, agility and speed
why is it important for blood to be under pressure?
so it can reach all parts of the body. This is important because the blood carries food and oxygen to cells around the body
what happens if a blood vessel bursts in your brain?
It causes a stroke
as well as saturated far blocking arteries what else can cause damage to the arteries?
a mixture of fat and water
name a drug called a stimulant?
nicotine
