Introduction

Question 1

Why is cardiovascular health important?

Answer 1

• CVD is number 1 cause of death worldwide
• 17.7 million people die annually (2017), which is 31% of all global deaths
• Increase to 23.3 million by 2030, mainly from heart disease and stroke

Question 2

What are 4 facts about cardiovascular disease?

Answer 2

• Non-communicable disease
• Not a single condition
• Includes all diseases of the cardiovascular system: heart and blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries)
• Involving narrowing and/or blockage of the arteries

Question 3

What does CVD include

Answer 3

• Coronary heart disease
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Congenital heart diseases
• Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism

Question 4

What is coronary heart disease?

Answer 4

blood vessels supplying the heart muscle

Question 5

What is cerebrovascular disease?

Answer 5

blood vessels supplying the brain

Question 6

What is peripheral arterial disease?

Answer 6

blood vessels supplying the arms and legs

Question 7

What is rheumatic heart disease?

Answer 7

damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria

Question 8

What is congenital heart diseases?

Answer 8

malformations of heart structure existing at birth

Question 9

What is deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism?

Answer 9

blot clots in the leg vein which can dislodge and move to heart or lung

Question 10

What is atherosclerosis?

Answer 10

Build up of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels that supply heart or brain

Question 11

What are acute CVD events?

Answer 11

Heart attacks and strokes, mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain

Question 12

What are the global differences in CVD?

Answer 12

• Marked international differences in CVD rates (highest Ukraine, lowest Japan)
• Mortality rates are more than seven times higher in some Eastern European countries than they are in Japan

Question 13

What are the differences within Europe?

Answer 13

There is an almost three-fold difference between France, Spain and Portugal on the one hand and countries such as Finland, Scotland and Northern Ireland v

Question 14

How are low and middle income countries affected?

Answer 14

Disproportionally

- over 80% of CVD deaths in low and middle income countries and almost equal in men and women

Question 15

How important are environmental factors?

Answer 15

Migrant studies showed that CVD rates are aligned with the host country, implying environmental factors are important in CVD etiology

Question 16

What are gender differences in CVD?

Answer 16

• CHD, strokes and other CVD made up 28% of male deaths in 2008
• CHD, strokes and other CVD made up 20% of female deaths in 2008

Question 17

What are risk factors for CVD?

Answer 17

• Irreversible (Gender (male), age, genetic traits, body build)
• Potentially reversible (Obesity, hypertension, hyperglycaemia, inflammation)
• Geographic risk factors (Climate, season, drinking water quality)
• Psychosocial risk factors (Low economic class, stress, coronary prone behaviour)
• Modifiable risk factors (Tobacco, physical inactivity, alcohol)

Question 18

What are major causes of

CVD?

Answer 18

• Tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet (top risk factor) and harmful use of alcohol (80% of risk)
• Hypertension >180mmHg
• Cholesterol TC>6.5mmol/l

Question 19

How does diet link to CVD?

Answer 19

• Lipid levels (LDLc, HDLc, Triglycerides, Lipopotein(a))
• Blood pressure
• Thrombotic tendency
• Cardiac rhythm
• Endothelial function
• Systemic inflammation
• Insulin sensitivity
• Oxidative stress
• Homocysteine levels