Pathology Of Cardiovascular Disease Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of fatty material ( consisting mainly cholesterol, fibrous material and calcium ) forming an atheroma or plaque beneath the endothelium
What happens as the atheroma grows?
The artery thickens and loses its elasticity
What happens as the artery thickens due to atherosclerosis?
The diameter of the lumen becomes reduced and blood flow becomes restricted resulting in increased blood pressure
What is atherosclerosis the root cause of?
Various cardiovascular diseases, angina, heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular diseases.
What happens as atheroma rupture?
They damage the endothelium, this releases clotting factors that activate a cascade of reactions resulting in the conversion of the enzyme prothrombin to its active form thrombin
What does thrombin cause?
Thrombin causes molecules of plasma protein fibrinogen to form threads of fibrin, these fibrin threads form a meshwork that clots the blood, seals the wound and provides a scaffold for the formation of scar tissue,
What is the formation of a clot known as?
Thrombosis
What is an embolus?
An embolus is a blockage that obstructs a blood vessel
How is an embolus formed?
In some cases a thrombus may break loose which forms an embolus which travels through the bloodstream until it blocks a blood vessel
What can thrombosis in a coronary artery cause?
Myocardial infarction (MI) otherwise known as a heart attack
A thrombosis in an artery in the brain eg carotid artery can lead to what?
A stroke.
What can happen if cells are deprived of oxygen?
This can lead to the death of tissues
What is peripheral vascular disease?
Peripheral vascular disease is narrowing of the arteries due to atherosclerosis of arteries other than those of the heart of brain
What arteries are most commonly affected by peripheral vascular disease
The arteries to the legs
Why does peripheral vascular disease cause pain?
Due to a limited supply of oxygen
