Pathology of Cardiovascular Disease

Question 1

What is atherosclerosis?

Answer 1

The formation of plaques called atheroma beneath the endothelium in the wall of an artery

Question 2

What is an atheroma composed of?

Answer 2

• cholesterol
  -fibrous material
  -calcium

Question 3

what effect does atherosclerosis have on the blood vessel?

Answer 3

• a restriction of blood flow due to the narrowing of the lumen
• Increased blood pressure
• hardening of the arteries

Question 4

What diseases are caused by atherosclerotic plaques?

Answer 4

• Coronary heart disease
• stroke
• myocardial infarction
• peripheral vascular disease

Question 5

what is the function of blood clotting?

Answer 5

To prevent the loss of blood at a wound

Question 6

What is a thrombus?

Answer 6

A blood clot

Question 7

Explain how a thrombus is formed?

Answer 7

• When damage to cells occurs clotting factors are released
• This causes prothrombin to convert into its active form - thrombin
• Thrombin promotes conversion of soluble fibrinogen into insoluble threads of fibrin
• these fibrin threads provide a framework for platelets to attach to, forming a blood clot

Question 8

What is an embolus?

Answer 8

A part of a thrombus which has broken loose and is circulating around the bloodstream until it becomes lodged in a blood vessel

Question 9

Why can a thrombus cause stroke/heart attack?

Answer 9

The thrombus narrows the lumen of the blood vessels and can deprive the brain/heart of essential oxygen causing death of tissue.

Question 10

What is peripheral vascular disease?

Answer 10

The narrowing of arteries in areas other than the heart and brain due to atherosclerosis

Question 11

Where does peripheral vascular disease most commonly effect?

Answer 11

The legs

Question 12

What symptom is associated with peripheral vascular disease?

Answer 12

Pain in the legs

Question 13

What is a deep vein thrombosis?

Answer 13

a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg.

Question 14

If a deep vein thrombosis breaks off, what can this lead to?

Answer 14

Pulmonary embolism

Question 15

What is a pulmonary embolism

Answer 15

when a thrombus breaks off, travels back to the heart via the vena cava and enters the pulmonary artery where it becomes lodged in a small artery.

Question 16

What can pulmonary embolism lead to?

Answer 16

collapse and sudden death if not treated.

Question 17

Which compounds is cholesterol used to make in the body?

Answer 17

sex hormones - testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone

• components of the cell membrane

Question 18

What is a lipoprotein?

Answer 18

• a molecule containing both lipid and protein
• they transport lipids from one part of the body to another

Question 19

function of LDL?

Answer 19

transports cholesterol from the liver to the body cells.

Question 20

Why is LDL considered the bad cholesterol?

Answer 20

• When the cells of the body have enough cholesterol, they remove their LDL receptors from the outside of the cell
• This means more LDL is left circulating in the bloodstream, where it can deposit its cholesterol into an atheroma.

Question 21

What kind of foods are likely to increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood and therefore increase the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis?

Answer 21

Foods high in saturated fat

Question 22

What is the function of HDL?

Answer 22

Carries cholesterol from the body cells to the liver where it is eliminated.

Question 23

Why is HDL considered the good cholesterol?

Answer 23

• takes the cholesterol to the liver to be removed
• Does not deposit cholesterol into the arteries.

Question 24

What ratio of HDL to LDL is considered healthy

Answer 24

High HDL:LDL ratio

Question 25

What lifestyle changes can be made to increase the HDL levels in the body and therefore the HDL:LDL ratio?

Answer 25

• swapping out saturated fats for unsaturated fats, and the overall lowering of fat consumption
• Regular exercise

Question 26

What medication can be given to reduce cholesterol levels and how does it do this?

Answer 26

• Statins
• inhibit an enzyme which is essential for cholesterol synthesis in the liver.