Pathology of Cardiovascular diseases Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis the accumulation of
fatty material
fibrous material
calcium
What does the build up of material form
atheroma beneath endothelium
What happens to an artery as an atheroma grows
artery grows and thickens
artery loses elasticity
diameter of lumen decreases
blood pressure increases
What CVD can artherosclerosis cause
peripheral vascular disease
angina
stroke
heart attack
Define a thrombosis
The formation of a clot
What is the active form of prothrombin
thrombin
What does thrombin do
causes fibrinogen to form threads of fibrin
what does fibrin do
clots blood
seals wound
provides a scaffold for the formation of scar tissue
What happens when a thrombus breaks loose?
forms embolus which can clot a blood vessel
What happens if a thrombus reaches a coronary artery
lead to a MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION (heart attack)
What happens when blood vessels are blocked
tissues not supplied with blood then they die
What is peripheral vascular disease
narrowing of arteries due to artherosclerosis
Blood flow to legs is reduced
pain
What is deep vein thrombosis
blood clot that forms in deep vein in leg
-can break off and result in a pulmonary embolism causing chest pain, difficulty in breathing and sudden death
What is a pulmonary embolism
blockage of the pulmonary artery
What is cholesterol
type of lipid that is an essential component of cell membranes
used to make sex hormones t, o, p
Where is cholesterol synthesised
by all cells
What percentage of cholesterol production occurs in the liver
25
Where is cholesterol obtained from
fat in the diet
Is cholesterol soluble in water?
no
How is cholesterol transported around the body?
Through Lipo proteins
HDL LDP
Describe the function of LDL
LDL transports cholesterol to body cells.
Most cells have LDL receptors
that take LDL into the cell where it
releases cholesterol
Describe what happens when a CELL
has sufficient cholesterol
A negative feedback system inhibits the
synthesis of new LDL receptors
-LDL circulating in the blood
-deposit cholesterol in the arteries,
-forming atheromas
State the function of HDL
HDL transports excess cholesterol
from the body cells to the liver for
elimination
State the effect of a higher ratio
of HDL to LDL
A lower blood cholesterol and a
reduced chance of atherosclerosis
State the effect physical activity
has on HDL levels
HDL levels tend to be raised
State how levels of cholesterol in
the blood can be reduced by diet
Reduce total fat intake
replace saturated fats with unsaturated
fats
Explain how statins reduce blood
cholesterol
Statins reduce blood cholesterol by
inhibiting the synthesis of
cholesterol by liver cells
