Reducing the Risks of CVD

Question 1

What are the six ways people can lower their risk of CVD?

Answer 1

Stop smoking, maintaining a blood pressure below 140/85 mmHg, maintaining low blood cholesterol levels, maintaining a normal BMI, low waist/hip ratio, taking more physical exercise and moderate/no alcohol use

Question 2

What 5 foods can people eat more of to reduce CVD risk?

Answer 2

More polyunsaturated/monounsaturated fats, more non-starch polysaccharides, oily fish, more fruit and veg, more functional foods containing sterols and stanols

Question 3

What three things can people reduce their consumption of to reduce CVD risk?

Answer 3

Reduced saturated fats, reduced cholesterol and reduced salt

Question 4

How can people modify their diet to reduce CVD risk?

Answer 4

Make their diet more energy balanced

Question 5

When is medication normally prescribed to someone?

Answer 5

When their blood pressure exceeds 160/100 mmHg or if they have a sustained blood pressure of over 140/90 mmHg and they show evidence of CVD

Question 6

What three types of medication are often prescribed to people to lower their blood pressure?

Answer 6

ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers and diuretics

Question 7

What does angiotensin 2 cause?

Answer 7

Vasoconstriction of blood vessels to help control blood pressure

Question 8

What do ACE inhibitors prevent?

Answer 8

The angiotensin hormone being produced from an inactive form angiotensin 1, thus reducing vasoconstriction and lowering blood pressure

Question 9

What four side effects do ACE inhibitors cause?

Answer 9

A dry cough, dizziness, abnormal heart rhythms and a reduction in the function of the kidneys

Question 10

What benefit does ACE inhibitors cause for people with kidney failure?

Answer 10

They may see a reduction in their kidney failure

Question 11

What is calcium important for?

Answer 11

Muscle contraction, as calcium must pass through channels in the muscle cells for the muscle to contract

Question 12

What do calcium channel blockers do?

Answer 12

Block calcium from entering the cell, preventing contraction of the muscle, the blood vessels don’t constrict, lowering blood pressure

Question 13

What four side effects to calcium channel blockers cause?

Answer 13

Swollen ankles, abnormal heart beat, flushing red in the face and constipation

Question 14

How do diuretics lower blood pressure?

Answer 14

They increase the volume of urine produced by the kidneys and thus rid the body of excess fluids and salt. This leads to a decrease in blood plasma volume and cardiac output, which lowers blood pressure

Question 15

What side effects do diuretics cause?

Answer 15

Dizziness nausea and stomach cramps

Question 16

What medication is used to reduce blood cholesterol? How does it work?

Answer 16

Statins. They work by inhibiting an enzyme involved in the production of LDL cholesterol

Question 17

What side effects to statins cause?

Answer 17

They may increase the risk of death by other non-vascular causes and also increase the risk of developing certain cancers

Question 18

Which two medications are used to reduce blood clotting?

Answer 18

Aspirin and Warfarin

Question 19

How does aspirin reduce blood clotting?

Answer 19

It reduces the stickiness of platelets and the likelihood of clot formation

Question 20

What side effect does aspirin have?

Answer 20

Some people are allergic to it, it is only partly effective and sometimes serious bleeding can occur

Question 21

What is warfarin?

Answer 21

An anticoagulant drug that affects the synthesis of clotting factors

Question 22

What is the risk that is higher in Warfarin than Aspirin?

Answer 22

The risk of bleeding is higher