Risk Factors Flashcards
Living habits that can be controlled:
~Smoking: leading cause of cardiac disease: 2nd hand smoking has been reported to be more potent than 1st hand smoking.
~Diet high in salt, saturated fats, cholesterol
~obesity
-oral contraceptive use
-Excessive alcohol use: Increase total cholesterol, but a daily glass of red wine ( red grape juice) can increase the HDL
-Sedentary lifestyle
-Drug use…especially cocaine
Psychosocial Factors
Type A personality competitiveness, drive, overdeveloped sense of urgency.
-Stress
Uncontrollable Factors
- Genetic predisposition
- Gender: higher incidence in males but even out after menopause: Estrogen replacement therapy can decrease risk in the post-menopausal female
- Age
- Ethnicity: Highest in African Americans
Pathophysiological Conditions That can underlie cardiovascular disease:
- Atherosclerosis: stiffening ( hardening) of artery walls
- Valvular dysfunction
- Arrhythmias
- Altered mycardial mm mechanics (intrinsic changes to contractile filaments
- HTN: bp> 140/90, desired bp <120/80
- Diabetes
- Hyperlipidemia: abnormally increased levels of any or all lipids/lipoproteins in blood not always related to diet
- Recommendations are modified in the presence of other risk factors
- Elevated serum triglyceride (fate in blood)
HTN:
bp>140/90, desired bp <120/80
Hyperlipidemia:
- Abnormally increased levels of any or all lipids/lipoproteins in the blood not always related to diet
- Total cholesterol: 240= high risk.
- HDL: healthy cholesterol:
- LDL: Lousy cholesterol:
- Ratios are used as predictors
Elevated serum triglyceride
Fat found in blood: 200=high risk
HDL:
Healthy cholesterol: >45=desirable
Total cholesterol:
240=high risk
LDL:
Lousy cholesterol: <130= desirable; 160=high risk
Ratios are also used as predictors:
Total cholesterol/HDL:<3 desirable
