SPEC POINT 1.7

Question 1

What are risk factors?

Answer 1

Factors leading to an increased chance of disease

Question 2

What are the controllable factors linked to CVD?

Answer 2

1. Diet - high in saturated fat increases blood cholesterol levels, high salt = high blood pressure
2. Smoking - CO binds to haemoglobin and reduces its oxygen carrying capacity. This causes high BP (strokes, heart attack), nicotine increases risk of thrombosis as it activates platelets. Smoking also decreases level of antioxidants
3. Obesity - causes high BP
4. High blood pressure - linked to stress, poor diet, alcohol and inactivity, high BP increases risk of damage to artery walls

Question 3

What are the non-controllable factors linked to CVD?

Answer 3

1. Older age - more chance of damage to artery endothelia
2. Being male lol - They are more likely to get it than woman as oestrogen increases HDL and abdominal fat storage is associated to CVD
3. Genetic inheritance of alleles that increase development of atherosclerosis or blood clotting or they might inherit high BP or high cholesterol