Topic 1- Glossary Flashcards
Cardiovascular diseases
Diseases of the heart and circulation
Coronary heart disease
One of the two main forms of cardiovascular disease, the other being stroke.
Stroke
Symptoms of this include: sudden onset, numbness, dizziness, confusion, slurred speech and blurred or loss of vision.
Haemorrhagic stroke
This occurs when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain bursts.
Diffusion
Random movement of particles from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration until equilibrium is reached.
As an organism gets bigger it’s_____________ decreases.
Surface area to volume ratio
Open circulatory system
Some animal groups have this system, in which the blood circulates in large, open spaces.
Closed circulatory system
A system where the blood is enclosed within tubes.
Single circulatory system
Type of circulation found in fish, where the blood only flows through the heart once for each complete circuit of the body.
Double circulatory system
Type of circulatory system where the blood flows through the heart twice for each complete circuit of the body.
Ventricles
Muscular chambers of the heart which pump blood out of the heart.
Polar molecule
A molecule with an uneven distribution of charge.
Hydrogen bond
A weak attraction between two electronegative atoms. Between water molecules these occur between the negatively charged oxygen atom of one molecule and the positively charged hydrogen of another molecule.
Hydrophilic
Water-loving
Hydrophobic
Water-hating
Arteries
A muscular blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart.
Arteries divided repeatedly to form _____________.
Arterioles
Capillaries
Blood vessels composed only of epithelial cells and a basement membrane.
Venules
Small blood vessel, intermediate between capillary and vein.
Veins
A blood vessel which returns blood to the heart.
Collagen
A fibrous protein, which provides tensile strength without much elasticity.
Elastic tissue
Fibres which stretch, found in the artery wall.
Smooth muscle
Type of muscle (involuntary muscle) found in walls of some blood vessels. These lack the obvious striations of skeletal muscle.
Endothelium
Single layer of cells lining the blood vessels.
Lumen
The cavity inside any tubular part of an organ.
Vena Cava (superior and inferior)
The major vein(s) which returns blood from the body to the heart.
Pulmonary artery
Vessel carrying blood from the heart to the lungs.
Pulmonary vein
Vessel carrying blood from the lungs back to the heart.
Aorta
Major vessel carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
Atrio-ventricular valves
These open when atrial pressure exceeds ventricular pressure.
Semilunar valves
Valves between ventricles and arteries leaving the heart
Systole
Contraction of the heart, forcing blood out at high pressure. May be used to describe just the concentration of the ventricular, unless qualified.
Diastole
Period of relaxation of the heat muscle during the cardiac cycle.
Pulse
Can be felt where an artery passes over a bone close to the skin
One way valves
Pocket like flaps within the vein, preventing back flow of blood.
Skeletal muscles and breathing
Action of both of these assist the return of blood to the heart in the veins.
Coronary arteries
The two vessels which supply the heart muscle with blood
Cardiac cycle
One complete sequence of filling and pumping blood
Atherosclerosis
The disease process that leads to coronary heart disease and ischaemic stroke, where atheromas can either block an artery directly, or increase its chance of being blocked by a blood clot.
Thrombosis
Formation of a blood clot that may block an artery
Myocardial infarction
Alternative term for heart attack
Endothelial damage
One of the first steps in the course of events leading to atherosclerosis.
Inflammatory response
Part of the course of events leading to atherosclerosis, involving white blood cells.
Cholesterol
Deposits of this on an artery wall is called an atheroma, but it is also needed in formation of animal cell membranes.
Atheroma
Deposit an arterial wall, mainly composed of cholesterol, which has not yet had a build up of calcium salts or fibrous tissue. Occurs as a result of endothelial damage and the subsequent inflammatory response.
Plaque
Found on the inner wall of an artery, this hard swelling reduces the elasticity of arteries. It causes arteries to narrow and can lead to an increase in blood pressure.
Positive feed back
Where the action of something leads to an increase in a response
Platelets
Cell fragments without a nucleus involved in formation of blood clots.
Thromboplastin
The complicated series of reactions that leads to clotting starts with the release of this substance that catalysts the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin.
Prothrombin
A soluble plasma protein that is inactive, but can be converted to an active enzyme.
Thrombin
The active enzyme that catalyses the conversion of soluble fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin in a series of cascade reactions.
Fibrinogen
During blood clotting, insoluble fibrin protein is made from this soluble plasma protein.
Fibrin
These strands form a mesh that trap red blood cells.
Cascade
A complex series of chemical changes within the blood, where completion of one step triggers the next chemical reaction resulting in formation of a clot.
When a tissue does not receive enough blood (and therefore oxygen) it becomes ___________.
Ischaemic
Angina
Chest pain when heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen, due to narrowing of coronary arteries.
Anaerobic respiration
What heart muscle is forced to do when insufficient oxygen is available.
Lactic acid
Product of anaerobic respiration that causes the pain of angina.
Arrhythmia
Irregular heart beat
Aneurysm
A bulge in an artery wall, due to narrowing of the lumen. If it ruptures, it could be fatal.
Electrocardiogram
The normal and abnormal electrical activity of the heart can be detected by studying these.
CAT (computerised axial tomography)
A series of X-rays which can be used to produce a 3D image.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
One technique used in hospitals to check for a suspected stroke. Radio waves are used to create images of the brain. This technique is also used for breast scans and other images.
Risk
The probability of occurrence of some unwanted event or outcome.
Probability
The numerical chance that the event or outcome will occur.
There is a tendency to overestimate the risks of sudden imposed dangers where the consequences are severe, and underestimate a risk if it has an effect in the long-term, even if that effect is severe- this is described as the __________ of risk.
Perception
Risk factor
Things that increase the chance of a harmful outcome
Epidemiological studies don’t prove that certain factors cause the disease in question. It is often useful to set up experiments with controlled variables and a null hypothesis to check if a factor actually ____________ a disease.
Cause
Epidemiologists are scientists who study epidemics. They also look for links between various factors that might cause the disease and the incidence of the disease i.e. They look for a ___________.
Correlation
Correlation
The relationship between two variables such that a change in one of the variables is reflected by a change in another variable.
Null hypothesis
A statement that assumes (for the sake of the argument) that there will be no difference between an experimental group and a control group and then testing this statement using statistical analysis.
Epidemiologist
Professional scientists who study risk factors associated with human health. They use various types of experimental methods including control of variables and null hypothesis.
Cohort study
A study where a group of people are followed over time to see who develops the disease.
MONICA study
MONItoring trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease study.
Case-control study
A study where a group of people with the disease are compared to a group who do not.
For a case-control study the population studied must be __________ of the whole population.
Representative
Valid
Results are this, if they measure what they are supposed to, and if they are and reliable
Reliable
If the method is this, it will mean that when the method is repeated then the repeated values are all close together
Hypertension
Another term for high blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure is considered to be one of the most significant factors in the development of cardiovascular disease.
The maximum blood pressure when the heart contracts. For a healthy person this should be ______
Systolic pressure 100-140mmHg
The blood pressure when the heart is relaxed. for a healthy person this should be ________
Diastolic pressure 60-90mmHg
Sphygmomanometer
Traditional device for measuring blood pressure
Blood pressure
Refers to a hydrostatic force of blood against the walls of a blood vessel. higher in arteries and capillaries compared to veins
Kilopascal
SI unit of pressure
mmHg
Medical unit of pressure
Contact between blood and the walls of the blood vessels causes friction, this is known as ……….
Peripheral resistance
Tissue fluid or interstitial fluid
Formed by fluid forced out of capillaries. Differs from the blood chiefly in containing no suspended blood cells and in having lower protein levels.
Lymph
Fluid derived from tissue fluid within the vessels of the lymphatic sytem
Oedema
Swelling of tissue as a result of abnormal tissue fluid accumulation
Osmosis
The movement of water from a less concentrated solution (containing more water) to a more concentrated solution (containing less water) through a semi-permeable membrance
Carbohydrates
Organic compounds with the general formula Cx(H2O)n. Common examples are sugars, starch and cellulose
Carlories
The quantity of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1cm3 of water by 1C
Kilojoule
The SI unit for measuring energy
Monosaccharide
Single sugar units such as glucose
Disaccharide
Formed when 2 sugars have combined in a condensation reaction
Polysaccharide
Formed from many sugar units joined by condensation reactions
a - glucose
Isomer of glucose found in starch
B - glucose
Isomer of glucose found in cellulose
Condensation reaction
A reaction in which 2 molecules become connected by a covalent bond and a molecule of water is released
Glycosidic link
The connection between monosaccharides formed by the removal of water
Hydrolysis
The process whereby the connection between two molecules can be broken by the addition of water, e.g. the breakdown of lactose into glucose and galactose
Immobilised enzymes/lactose
Can be immobilised for industrial use, thus allowing higher temperatures to be used for some reactions and /or the product to become less contaminated
Lactose intolerance
Asian and Afro-Caribbean people have a particularly high rate of this. They can only drink milk that has had the milk sugar broken down into simpler sugar
Lactase
Enzyme that hydrolyses the lactose in milk
Sucrose
Disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose
Lactose
Disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose
Maltose
A disaccharide produced when amylase breaks down starch. Found in germinating seeds
Starch
An a-like polymer of glucose, used by plants as a means of storing energy
Amylose
A molecule of starch, with an un-branched chain of 200-5000 a(1,4)-linked glucose molecules
Amylopectin
Highly branched polysaccharide component of starch consisting of a(1,4)-linked and a(1,6)-linked glucose units
Glycogen
A carbohydrate stored in the liver, highly branched, the numerous ends of the molecule each simultaneously digestible by amylases. Consists of a(1,4)-linked and a(1,6)- linked glucose units
Cellulose
The most abundant polysaccharide, occurring as the main structural cell wall material in plants. Consists of a long chain of B(1,4)- linked glucose units
Dietary fibre
Food components which resist digestion in the intestine
Lipids
Fats and oils
Triglycerides
A simple lipid in which three fatty acids are combined with one molecule of glycerol
Fatty acids
A molecule with a long hydrocarbon tail and a carboxyl group at the other end
Glycerol
A three carbon alcohol with three hydroxyl group, the linking component of phospholipids and triglycerides
Saturated
A hydrocarbon where all the carbons in the compound are connected by single bonds, so that it contains the maximum number of hydrogen atoms
monounsaturated
Description of lipids with at least one double bond between the carbon atoms in their structure
polyunsaturated
Description of lipids with a larger number of double bond between the carbon atoms in their structure
cholesterol
Steroid lipid forming a major component of animal cell membranes, is also a precursor of some steroid hormones
essential fatty acids
fatty acids the body needs but cannot synthesise
linoleic acie
a deficiency in this essential fatty acid results in scaly skin, hair loss and slow wound healing
basal metabolic rate
the minimum energy requirement to keep an organism alive and maintaining essential processes e.g. breathing
metabolic rate
the rate at which reactions in the body take place
obesity
Condition where the BMI is greater than 30. Overweight
Body mass index
Body mass in kg divided by height in metres squared, gives this internationally accepted method of classifying people
Waist to hip ratio
This ratio may give a better indication of risk for CVD than BMI measurements
Insulin
A hormone, synthesised in the pancreas, that promotes the conversion of glucose to the storage compound glycogen
Type II diabetes
Diabetes which presents later in life that is increasing as adults become overweight. It seems to involve lower insulin secretion and tissue resistance to insulin action
lipoproteins
Insoluble cholesterol is combined with proteins to form these soluble substances that can be transported in the blood
HDL-high density lipoprotein
Formed from unsaturated fats, cholesterol and protein, containing more protein than the other kind. Tend to remove cholesterol from the blood by transporting to the livers where it is broken down.
LDL-Low density lipoprotein
These carry more cholesterol than the other kind, so this affects their density. They are formed from saturated fats and can overload membrane receptors resulting in high levels of blood cholesterol
Carbon monoxide
Gas produced in cigarette smoke which binds to haemoglobin instead of oxygen
Nicotine
Chemical found in cigarette smoke that stimulates the production of the hormone adrenaline
Many chemicals in smoke!
Cause endothelial damage in arteries, found in cigarette smoke
Inactivity
The British Heart Foundation considers this to be one of the most common risk factors for heart disease
Familial hypercholesterolaemia
A inherited disease where a single gene mutation results in elevated blood cholesterol
Apolipoprotein
The protein component of lipoproteins, major role in stabilising lipoproteins and binding to lipoprotein receptors on cell membranes
Where genetics, physical environment, social environment and lifestyle behaviour all contribute to the risk, we say the disease is ……
Multifactorial
Free radicals
Highly reactive compounds with an unpaired electron
Antioxidants
Found in some vitamins, these protect against damage by reactive, unstable, free radicals to cell components. They work by providing hydrogen atoms which stabilise the free radical by pairing up with its unpaired electron.
Salt
Too much of this on your diet causes your kidneys to retain water, resulting in elevated blood pressure
adrenaline
Stress can cause the release of this hormone. It results in constriction of arteries and arterioles, raising blood results
ethanal
The compound that alcohol is converted to in the liver, which may end up in VLDLs and increase the risk of plaque deposition
antihypertensives
sympathetic nerve inhibitor drugs, prevent constriction of blood vessels
ACE inhibitors
A drug which reduces the synthesis of angiotensin II, the hormone which csuses vasoconstriction of blood vessels
Calcium channel blockers
Drugs which block Ca2+ channels in muscle cells lining the arteries, preventing muscle contraction
Diuretics
A type of drug used to reduce tissue fluid retention
Statins
Chemicals which lower cholesterol levels in the blood by inhibiting the enzyme in the liver associated with cholesterol production. also have an anti-inflammatory effect
Omega-3 fatty acids
Polyunsaturated fatty acids found in oily fish, linked to a reduction in heart disease and joint inflammation
Sterols and stanols
compounds found in plants that have a similar shape to cholesterol, but are minimally absorbed in the gut. Reduce cholesterol levels, in particular LDL cholesterol levels.
Aspirin
Antiplatelet drug - reduces stickiness of platelets
Clopidogrel
Anticlotting drug used in conjunction with the above
Warfarin
Anticoagulant drug that works by reducing the tendency of blood to form clots
Coronary angioplasty/balloon angioplasty
Insertion of a tiny balloon into an artery which when inflated may improve the passage of blood flow
Coronary artery bypass
An operation where a blood vessel (from the leg) is used to replace a blocked section of an artery.
What is the difference between a hormone and an enzyme?
A hormone- Chemical messenger
An enzyme- Biological catalyst
