Topic 3---B- More Exchange and Transport Systems- 5. Cardiovascular disease

Question 1

What is cardiovascular disease?

Answer 1

it’s a general term used to describe diseases associated with the heart and blood vessels

Question 2

What does cardiovascular diseases include?

Answer 2

• Aneurysms
• Thrombosis
• Myocardial infarction

Question 3

What do most cardiovascular diseases start with?

Answer 3

atheroma formation

Question 4

What is coronary heart disease?

Answer 4

• its a type of cardiovascular disease
• it occurs when the coronary arteries have lots of atheromas in them which restricts blood flow to the heart muscle
• it can lead to myocardial infarction

Question 5

Atheroma formation

Answer 5

• wall of an artery is made up of several layers and the endothelium is usually smooth and unbroken.
• if damage occurs to the endothelium (e.g. By High blood pressure) white blood cells, lipids from the blood clump together under the lining to form fatty streaks.
• over time more white blood cells lipids and connective tissue build up and harden to form a fibrous plaque called an atheroma
• the plaque partially blocks the lumen of the artery and restricts blood flow causing blood pressure to increase

Question 6

Aneurysm

Answer 6

• its a balloon like swelling of the artery and starts with the formation of atheroma’s which plaques damage and weaken arteries by narrowing arteries and increases blood pressure
• when blood travels through a weakened artery at higher pressure it may push the inner layers of the artery through the outer elastic layer to form an aneurysm which could burst causing bleeding

Question 7

Thrombosis

Answer 7

• formation of a blood clot
• starts with the formation of atheroma’s
• atheroma plaque can rupture the endothelium of an artery
• damaging the artery wall and leaves a rough surface
• platelets and fibrin accumulate at the site of damage and form a blood clot
• blood clot can cause a complete blockage of an artery

Question 8

Myocardial infarction (heart attack)

Answer 8

• heart muscle is supplied with blood from the coronary arteries which contains the oxygen needed by heart muscle cells to carry out respiration
• so if a coronary artery becomes blocked from a blood clot e.g an area of the heart muscle will be totally cut off from its blood supply feceiving no oxyfen
• this causes a myocardial infarction (heart attack)

Question 9

What can a heart attack cause?

Answer 9

damage and death of the heart muscle

Question 10

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Answer 10

high blood pressure
High blood cholesterol and poor diet
Cigarette smoking

Question 11

High blood pressure

Answer 11

• increases risk of damage to artery walls
• damaged walls have an increased risk of atheroma formation which further increases blood pressure
• leading to blood clots and myocardial infarction

Question 12

High blood cholesterol abd poor diet

Answer 12

• high blood cholesterol leads to the risk of cardiovascular disease to increase
• as cholesterol is one of the main constituents of the fatty deposits that form atheromas which lead to increased blood pressure and blood clots which could cause a myocardial infarction

Question 13

What is a diet high in saturated fat associated with?

Answer 13

high blood cholesterol levels

Question 14

What is a diet High in salt associated with?

Answer 14

increases risk of High blood pressure

Question 15

Cigarette smoking

Answer 15

• both carbon monoxide and nicotine found in cigarette smoke increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and myocardial infarction
• carbon monoxide combines with haemoglobin and reduces the amount if oxygen available to tissues so could lead to a heart attack
• smoking also decreases the amount of antioxidants in the blood which are important for protecting cells from damage.
• meaning cell damage in the coronary artery walls are more likely leading to atheroma formation