Treating Cardiovascular Disease

Question 1

What lifestyle changes can be made to treat cardiovascular disease?

Answer 1

• Diet - eating less processed food, reduce salt, saturated fat and sugar intake
  
  • Exercise - regular exercise can strengthen the heart, cause weight loss and reduce high blood pressure
  • Stopping smoking - smoking is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis and heart attack
  • Limiting alcohol - binge drinking or alcoholism increase risk of heart attack

Question 2

What does a statin do?

Answer 2

reduces blood cholesterol by preventing its formation

Question 3

What do antiplatelets do?

Answer 3

reduce heart attack risk by reducing the stickyness of platelets

Question 4

What do beta blockers do?

Answer 4

reduce high blood pressure by blocking the effects of adrenaline which slows heartbeat and improves blood flow

Question 5

What do nitrates do?

Answer 5

widen blood vessels by relaxing blood vessel walls

Question 6

How does valve replacement surgery help?

Answer 6

valves that have been damaged by infection or age, cam cause blood to flow backwards, leading to heart failure due to lack of oxygen reaching the myocytes

Question 7

How does stent (angioplasty) surgery help?

Answer 7

a wire mesh tube is placed so that it widens partially blocked arteries