Treatments For Cardiovascular Disease

Question 1

what is cardiovascular disease

Answer 1

any disease associated with the heart and blood vessels

Question 2

what are arteries

Answer 2

blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart

Question 3

what is cholesterol

Answer 3

a fatty substance the body needs to make things like cell membranes

Question 4

what does too much cholesterol in the body cause

Answer 4

• fatty deposits to build up in arteries

- restricting blood flow

Question 5

where do deposits usually occur in arteries

Answer 5

• where the artery wall has been damaged

- from things such as high blood pressure

Question 6

what can fatty deposits in arteries also trigger

Answer 6

• blood clots to form

- which can block blood flow completely

Question 7

why are blood clots formed from fatty deposits so dangerous

Answer 7

• if it happens to an artery supplying the heart muscle
• the heart will be deprived of oxygen, causing a heart attack
• a blockage in the arteries supplying blood to the brain deprive it of oxygen
• leading to a stroke
• both can kill

Question 8

what is the simplest and most suggested way of reducing your risk of developing cvd

Answer 8

making changes to your lifestyle

Question 9

should someone who already has cvd make changes to their lifestyle and why

Answer 9

• they should
• as the changes can from part of the treatment
• helping reduce the risk of further stroke or heart attack

Question 10

what are some lifestyle changes that could be suggested to someone who has cvd or is trying to avoid it

Answer 10

• eat a healthy, balanced diet low in saturated fat
• exercise regularly or lose weight
• stop smoking if necessary

Question 11

why is it suggested to eat a diet low in saturated fat

Answer 11

because saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels

Question 12

what is the biggest advantage to implementing lifestyle changes and why they are suggested as the first course of action

Answer 12

they have no downsides or more or less no risks

Question 13

what else could be needed to treat cvd if lifestyle changes arent enough

Answer 13

medicines

Question 14

what does the medication statin do

Answer 14

statin reduces the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream

Question 15

how does the effect of statin treat cvd

Answer 15

• it slows down the rate at which fatty deposits form

- reducing the risk of heart disease and strokes

Question 16

what are some of the side effects that come with taking statins

Answer 16

• aching muscles and liver damage

- some of the side effects can be serious

Question 17

what are anticoagulants (Warfarin)

Answer 17

drugs that make blood clots less likely to form

Question 18

what is a disadvantage of taking anticoagulants

Answer 18

they can cause excessive bleeding if the person is hurt in an accident

Question 19

what do antihypertensives do

Answer 19

they reduce blood pressure

Question 20

what is the effect of how antihypertensives work

Answer 20

• it helps to prevent damage to blood vessels

- which reduces the risk of fatty deposits forming

Question 21

what is the disadvantage that comes with taking antihypertensives

Answer 21

• they can cause side effects

- like headaches and fainting

Question 22

what are stents

Answer 22

tubes that are inserted inside arteries

Question 23

what do stents do

Answer 23

• they keep the arteries open
• to make sure that blood can pass through the heart muscles
• lowering the risk of a heart attack

Question 24

what is the disadvantage of having stents

Answer 24

• overtime the artery can narrow again
• as stents can irritate the artery wall
• causing scar tissue to grow

Question 25

what is another disadvantage for the patient if they have stents

Answer 25

they have to take drugs to stop blood clotting on the stent

Question 26

what is coronary bypass surgery

Answer 26

• surgery where a piece of healthy blood vessel is taken from elsewhere
• and used to bypass the blocked section of a blood vessel in another location

Question 27

what are the disadvantages of having a whole heart transplant

Answer 27

• the new heart does not always start pumping properly
• and drugs have to be taken to stop the body from rejecting it
• the drugs can also have side effects like making you more vulnerable to infections

Question 28

what are the three risks that come with any heart surgery

Answer 28

• bleeding
• clots
• infection

Question 29

what does cholesterol build up in the artery walls to form

Answer 29

a plaque