When the cardiovascular system goes wrong Flashcards
What type of disorder is hypertension?
CVS disorder
is hypertension systemic? what does this mean?
yes.
it affects the CV system
what is hypertension?
high blood pressure
how does blood pressure change with age?
it increases
what are the 2 main types of hypertension?
1) primary/ essential/ idiopathic
2) secondary
what makes hypertension primary type?
if the medical cause is unknown
what is primary hypertension linked to?
genetic predisposition
alcohol intake
lack of exercise
what is the most common type of hypertension?
primary
what makes hypertension secondary type?
if the medical cause is known
give 2 examples of causes of secondary hypertension
kidney disease
endocrine disorders e.g. diabetes
adrenal medulla disease- excessive adrenaline release
why is primary hypertension more difficult to treat?
the cause is unknown
what are the 5 types of drug given to those with hypertension?
- drugs which inhibit cardiac/ vascular depolarization, reduce cardiac output and cause vasodilation
- drugs which inhibit the action of angiotensin II on aldosterone production, preventing renal Na+/H2O absorption reabsorption to prevent blood volume increase
- drugs which increase Na+ and water loss, therefore reduce blood volume
- drugs which reduce Total Peripheral Resistance (TPR) by inhibiting the action of noradrenaline
- Drugs which reduce cardiac output
Hypertension is a major risk factor for which other diseases? (give 3)
- atherosclerosis
- stroke
- cardiovascular accident
- heart failure
- renal failure
- aneurism
what’s an aneurysm?
a weakness in the wall of arteries that can’t sustain high blood pressure- could rupture
what type of disorder are vascular diseases?
CVS disorder
what’s arteriosclerosis?
vascular disease
hardening and thickening of the arterial walls
loss of tissue elasticity (part of natural ageing process)
clinically significant when due to atherosclerosis
what is atherosclerosis?
vascular disease
atheroma (fatty plaque) in the wall of blood vessel
caused by damage to endothelium
forms a fibrous caps of dense extracellular matrix made up of lipid accumulation, macrophages, etc.
narrows lumen of vessel and restricts blood flow
why can’t atheromas simply be removed?
they include a matrix made up of several components and can have blood vessels flowing through them
what’s thrombosis?
vascular disease
blood clot in vein and artery
what’s the most common type of thrombosis?
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
what is a blood clot in the lungs called?
pulmonary embolism (PE)
what’s the technical name for heart attack?
myocardial infarction
what causes a myocardial infarction?
blockage of vessel in the heart, causing muscle death
what’s the leading cause of death in the developed world?
myocardial infarction
