Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Factors

Flashcards covering key concepts related to cardiovascular disease, its causes, risks, and treatments.

What is atherosclerosis?

A disease characterized by a buildup of plaque within arteries that narrows them and can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

What causes atherosclerosis?

Endothelial damage leads to inflammatory response and blood clotting, causing substances to build up and harden into plaque.

Why does blood need to clot?

To prevent blood loss, prevent entry of harmful bacteria, and provide a framework for repair.

Explain the process of blood clotting.

1. Platelets release thromboplastin in response to damage. 2. Prothrombin changes to thrombin. 3. Thrombin turns fibrinogen into fibrin, forming a mesh that traps blood cells.

How do blood clots increase the risk of cardiovascular disease?

Clots can detach and lodge in vessels, creating blockages that restrict blood flow and can cause tissue death, leading to heart attacks.

How can CVD lead to a heart attack?

Obstruction of a coronary artery due to an atheroma or clot results in loss of blood supply to heart muscle, causing cell death and heart attack.

Give factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Genetics, age, gender, diet, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity.

How do dietary antioxidants affect risk of cardiovascular disease?

They stabilize harmful free radicals, preventing damage to proteins and DNA, which can decrease risk of CVD and cancer.

What is the difference between correlation and causation?

Correlation shows a relationship between two variables, while causation indicates one variable is a direct consequence of another.

Why is a large sample size important in health risk studies?

It ensures measurements are representative of the population, increasing reliability.

How does public perception of risk differ from actual risk?

People often overestimate risks from unfamiliar, uncontrolled situations, and underestimate long-term risks.

What is meant by low density lipoprotein (LDL)?

A combination of triglycerides from saturated fats and protein, known as 'bad' cholesterol.

How do LDLs contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease?

High blood cholesterol levels from LDLs lead to the formation of atherosclerosis plaques.

What is meant by high density lipoprotein (HDL)?

Smaller lipoproteins with a larger protein to lipid ratio, known as 'good cholesterol', used to excrete excess cholesterol.

What is the Body Mass Index (BMI)?

A value based on height and mass used to categorize individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.

Why isn’t BMI always an accurate measure of obesity?

It cannot distinguish between fat and muscle tissue, potentially misclassifying athletes as obese.

What changes to diet and lifestyle can reduce the risk of CVD?

Regular exercise, reducing saturated fat intake, maintaining a healthy weight, a low salt diet, reducing stress, and quitting smoking/drinking.

How effective are lifestyle and diet changes in treating CVD?

They enhance the efficiency of other treatment methods but are not effective on their own.

What are the benefits vs the risks of using statins to treat CVD?

Statins lower cholesterol levels, but can cause liver damage, kidney failure, or memory problems.

What are the benefits vs the risks of using anticoagulants to treat CVD?

They reduce blood clotting and lower heart attack/stroke risk, but can cause excessive bleeding.

What are the benefits vs the risks of using antihypertensives to treat CVD?

They lower blood pressure and reduce damage to artery walls, but can cause side effects like headaches and dizziness.

What are the benefits vs the risks of using platelet inhibitors to treat CVD?

They prevent blood clots, reducing heart attack risk, but may increase bleeding risk and cause side effects like nausea.