Development of cardiovascular diseases

• Multicellular organisms require transport systems to supply their cells and remove waste products.
• In humans, one of the functions of the circulatory system is to transport substances.
• The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood around the body.
• Oxygen is a gaseous element making up about 20% of the air, which is needed by living organisms for respiration.
• Aerobic respiration is respiration that requires oxygen.
• The coronary arteries supply blood, and therefore oxygen, to the heart muscle.
• The coronary arteries may become blocked by a build-up of fatty material, caused by certain kinds of 'bad' cholesterol.
• Cholesterol is a type of lipid (fatty substance).
• If a blockage builds up, the amount of oxygen reaching the heart muscle is reduced.
• A person will develop chest pain, and if left untreated, a heart attack is the result.
• A heart attack can cause damage to, or death of the heart muscle.
• Part of the heart muscle, or the whole heart, will die.