Disease

• Atherosclerosis


  Fatty plaque development in the arterial walls progressively narrowing the lumen and hardening the walls
• Negative effects of atherosclerosis

  Arterial walls become hardened making it harder for them to vasodilate and constrict to regulate blood pressure. Hypertension can develop
• Hypertension


  Chronically high blood pressure associated with atherosclerosis
• Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)


  Results from atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. Reduction in blood flow and oxygen limits the cardiac muscle's ability to respire, an angina or heart attack may occur.
• Angina


  Pain in the heart region due to a restriction of oxygen to the cardiac muscle
• Heart attack


  When a fatty plaque (atheroma) breaks off from an arterial wall, a blood clot can form, blocking the oxygen supply to an area of the cardiac muscle causing death of cells and permanent damage.
• How often does someone suffer from a heart attack in the UK?

  Once every 3 minutes
• What percentage of heart attacks are fatal?

  About 30%
• Stroke


  Caused by a blockage in a cerebral artery or a blood vessel bursting in the brain. It restricts oxygen to an area in the brain, causing cells in that area to die.
• Ischaemic stroke


  Caused by a blockage in a cerebral artery cutting off the oxygenated blood supply
• Haemorrhagic stroke


  Caused by a blood vessel bursting within or on the surface of the brain cutting off the oxygenated blood supply
• What percentage of strokes are ischaemic?

  85%
• What percentage of strokes are haemorrhagic

  15%
• What is the largest cause of complex disability

  Strokes (leaving more than 30% of survivors reliant on others)
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL)


  Actively remove cholesterol from arterial walls and transport it to the liver
• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)


  Deposits cholesterol on the arterial walls
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)


  One or more respiratory diseases (severe asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema) where persistent inflammation leads to permanent damage in the airways and lung tissue.
• Asthma


  Constriction of the bronchial airways and inflammation of the mucous membranes, which restrict the airways and limit breathing
• Exercise induced asthma (EIA)


  When the air is cold and dry, such as winter sports, and in swimming due to pollutants in the water. The use of inhalers, warm-ups and respiratory muscle training can ease the symptoms.
• Permanent changes due to COPD

  Thickening of the bronchiole walls, increased mucous production, damage to the alveoli and decrease in lung tissue elasticity.