CVD

• CVD can be caused by ;

  • diet high in fat and salt
  • high blood pressure
  • high blood cholesterol
  • smoking
  • lack of exercise
• plaque is atheroma
• To reduce the risk of CVD you can ;

  • quit smoking
  • diet low in fat and salt
  • regular exercise
• statins can lower blood cholesterol - it will not cure CVD but will reduce one of the major risk factors
• Angioplasty acts to widen narrowed arteries and can have long term success

  A short wire mesh tube (stent) is inserted into the problem artery. A small balloon is attached to the front of the stent and is inflated to widen the artery. The stent expands and holds the widened artery open. Balloon is then deflated and removed - stent is left permanently in place
• If a blockage does not cause a heart attack, it often means a person will get pains in the chest, a condition known as angina. The slower flow of blood also makes it more likely that a clot will form, which blocks blood vessels. If this happens in the brain, this blockage is called a stroke
• Heart attack by atheroma in artery

  1. A diet high in saturated fat causes cholesterol to build up in the blood
  2. This forms a plaque on coronary artery walls, reducing blood flow
  3. Eventually artery becomes fully blocked
  4. The heart muscle doesn't receive O2 or glucose for respiration, so it cannot pump blood
  5. Eventually cells die
• Lifestyle changes are better than having surgery/drug treatment because there are no side effects however it requires willpower to be effective
• An diet high in saturated fat leads to fatty deposits (atheroma) building up in coronary arteries resulting in CVD disease - the medical term for this is atherosclerosis