Topic 1

• Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is a general term for conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels

  
• CVD


  • Usually associated with atherosclerosis (formation of hard plaques in artery lining)
  • Usually associated with thrombosis (formation of blood clots in arteries)
• Risk factors


  Factors that can be linked to an increased risk of a disease
• Exposure to a risk factor doesn't guarantee an individual will suffer a disease, but their risk compared to someone who doesn't have the risk factor is much higher
• Types of risk factors

  • Aspects of a person's lifestyle
  • Substances in a person's body or environment
  • Genetic predispositions
  • Other biological factors
• Many diseases are caused by the interaction of a number of factors
• Some risk factors are under the control of the individual, others are outside of an individual's control
• Lifestyle factors linked to CVD

  • Diet high in cholesterol
  • Lack of exercise
  • Smoking
• Other factors linked to CVD

  • Genetics
  • Biological sex
  • Age
• Correlation between a risk factor and a disease does not always mean a causal relationship exists
• Describing data


  Identifying trends and stating what the results show
• Drawing conclusions from data

  Working out what the data show about the relationships between variables
• Evaluating the validity of data

  Checking that the data are representative, measured correctly, and analysed appropriately
• Correlation is where a change in one variable occurs at the same time as a change in another variable, but this does not mean one causes the other
• Causation is where the change in one variable causes the change in another variable
• Factors to consider when evaluating experimental design

  • Sample size and representation
  • Control of variables
  • Bias in data collection and analysis
  • Use of controls
  • Repetition and reproducibility
• Risk


  The chance or probability that a harmful event will occur
• Factors that can lead to overestimation of risk

  • Misleading media information
  • Overexposure to information
  • Personal experience
  • Unfamiliarity with event
  • Event causing severe harm
• Factors that can lead to underestimation of risk


  • Lack of information
  • Misunderstanding of risk factors
  • Lack of personal experience
  • Unfamiliarity with event
  • Harm being non-immediate
• Treatments for CVD


  • Antihypertensives
  • Statins
  • Anticoagulants
  • Platelet inhibitors
• Antihypertensives


  Drugs that lower blood pressure to reduce risk of arterial damage and atheroma/thrombosis formation
• Statins


  Drugs that lower blood cholesterol by blocking an enzyme needed to make cholesterol, reducing LDL ("bad") cholesterol
• Anticoagulants


  Drugs that reduce blood clotting to prevent thrombosis
• Platelet inhibitors


  Drugs that prevent platelets from sticking together and forming clots
• Types of medication for the treatment of CVD

  • Antihypertensives
  • Statins
  • Anticoagulants
  • Platelet inhibitors
• Antihypertensives


  These drugs work by lowering blood pressure
• High blood pressure


  Also known as hypertension
• Lowering blood pressure


  Reduces the risk of arterial endothelial damage and therefore reduces the risk of atheromas and thrombosis
• Antihypertensives


  • Beta blockers
  • Vasodilators
  • Diuretics
• Beta blockers


  Prevent increases in heart rate
• Vasodilators


  Increase the diameter of the blood vessels
• Diuretics


  Reduce blood volume by decreasing the amount of sodium reabsorbed into the blood by the kidneys, therefore decreasing the volume of water reabsorbed into the blood
• Statins


  These drugs work by lowering blood cholesterol
• Statins


  They block an enzyme in the liver which is needed to make cholesterol, lowering the LDL concentration in the blood therefore reducing the risk of atheroma formation
• LDLs


  Sometimes known as 'bad' cholesterol; at high levels they increase the risk of atheromas forming
• Anticoagulants


  These drugs reduce blood clotting
• Blood clotting


  Can be referred to as blood coagulation
• Reduced formation of blood clots


  Decreases the likelihood of thrombosis and therefore reduces the risk of blood vessels being blocked by blood clots
• Platelet inhibitors


  These are also substances which reduce blood clotting
• Platelet inhibitors


  They prevent the clumping together of platelets, so preventing the formation of blood clots