Coronary Heart Disease

• Coronary Heart Disease


  
  

  • fatty substances such as cholesterol and saturated fats may be deposited on the inner surface of coronary arteries (atherosclerosis)
  • narrows the lumen of the arteries and increases blood pressure, affected artery develops rough inner surface, increasing risk of blood clots forming in the arteries
  • supply of blood and oxygen to heart muscles is cut off, without oxygen that is needed for aerobic respiration to release energy from activities in muscle cells, the heart muscle cells may become damaged
• Heart attack


  • Coronary heart disease can cause blood supply to the heart muscle to be greatly reduced due to blockage of the artery
  • blood flow to the heart may be blocked, causing the heart to not receive sufficient oxygen and nutrients, so part of the heart muscle dies, extensive heart damage is fatal since the heart is no longer able to pump blood to the rest of the body
• Risk factors of heart disease

  • smoking - cigarette smoke contains CO and nicotine. Nicotine increases blood pressure and risk of blood clotting in arteries, carbon monoxide binds to haemoglobin to form carboxyhaemoglobin, reducing amount of oxygen carried to heart
  • unhealthy diet - diet high in cholesterol, saturated fats and salt increases risk of high blood pressure
  • genetic factors - high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol can run in family
  • age - risk increases with age
  • sedentary lifestyle - lack of exercise and being inactive lead to build-up of fatty deposits that block arteries