1.7 risk factors of cvd

• there are many lifestyle factors that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)

  • CVD is a general term for conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels
  • It is usually associated with
  • Atherosclerosis; the formation of hard plaques in the artery lining
  • Thrombosis; the formation of blood clots in the arteries
• what are risk factors


  factors that can be linked to an increased risk of a disease
• risk factors of cvd

  high blood pressure

  obesity

  blood cholesterol levels

  diet (fats)

  smoking

  inactivity

  genetic inhertiance

  alcohol intake
• how do genetics increase the risk of cardiovascular disease?

  individuals can inherit alleles or gene mutations that make them more likely to develop CVD

  for example they may inherit alleles that make them more prone to high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol, making it more likely they develop CVD
• FH (familial hypercholesterolaemia) 


  a mutation in the LDLR gene which causes the LDL receptors to not form or to have a shape that makes them less efficient

  this results in high blood LDL levels with early onset of CVD
• how does diet increase the risk of developing CVD

  A diet high in saturated fats increases blood cholesterol levels. This will increase the chance of an atheroma formation and therefore thrombosis

  A diet high in salt increases blood pressure which will damage the endothelium and increase the chance of atherosclerosis
• what does a diet high in saturated fats do

  increase blood cholesterol level which increases chance of atheroma formation / thrombosis
• how does age increase the risk of developing cvd

  the development of CVD increases with age

  this is due to the effects of ageing on the arteries, they tend to become less elastic and may be more easily damaged
• how does gender increase the chance of developing CVD

  males are three times more likely to suffer with CVD than PRE-menopausal woman

  this is because they have lower levels of hormones like oestrogen which increases the levels of good cholesterol in the blood
• how does high blood pressure increase the chance of developing CVD

  it increases the risk of damage to artery walls, which increases atheroma formation which then increases the likelihood of atherosclerosis forming and therefore thrombosis