Chapter 10 Reducing Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Principles of personal Health
I. Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease
A. Cardiovascular- Pertaining to the heart (cardio) and blood vessels (vascular)
B. Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans
C. Deaths from heart disease has declined because of:
1. Prevention-oriented education programs
2. Medical advances in diagnosis and treatment
II. Normal Cardiovascular Function
A. The Vascular System
1. The body’s blood vessels
2. Arteries- vessels that carry blood away from the heart
3. Veins- Vessels that carry blood to the heart
4. Arterioles- smaller extensions of arteries
5. Capillaries- Smallest extensions of the vascular system (where material is exchanged between cells and the blood).
B. The Heart
1. Introduction
a. Four-chambered pump
b. Circulates blood throughout the body
c. Atria- Two upper chambers
d. Ventricles- Two lower chambers
e. The heart must receive adequate amounts of oxygen
2. Heart Stimulation
a. Cardiac electrical centers generate electrical impulses to contract the heart muscle
C. Blood
1. About 6 quarts of blood circulate through the circulatory system
2. Functions of blood:
a. Transportation of material (nutrients, oxygen, waste)
b. Regulation of water
c. Help maintain pH balance
d. Regulation of body temperature
e. Prevention of blood loss
f. Protection against toxins and microorganisms
III. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors
A. Introduction
1. The best time to start protecting the cardiovascular system is early in life (when lifestyle patterns are developed)
2. Cardiovascular risk factor- An attribute that a person has that increases the likelihood that he/she will develop heart disease
B. Risk Factors That Cannot Be Changed
1. Increasing Age
a. The consequences of heart disease become evident as we age
2. Being Male
a. Young men have a greater risk of heart disease than young women
3. Heredity
a. Some are born into families where heart disease is prevalent
b. Race is also a consideration related to heart disease.
c. African-Americans have blood pressure rates twice that of whites
C. Risk Factors That Can Be Changed
1. Smoking
a. Smokers have a heart attack risk that is more than twice that of nonsmokers
b. Smokers who experience a heart attack are more likely to die suddenly
c. Risk of death by heart disease increases by about 30% in people exposed to secondhand smoke in the home
d. The risk of heart disease declines rapidly after quitting smoking
2. Physical Inactivity
a. Lack of exercise is a significant risk factor for heart disease
b. Physical activity helps lower blood cholesterol, encourages weight loss and lean muscle mass, and allows people to moderate stress
c. Middle-aged people should consult with a physician before starting an exercise program
3. High Blood Cholesterol
a. The higher the blood cholesterol level, the greater the risk for heart disease
b. Researchers have developed a variety of drugs effective at lowering cholesterol
4. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
a. Can damage a person’s heart and blood vessels
b. This causes them to work harder, enlarge, and weaken
c. High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease
d. Can be controlled with exercise, diet, and medication
C. Other Risk Factors That Contribute to Heart Disease
1. Diabetes
a. Kidney disease, blindness, and nerve damage increase the likeliness of developing heart and blood vessel disease
2. Obesity
a. Places strain on the heart and influences blood pressure and cholesterol
3. Individual Response to Stress
a. People who are unable to cope with stress are more likely to develop negative dependence behaviors (smoking, underactivity, poor diet)
IV. Forms of Cardiovascular Disease- Involves damage to the vessels that supply blood to the heart
A. Coronary Heart Disease
1. Atherosclerosis
a. The buildup of plaque on the inner walls of arteries
b. Buildup reduces the blood supply to specific portions of the heart
c. Elevated levels of cholesterol are associated with increased risk of developing Atherosclerosis
d. People can lower cholesterol by adopting three dietary changes (lowering saturated fats, lowering dietary cholesterol, lowering caloric intake)
e. Cholesterol is attached to structures called lipoproteins- particles that circulate in the blood and transport lipids
f. Tow classes of lipoproteins:
~ LDL- Low density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol) lead to buildup of plaque on the artery walls
~ HDL- High density lipoproteins (good cholesterol) transports cholesterol out of the bloodstream
g. Angina Pectoris- Chest pain caused by a reduced supply of oxygen to the heart muscle tissue
2. Emergency Response to Heart Crises
a. The consequences of a heart attack depend on the location and extent of damage to the heart and the speed at which circulation is restored
b. CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation- One of the most important immediate countermeasures
c. CPR- Trainees are taught how to restore breathing and circulation
3. Diagnosis
a. An ECG test analyzes electrical activity of the heart
4. Treatment can be divided into two categories:
a. Surgical Treatments
~ Coronary artery bypass- procedure designed to improve blood flow to the heart by providing alternative routes for blood to take around points of blockage
~ Angioplasty- Surgical insertion of a balloon into the narrowed artery -- Balloon is inflated compressing fatty deposits against the artery walls
~ Heart transplants and artificial hearts- Replace a person’s heart with that of another human being or mechanical device
b. Nonsurgical Treatments
~ IIa/IIIb inhibitors- prevent formation of blood clots, a major cause of heart attacks
~ Aspirin and Clopidogrel have been shown to be a factor in reducing the risk of heart attack
~ Alcohol- Moderate drinking is related to lower disease risk but benefit is much smaller than tackling other risk factors -- Heavy drinking increases cardiovascular risks
B. Hypertension
1. Introduction
a. When the heart contracts, blood is forced through arteries and veins
b. Blood pressure is the force your circulating blood exerts against the walls of arteries and veins
c. Blood pressure is measured with a sphygmomanometer and arm-cuff device
d. Tester listens for blood flow while pressure in the cuff is released
e. Systolic pressure- pressure against the vessel walls when the heart contracts
f. Diastolic pressure- pressure against the walls when the heart relaxes
g. Hypertension- A consistently elevated blood pressure
h. About 50 million Americans have hypertension (can cause heart attacks)
i. Hypertension is called "the silent killer" because people are often unaware they have the condition
j. Hypertension is a controllable (not curable) disease
2. Prevention and Treatment
a. Weight reduction, physical activity, moderation in alcohol, and sodium restriction are used to reduce hypertension
b. Antihypertensives- Drugs used to lower high blood pressure
C. Stroke
1. Introduction
a. Stroke is a general term for a wide variety of crises that result from vessel damage in the brain
b. The brain must have an adequate blood supply
2. Cerebrovascular Occlusions
a. The blockage of a cerebral artery
b. Thrombus- A clot that forms within an artery
c. Embolus- A clot that travels from another part of the body to the brain
3. Cerebral Hemorrhage
a. Results from an artery that bursts
4. Cerebral Aneurysm
a. A ballooning or outpouching on a weakened area of an artery
b. Occurs in various locations of the body
5. Diagnosis
a. A person who reports signs of stroke is given a battery of diagnostic tests
b. Tests include: CAT scan, MRI scan
6. Treatment
a. In the past, physicians waited for a stroke to end before treatment
b. The drug TPA can actually reduce the severity of a stroke as it is occurring
c. Must be treated as quickly as possible (first 3 hours of the stroke)
d. Some patients require surgery
V. Other Heart Diseases
A. Congenital Heart Disease- One that is present at birth
1. Includes a variety of abnormalities: valve damage, holes in the walls of the septum, underdevelopment of the left side of the heart
2. A bluish skin color is seen in some infants with congenital heart defects
3. Cause is not entirely understood
4. one cause has been identified (rubella)
5. Treatment usually requires surgery (many lead normal active lives)
B. Rheumatic Heart Disease
1. Started by an infection of the throat (strep throat)
2. Can result in rheumatic fever
3. A person who has had rheumatic fever is more susceptible to subsequent attacks
4. Tends to run in families
5. Damage from rheumatic fever centers on the heart’s valves
6. A faulty valve can be replaced surgically with an artificial valve or one taken from an animal
C. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
1. Blood vessel disease characterized by changes to the arteries in the extremities
2. Causes are smoking, high-fat diets, obesity, and sedentary occupations
3. PAD restricts blood flow to the extremities and can lead to gangrene and amputation
D. Congestive Heart Failure
1. The heart lacks the strength to continue to circulate blood normally
2. Blood flow starts to back up
3. Fluid collects in the lungs causing breathing difficulties
4. Treatable through rest, proper diet, modified daily activities, and appropriate drugs
D. Arrhythmias
1. Disorders of the heart’s normal sequence of electrical activity
2. Arrhythmias cause an irregular beating pattern of the heart
3. If the heart beats too slow or too fast, it is unable to pump sufficient blood throughout the body
E. Related Cardiovascular Conditions
1. Heart and blood vessels are also subject to other conditions:
a. Tumors of the heart
b. Infectious conditions
c. Diseases of the heart valves
d. Inflammation of the veins
Copyright © 1998 by Allen
Mooneyhan. All rights reserved.
Reproduction or redistribution prohibited.