Lifestyle factors and cardiovascular disease

Question 1

Give 3 Immutable risk factors for CVD

Answer 1

• age
• sex
• family (genetic) history

Question 2

Give 4 modifiable risk factors for CVD

Answer 2

• health behaviours
• stress
• depression
• social support

Question 3

What is “ metabolic syndrome” and its impact on Cardiovascular health?

Answer 3

-

Question 4

What is the impact of diet on CVD?

Answer 4

having 5+ a day
- 1.7X more likely to die from CVD
- 1.4x more likely to have a stroke
fat intake compared to lowest  20%
- top 20% total fat : 1.3 x more likely
- top 20% sat. fat: 1.4x more likely

Question 5

What is the impact of smoking on CVD?

Answer 5

1. 9x more likely to die early from CVD

1. 7 more likely to have a stroke

Question 6

What is the impact of quitting smoking?

Answer 6

against CHD patients who keep smoking

• 36% lower risk of premature death
• 32% lower risk of re-infarct

Question 7

What is the impact of exercise on CVD?

Answer 7

those below active threshold

• 1.3x more likely to die early from CVD
• 1.3 more likely to have a stroke

Question 8

What are the impacts of demographic factors that effect ones CVD risk?

Answer 8

top vs lowest 20% of income
- 2.7x greater risk of CVD death
- 4.3x greater risk of acute MI
after adjustment for behavioural risk factors
- no greater risk of CVD death
- 2.8x greater risk of acute MI

Question 9

How can the association between SES and CVD be explained?

Answer 9

• biological markers
• -

Question 10

What is the effect of health beliefs on peoples actions on their health?

Answer 10

• people have a biased risk perception
• generally optimistic about their health
• general risk (stats) doesn’t translate to personal risk
• internal attributions, i.e diet, exercise vs. external attributions i.e genetics

Question 11

What is notable about people believe about what attributes to MI?

Answer 11

• underestimating diet and exercise
• people attribute stress, and heredity
• men: poor diet, hard work
• women: chance bad luck

Question 12

What factors are associated with getting to the hospital on time for an MI?

Answer 12

• being male
• being married
• perception of how susceptible you think you are
• non-pain symptoms

Question 13

What are the effects of acute stress, from epidemiological studies?

Answer 13

• increased MI admissions and cardiac deaths
• 9/11 terrorist attacks
• football matches

Question 14

What are the effects of chronic stress as seen in animal studies?

Answer 14

• induces atherosclerosis

- lowers threshold for arrhythmia

Question 15

What are the effects of acute stress, from experimental studies?

Answer 15

• triggers ischaemia in patients with CHD

- associated with cardiovascular changes i.e HR or BP

Question 16

How can accumulation of risk factors impact the likelihood of a cardiac event?

Answer 16

• greater/longer exposure to chronic risk factors reduces the threshold for a cardiac event when an acute risk factor presents itself

Question 17

How does personality impact your risk of CVD?

Answer 17

• previously thought type A people where more at risk

- it’s just the anger/stress aspect of those personalities

Question 18

What are some psychological symptoms post MI?

Answer 18

• Depression increased up to 30%
• Anxiety symptoms increased approx. 40%
• PTSD increased up to 15%

Question 19

Why is depression more likely to occur after a cardiovascular event?

Answer 19

-

Question 20

What are some lifestyle and behavioural impacts post cardiac events?

Answer 20

• lifestyle changes not sustained
• some changes are not the correct ones i.e stopping (5%)/ reducing 60%)sexual activity instead of a diet
• 65% change to a healthier diet –> only half maintain change after a year
• 60% of smokers quit –> half remain non-smokers after a year?