Atherosclerosis Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis? (Simple)
Hardening of the arteries
How does it develop?
The endothelium of an artery gets damages and becomes rough
What can cause atherosclerosis?
- Happens to all of us as we age
- happens earlier in people with high blood pressure
- can be causes by chemicals in cigarette smoke
How does the artery wall become thicker and rough?
- Once the damage has occurred the body’s inflammatory responce begins and white blood cells arrive at the site of the damage
- these cells accumulate chemicals from the blood, in particular cholesterol; eventually forming a plaque also called atheroma
What is the plaque called in atherosclerosis?
Atheroma
How does the plaque affect the arteries?
- makes the artery wall thicker and less elastic
- makes it narrower so it is more difficult for blood to flow through it
- increases blood pressure
- high blood pressure increases the risk that more plaques will form
What are the consequences of atherosclerosis?
- the slow flow of blood past plaques means platelets come into close contact with the damaged tissue in the vessel wall
- this can stimulate a blood clot to form
- the clot can block the artery
What is it called when a blood clot forms inside a blood vessel?
Thrombosis
Risk factors for atherosclerosis?
- genes
- being overweight
- being male
- smoking
- little physical exercise
- eating a high fat, particularly one rich in saturates fats - increases LDLs
What are LDLs formed from?
- saturated fats
- cholesterol
- protein
What are HDLs formed from?
- Unsaturated fats
- cholesterol
- protein
Which one is good LDLs or HDLs
HDLs
What do LDLs bind to before being taken into the cells?
Cell membranes
What happens if you LDL levels are high?
Your cell membranes become saturates and so more LDL cholesterol is left in your blood
How does stress affect atherosclerosis?
- causes the release of cytokines
- These trigger an inflammatory responce begins and
- This leads to plaque fromation
- also increases blood pressure (stress gives you adrenaline which but you in fight or flight mode)
What do HDLs do?
- Carry cholesterol from body tissues to the liver to be broken down
- help remove cholesterol from fatty plaques on the arteries reducing the risk of atherosclerosis
What happens when a part of someones heart dies?
They have a heart attack
