Lesson 66 - Cardiovascular diseases and data analysis

Question 1

What is atherosclerosis and how is it formed?

Answer 1

1. Caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery.
2. The plaque is made up of deposits of fatty substances, dead cells, WBC’s, cholesterol etc
3. As it builds up in the arteries, the artery walls become thickened and stiff and the lumen becomes narrowed, so more difficult for blood to flow through

Question 2

Risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease?

Answer 2

• Smoking
• Obesity/diabetes
• Age
• Gender
• Genetic factors
• High blood pressure/cholesterol
• Physical inactivity

Question 3

What is standard deviation?

Answer 3

A number used to tell us how spread out your data is from the mean.
One standard deviation above and below the mean shows where most of the data points lie.

Question 4

What does greater and smaller standard deviation show in a normal distribution?

Answer 4

Greater SD: shows greater variation in the data
Smaller SD: shows less variation in the data

Question 5

What is the benefit of using error bars?

Answer 5

Reduces the effect of any extreme values/anomalies

Question 6

What is an aneurism?

Answer 6

• It’s a balloon-like swelling of the artery
• Starts with the formation of an atheroma, which weeken and narrow arteries, increasing BP
• When blood travels through a weakened artery at HP, it may push the inner layers of the artery through the outer elastic layer to form an aneurism
• If it bursts, it will cause a haemorrhage (bleeding)

Question 7

What is thrombosis?

Answer 7

• The formation of a blood clot
• It starts with an atheroma plaque, which can rupture the endothelium of an artery
• This damages the artery wall and leaves a rough surface
• Platelets and fibrin accumulate at the site and form a blood clot (thrombus)
• This can cause a complete blockage in the artery, or dislodged and block another blood vessel in the body

Question 8

What is a myocardial infarction (heart attack)

Answer 8

• Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart
• This blood contains the O2 needed by heart muscles to carry out respiration
• If a coronary artery is blocked by a blood clot, an area of the heart muscle will not receive the any O2. Causing a heart attack.
• It can cause damage/death of the heart cell.
• Symptoms: pain in chest/upper body, shortness of breath, and sweating