Lesson 8 - Risk factors of atherosclerosis Flashcards
(17 cards)
meaning probability
a measure of the chance that an event will take place
meaning multifactorial disease
caused by the many different factors
meaning correlation
a strong tendency for 2 sats of data to vary together
why is the probability of someone getting a particular disease not the same for everyone
some people have a higher risk than others, depending on their lifestyle and genes they inherited
what is the difference between correlation and causation
a causation needs further research
what are the 3 main risks of atherosclerosis that cannot be controlled
- genes
- age
- sex
how do genes affect risk of atherosclerosis
there are a variety of genetic factors which may lead to a higher risk of atherosclerosis. It may be that the arteries may be more easily damaged, or the cholesterol metabolism may be faulty
how do age affect risk of atherosclerosis
as you get older, your blood vessels begin to become less elastic and narrower, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis
how do sex affect risk of atherosclerosis
women are less likely to have atherosclerosis, as the female hormone oestrogen reduces the buildup of plaque (until menopause)
what are 5 lifestyle factors that affect the risk of atherosclerosis
- smoking
- exercise
- weight
- stress
- diet
how does smoking affect risk of atherosclerosis
chemicals in tobacco smoke can damage the artery linings, making the build-up of plaque more likely, causing the arteries to narrow, raising the blood pressure and increasing the risk of atherosclerosis
how does exercise affect risk of atherosclerosis
regular exercise helps lower the blood pressure, prevent obesity and diabetes, lower blood cholesterol levels, reduce stress, reduces the formation of plaques and keeps plaques that are present more stable and less likely to rupture
how is weight an indicator of risk of atherosclerosis
greater weight causes:
- high blood pressure, which increases the risk of damage to blood vessel lining, and so of plaque formation
- type 2 diabetes, which causes damage to the lining of the blood vessels, increasing the risk of plaque formation
how does stress affect risk of atherosclerosis
stress causes the release of cytokines that triggers the inflammatory response in the blood vessels, causing the plaque formation. Stress also increases blood pressure.
how does your diet affect risk of atherosclerosis
- If some levels of LDLs are high, your cell membranes become saturated, so more LDL cholesterol is left in your blood
- HDLs help to remove plaques from the arteries
what are LDLs
Low Density Lipoproteins are formed from saturated fats, cholesterol and proteins and bind to cell membranes before being taken into cells
what are HDLs
High Density Lipoproteins are formed from unsaturated fats, cholesterol and proteins. They carry cholesterol from body tissues to the liver to be broken down, lowering blood cholesterol levels
