Lifestyle Factors and CVD

Question 1

CVD Risk Factors

Answer 1

Physical: age, sex, history, genes
Psychological: health behaviours, stress, depression
Metabolic Syndrome: overweight & abdominal fat distribution, hypertension, insulin resistance, hyperglycaemia
Job Strain
Type A personality

Question 2

Diet

Answer 2

Not eating 5 a day
1.7x more likely to die early from CVD, 1.4x –> stroke
Top 20% total fat = 1.3x to develop CVD (1.5x if top 20% saturated fat)
Secondary Infection: lower death rates/risk of cardiac events

Question 3

Exercise

Answer 3

Those below activity threshold
1.3x more likely to die early from CVD, 1.3x from stroke
Secondary prevention: reduce all cause mortality, CV mortality & non-fatal cardiac events

Question 4

Smoking

Answer 4

1.9x more likely to die early form CVD - 1.7x from stroke

Secondary Infection: quitters had 36% lower risk of premature death and 32% –> MI

Question 5

Demographic & Psychological Factors

Answer 5

Lower social classes have greater CVD risk

20% lowest income have 2.7x risk of CVD death, 4.3x risk of acute MI

Question 6

What people think caused their heart attack

Answer 6

Stress: 35% Smoking: 27% Hereditary: 16% Overweight: 10% Hyperlipidaemia: 8%

Question 7

Stress Response

Answer 7

Physical, behavioural, emotional, cognitive
Approach or Avoiding
Acute stress triggers ischaemia in patients with CHD

Question 8

Accumulation of Lifestyle Risk

Answer 8

Chronic Risk: standard - age, sex, family history, smoking, cholesterol. psychosocial - hostility, depression, low support, chronic stress
Acute Risk: stress/anger, acute exercise, CV reactivity

Question 9

CHD impacts

Answer 9

Emotional: depression (30%), anxiety (40%), PTSD (15%).
Depression - 2-3x more common after MI; independent predictor of premature death; associated with poor adherence to meds;