Pathology of CVD Flashcards
(37 cards)
Atherosclerosis is
the build up of fatty material (cholesterol, calcium etc) to form an atheroma beneath the endothelium.
As an atheroma grows, the artery
thickens and loses its elasticity
When the diameter of the lumen is reduced, blood flow is restricted and this causes
increased blood pressure
Atherosclerosis if a cause of various CVD’s including
angina, heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease.
Atheromas may rupture and damage the
endothelium
Clotting factors are released when the
endothelium is damaged
Clotting factors activate reactions which result in prothrombin being converted to
Thrombin
Thrombin converts
Fibrinogen to Fibrin
Fibrin threads can
form a meshwork to clot the blood
A blood clot is known as a
thrombus
The formation of a blood clot is known as
thrombosis
A thrombosis in a coronary artery may lead to a
heart attack
A thrombosis in an artery in the brain may lead to a
stroke
A blood clot can deprive cells of oxygen which can lead to
death of the tissues
If a thrombus breaks loose it forms an
embolus
Peripheral vascular disease is narrowing of the arteries due to atherosclerosis of arteries in
the legs (or other parts of the body that are NOT the heart or brain)
A DVT is a blood clot that forms in a
deep vein (usually in leg)
If a DVT moves to the lungs it is known as a
Pulmonary Embolism
Cholesterol is a type of lipid found in
cell membranes
As well as being in cell membranes, cholesterol is used to make
sex hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone)
Cholesterol levels can increase if a person has a diet high in
saturated fats
HDL transports excess cholesterol from the body cells to the
liver (for elimination)
LDL transports cholesterol to
body cells
If LDL deposits cholesterol in the arteries, it can lead to
the formation of atheromas