Atherosclerosis

Question 1

What is atherosclerosis? (Simple)

Answer 1

Hardening of the arteries

Question 2

How does it develop?

Answer 2

The endothelium of an artery gets damages and becomes rough

Question 3

What can cause atherosclerosis?

Answer 3

• Happens to all of us as we age
• happens earlier in people with high blood pressure
• can be causes by chemicals in cigarette smoke

Question 4

How does the artery wall become thicker and rough?

Answer 4

• 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

Question 5

What is the plaque called in atherosclerosis?

Answer 5

Atheroma

Question 6

How does the plaque affect the arteries?

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

What are the consequences of atherosclerosis?

Answer 7

• 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

Question 8

What is it called when a blood clot forms inside a blood vessel?

Answer 8

Thrombosis

Question 9

Risk factors for atherosclerosis?

Answer 9

• genes
• being overweight
• being male
• smoking
• little physical exercise
• eating a high fat, particularly one rich in saturates fats - increases LDLs

Question 10

What are LDLs formed from?

Answer 10

• saturated fats
• cholesterol
• protein

Question 11

What are HDLs formed from?

Answer 11

• Unsaturated fats
• cholesterol
• protein

Question 12

Which one is good LDLs or HDLs

Answer 12

HDLs

Question 13

What do LDLs bind to before being taken into the cells?

Answer 13

Cell membranes

Question 14

What happens if you LDL levels are high?

Answer 14

Your cell membranes become saturates and so more LDL cholesterol is left in your blood

Question 15

How does stress affect atherosclerosis?

Answer 15

• 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)

Question 16

What do HDLs do?

Answer 16

• 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

Question 17

What happens when a part of someones heart dies?

Answer 17

They have a heart attack