Cardiovascular Disease• Cardiovascular disease –

set of diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels

• ~ 40% deaths in U.S.• Heart muscle requires O2

rich blood to survive• Coronary arteries – branch

off of the aorta and supply the heart muscle with O2

• If a coronary artery becomes blocked the heart tissue without blood will quickly die

• Heart attack – failure of the heart to function properly

Atherosclerosis

• Atherosclerosis – chronic cardiovascular disease• Cholesterol and other substances build up in the arteries called

plaque• This build up narrows passage, decreases blood flow, increases

blood pressure • Lifestyle changes – no smoking, healthy diet, increase exercise

Treatments for cardiovascular disease

• Drugs to lower cholesterol• Angioplasty – inserting a balloon catheter to compress

plaque against the vessel wall therefore opening clogged arteries

• Stent – small wire mesh tubes to prop open the arteries• By-pass surgery – blood vessels removed from leg and

sewn onto heart to shunt blood around a blocked artery• Heart transplant or artificial heart

– These only treat symptoms not the causes…problems will return if lifestyle changes are not changed!

Cardiovascular Risk Factors• You can control…

• Diet

• High cholesterol• HDL (good)

• LDL (bad)

• Weight (obesity)

• High blood pressure

• Cigarette smoking

• Physical inactivity

• Stress

• You cannot control…

• Genetics• Male sex• Increasing age• Diabetes