Post on 13-Jan-2016
Cardiovascular HealthKey Concepts
What are some diseases of the cardiovascular system?
What behaviors can maintain cardiovascular health?
Key Terms Atherosclerosis Heart attack hypertension
Cardiovascular Diseases Leading cause
of death in the U.S.
Atherosclerosis and hypertension are 2 diseases of the cardiovascular system
Atherosclerosis A condition in which an artery wall thickens as a
result of the buildup of fatty material Cholesterol – a waxy substance Results in reduced blood flow Can develop in coronary arteries, which supply
heart muscle – may lead to a heart attack Heart attacks occur when blood flow to part of the
heart muscle is blocked. Cells die and the heart is permanently damaged
Treatment for Atherosclerosis Mild – low fat diet and moderate exercise
program. Medications that lower cholesterol levels may be prescribed
Severe – may need to undergo surgery or other procedures to unclog blocked arteries
Hypertension Also called high blood pressure A disorder in which a person’s blood
pressure is consistently higher than normal (140/90)
Makes the heart work harder May damage the walls of the blood vessels No obvious symptoms – called the silent
killer
Treatment of Hypertension Hypertension and atherosclerosis closely
related – As arteries narrow, blood pressure increases
Mild – regular exercise and careful food choices - May need to limit sodium
More severe – medications are needed to lower blood pressure
Keeping Healthy Exercise regularly, Eat a balanced diet that is low in: saturated fats (butter, whole milk and ice cream) trans fats (margarine, potato chips and doughnuts cholesterol (red meats, eggs and cheese) Sodium (table salt, processed foods – soups and
snacks) Avoid smoking – smokers are twice as likely to
have a heart attack as nonsmokers
Sources http://www.ohiohealth.com/bodymayo http://www.biotech-weblog.com http://www.nmh.org/nmh/adam/adamencycl
opedia/Imagepages/18018.htm http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZI
58IAQ8D