All about Cardiovascular

disease (CVD)
The disease
Risks
Treatments (lifestyle changes,
medical treatments)

What is CVD?

The disease of the heart and blood vessels

Heart attack (Myocardinal infarction) blockage of

coronary heart vessels
Stroke blood supply to part of the brain
Angina narrowing of the coronary blood vessels

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Coronary-heart-disease/Pages/Debbies-story.
aspx

The risk of suffering CVD is increased

by:

Genetic factors (does the condition run in the

family?)
Age (as one grows older, their blood vessels lose
elasticity)
Gender (until the menopause, oestrogen provides a
degree of protection against CVD for women, also
men are genuinely accepted as being exposed to a
more stressful occupation)
High blood pressure hypertension (increases the
likelihood of atherosclerosis occurring due to
damage to blood vessel walls)
Lifestyle factors: smoking tobacco, unhealthy diet
(high in salt and saturated fats) and lack of exercise
(to exercise the heart muscle)

Other factors

Salt (a high-salt diet causes the kidneys to retain

water and higher fluid levels in the blood result in
elevated blood pressure with the associated CVD
risks)
Stress (the release of adrenaline causes arteries
and arterioles to constrict, resulting in raise blood
pressure and stress can also lead to over eating, a
poor diet and higher alcohol consumption)
Alcohol (heavy drinking raises blood pressure,
contributes to obesity and can cause irregular
heartbeat and can damage the heart, brain and liver
which is used to break down carbohydrates, fats and
proteins)

Treatment of CVD
Risk of CVD can be reduced by lifestyle changes

Stopping smoking (tobacco)

Moderate exercise several times a week
Reducing intake of alcohol (stopping over
consumption of alcohol)
Changing diet by lowering cholesterol (salt) and
saturated fat intake

Medical treatments for CVD:

Antihypertensives (hypertension) reduce high blood
pressure
(Plant) Statins Reduce blood cholesterol levels (muscle
aches, nausea, constipation and diarrhoea, liver failure)
People may also stop trying to eat healthy and leaving it
to the statins
Anticoagulants (e.g. warfarin) Reduce risk of blood clot
formation (risk of uncontrolled bleeding dosage control
is essential!)
Platelet inhibitors (aspirin) Make platelets less sticky
(reducing risk of clot formation) (aspirin irritates the
stomach lining and can cause serious stomach bleeding,
using clopidogrel with aspirin can make the risk greater)

Antihypertensives (reduce blood

pressure hypertension)
DIURETICS increase volume of urine which lowers
blood volume and pressure (dizziness, nausea,
muscle cramps)
BETA BLOCKERS block the response of the heart to
hormones and make contractions (of the heart
muscle) less frequent and less powerful (possible
link with diabetes)
ACE inhibitors block the production of angiotensin
(enzyme) which normally causes arterial constriction
and a rise in blood pressure (cough, dizziness, heart
arrhythmia, impaired kidney function)

ANTIOXIDANTS
During chemical reactions in the body, unstable (free) radicals result when an atom has an unpaired
electron.
(Free radicals = an atom with an unpaired electron)
These free radicals are highly reactive and can damage many cell components including enzymes and
genetic material, and this type of cellular damage has been implicated in the development of some cancer, heart
disease and premature ageing.
Some vitamins, including vitamin C and E, can protect against radical damage as they provide hydrogen
atoms that can stabilise the radical by pairing up with its unpaired electron.
A study has found that high levels of antioxidants seem to protect against heart disease.
Antioxidant-rich food: fruit and vegetables(five-a-day is the recommendation)

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