Understanding the Cardiovascular System (CVS)

Patty Melody, M.A.Los Angeles Valley CollegePhysical Education Department

Agenda

1. Define the Cardiovascular System (CVS)

2. Why do we need to know about the CVS?

3. Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

4. Different types of CVD

5. Reversing Atherosclerosis

6. Benefits of Cardiovascular Endurance Conditioning

The Cardiorespiratory System

Cardio: heart and blood vesselstransports oxygen, nutrients,

and wastes among vital organs and tissues

Respiratory: lungs, air passages, and

breathing musclessupplies oxygen and removes

carbon dioxide

Agenda

1. Define the Cardiovascular System (CVS)

2. Why do we need to know about the CVS?

3. Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

4. Different types of CVD

5. Reversing Atherosclerosis

6. Benefits of Cardiovascular Endurance Conditioning

Top 10 Killers in U.S. 1997

1. Heart Disease 31.4% 2. Cancer 23.2% 3. Stroke 6.9% 4. COPD 4.7% 5. Accidents 4.1% 6. Pneumonia/Influenza 3.7% 7. Diabetes 2.7% 8. Suicide 1.3% 9. Kidney Disease 1.1% 10. Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis 1.1%

CVD in Perspective

CVD – 953,110 deaths/year Cancer – 540,000 deaths/year Accidents – 96,000 deaths/year HIV/AIDS – 17,000 deaths/year

CVD cause of 41.2% of all deaths/year 1 out of every 2.4 deaths, 2,600 deaths/day,

1 death every 33 seconds CVD claims more lives each year than the

next seven leading causes of death combined

Cardiovascular Disease Statistics – Part 1 Between 1987-1997 CVD death rates declined 19.1% In 1997, 953,110 people in the U.S. died from heart

disease Forty two percent of all deaths are related to CVD One-sixth of CVD deaths are people younger than 65

years More than 60 million (1 out of every 4) Americans have

some form of CVD: hypertension (50 million), coronary heart disease (12.2 million), congestive heart failure (4.6 million), or stroke (4.4 million) (American Heart Association, 1997)

Cardiovascular Disease Statistics – Part 2 Coronary heart disease (CHD) accounts for more deaths

than any other disease annually (489,000+ deaths) CHD deaths greater among Blacks than Whites (Hispanics

have a lower prevalence than Whites) (Public Health Service 1988)

CHD is caused by lack of blood supply to the heart muscle (myocardium) resulting in myocardial ischemia

CHD begins with a degenerative, progressive plaque build-up within the lining of the arteries known as atherosclerosis (Endothelial Damage Theory)

Types of CVD*

HypertensionCoronary heart diseaseStrokeRheumatic heart diseaseCongenital heart diseaseCongestive heart failure* CVD is the acronym for Cardiovascular Disease.

Myocardial Infarction

Necrosis of a part of cardiac muscle caused by obstruction in a coronary artery through either atherosclerosis or a thrombus or a spasm. The onset of an MI is characterized by a crushing, viselike chest pain that may radiate to the left arm, neck, or epigastrium and sometimes stimulates the sensation of acute indigestion or a gallbladder attack.

Atherosclerosis

Principle cause of coronary artery disease. Defined as the thickening, narrowing and hardening of the blood vessels in the body. The etiology of this chronic disease stems from long-term injury and plaque build-up within the inner lining (endothelial lining) of the arteries. This narrowing of the diameter of the vessels (lumen) leads to various forms of occlusion which can result in an MI (myocardial infarction). Coronary arteries are only as wide as a pencil lead.

Common Blood Vessel Disorders

Thrombus – clotEmbolus – moving clotHemorrhage – sudden burst of blood

vesselAneurysm – blood vessel balloons,

weakens and can rupture

Heart Attack Signals

Pale, clammy, SOB Faint, anxious, feeling

that death is imminent Tachycardia, thready

pulse, low BP Chest pain > 2 min. Radiating pain,

pressure, discomfort in arm, jaw and back

EKG might detect elevation of ST segment and Q wave

ALOC – altered level of consciousness measured using Glasgow Coma Scale

Nausea/Vomiting Gastrointestinal Distress Activate E.M.S. as soon as

possible. Forty percent of people die within the first hour of a heart attack.

Heart Attack Trivia

70% of heart attacks take place at home 30% of heart attacks outside of home Most heart attacks occur Monday mornings Men and post-menopausal women are at

highest risk Men deny they are having a heart attack Women are treated for gastric or gynecology

problems – treatment delayed because women present different s/s for heart attacks – Women’s Health Initiative 1991

ACSM GUIDELINES 2005Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factors

Positive Risk Factors Family history Cigarette smoking Hypertension Dyslipidemia Impaired fasting glucose Obesity Sedentary lifestyleNegative Risk Factor High serum HDL cholesterol > 60mg/dL

(1.6mmol/L)

Recommendations of the U.S. Surgeon General Moderate activity:

on most, preferably all, days of the week a goal of 150 kcals/day (1000 kcals/week)

Examples of one day’s moderate activity: 30 minutes of brisk walking or 15 minutes of

running 30 minutes of raking leaves or 15 minutes of

shoveling snow two 10-minute bicycle rides or two brisk 15-

minute walks

Benefits of Cardiorespiratory Endurance Exercise

Improved cardiorespiratory functioning:

Reduces risk of CVD Glycogen-sparing effect Increases ventilatory capacity Increases cardiac output Reduces risk of dying prematurely Reduces risk of developing osteoporosis Maintenance of body weight Reduces risk of developing diabetes

More Benefits of Cardiorespiratory Endurance Exercise

Reduced risk of chronic disease:cardiovascular

diseasecancerdiabetesosteoporosis

Image source: http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/index.htm

More Benefits of Cardiorespiratory Endurance Exercise

Better control of body fat

Improved immune function

Improved psychological and emotional well-being

Five Health-Related Components of Fitness Cardiorespiratory Endurance The ability to perform prolonged, large muscle, dynamic exercise at moderate to

high intensity levels.

Muscular Strength The amount of force a muscle can produce with a single maximum effort.

Muscular Endurance The ability of a muscle or group of muscles to remain contracted or to contract

repeatedly for a long period of time.

Flexibility The range of motion in a joint or group of joints; flexibility is related to muscle

length.

Body Composition The relative proportion of fat-free mass (muscle, bone, and water) and fat in the

body

Cardiovascular Endurance

The ability of the body to perform prolonged, large-muscle, dynamic exercise at moderate-to-high levels of intensity

Key health-related component of fitness