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

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