Cardiovascular disease (CVD) = disease
of the heart and blood vessels
 CVD is the leading cause of death
among Americans
 Some CVD risk factors are controllable;
others are not
 There are many things individuals can do
to reduce their risk of CVD


Tobacco use and exposure to ETS
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
Causes about 1 in 5 deaths from CVD
Damages artery linings
Reduces HDL
Raises LDL and triglycerides
Causes platelets to stick together
Raises heart rate and blood pressure
Displaces oxygen in the blood
Increases the rate of the accumulation of
fatty deposits in arteries

High blood pressure (hypertension) = sustained
abnormally high blood pressure
› Systole = pressure when heart contracts
› Diastole = pressure when heart relaxes

High blood pressure strains the heart, damages
the arteries, and increases risk of heart attack,
stroke, kidney failure, and blindness

CVD can be reduced with regular exercise,
healthy diet (reduced salt, increased
potassium and fiber), and moderation of
alcohol intake
Category
Systolic
(mm Hg)
Normal
Below 120
and
Below 80
120–139
or
80–89
140–159
160 and above
or
or
90-99
100 and above
Prehypertension
Hypertension
Stage 1
Stage 2
Diastolic
(mm Hg)

Unhealthy Cholesterol Levels
› Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) = unhealthy (“bad”)
cholesterol; excess amounts are deposited in
artery walls
› High-density lipoprotein (HDL) = healthy (“good”)
cholesterol; shuttle unused cholesterol back to
the liver for recycling
› Levels can be improved by quitting smoking,
exercising, and improving diet (less saturated
and trans fat, more fruits, vegetables, fiber, and
whole grains)
LDL cholesterol (mg/dl)
Less than 100
Optimal
100–129
Near optimal/above optimal
130–159
Borderline high
160-189
High
190 or more
Very high
Total cholesterol (mg/dl)
Less than 200
Desirable
200–239
Borderline high
240 or more
High
HDL cholesterol (mg/dl)
Less than 40
Low (undesirable)
60 or more
High (desirable)
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Physical inactivity
› Exercise decreases blood pressure and resting
heart rate, improves cholesterol, improves the
condition of blood vessels, and helps prevent
obesity and diabetes

Obesity
› Strains the heart, especially excess fat in the torso

Diabetes
› Increases CVD risk even when controlled

High triglyceride levels
› Lower with exercise, healthy diet, quitting
smoking, reducing alcohol intake
Triglycerides (mg/dl)
Less than 150
150–199
200–499
Normal
Borderline high
High
500 or more
Very high

Psychological and social factors
› Stress
› Chronic hostility and anger
› Suppressing psychological distress
› Depression and anxiety
› Social isolation
› Low socioeconomic status

Alcohol and drug use

Family history/heredity
› Multiple genes contribute to CVD risk

Aging
› CVD risk goes up with age

Being male
› Men face a higher risk, especially earlier in life

Ethnicity
› African Americans have higher rates of
hypertension and stroke

Women underestimate their CVD risk
› Nearly 1 in 2 women dies from CVD
› About 1 in 30 women dies from breast cancer
Women are protected from CVD at younger
ages by natural estrogen
 After menopause, women are more likely than
men to die after a heart attack
 Women are more likely to have a heart attack
without chest pain

Hypertension (a risk factor and a form of
CVD)
 Atherosclerosis
 Heart disease and heart attacks
 Stroke
 Congestive heart failure

Atherosclerosis: Arteries are narrowed by
deposits of fat, cholesterol, and other
substances called plaques
 Once narrowed by a plaque, an artery is
vulnerable to blockage by blood clots
 Blockage in the coronary arteries (coronary
heart disease) can lead to a heart attack
 Blockage in the brain can cause a stroke

Heart attack = Damage to, or death of, heart muscle,
sometimes resulting in a failure of the heart to deliver
enough blood to the body; myocardial infarction.
 Angina pectoris = A condition in which the heart muscle
does not receive enough blood, causing severe pain in
the chest and often in the left arm and shoulder.
 Arrhythmia = An irregularity in the force or rhythm of the
heartbeat.
 Sudden cardiac death = A nontraumatic, unexpected
death from sudden cardiac arrest, most often due to
arrhythmia (in association with underlying heart
disease).

Symptoms of heart attack
require immediate action.


Diagnosis
› Exercise stress test
› MRI, echocardiogram, angiogram
Treatment
› Lifestyle changes (diet and
exercise)
› Low-dose aspirin therapy
› Prescription medications
› Balloon angioplasty
› Coronary bypass surgery
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY5gKd
FWT3k&feature=related
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veP5R-pzJVk&NR=1
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=3Nf6Q2skGOM
Surgery is one possible
treatment for heart
disease.

Stroke = An impeded blood supply to some part
of the brain resulting in the destruction of brain
cells
› Ischemic stroke = caused by stroke
› Hemorrhagic stroke = caused by ruptured blood
vessel
Strokes may cause paralysis, walking disability,
speech impairment, or memory loss
 Treatment may include clot-dissolving and
antihypertensive drugs

Congestive heart failure = condition resulting
from the heart’s inability to pump out all the
blood that returns to it
 Blood backs up in the veins leading to the
heart, causing an accumulation of fluid in
various parts of the body
 Caused by high blood pressure, heart attack,
atherosclerosis, birth defects, rheumatic fever
(delayed complication of upper respiratory
streptococcus infection)




Eat heart-healthy
› Decrease fat and cholesterol
intake
 Especially limit saturated
and trans fats
› Increase fiber intake
› Alcohol intake—moderate, if
at all
› DASH (Dietary Approaches
to Stop Hypertension)
Exercise regularly
Avoid tobacco
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/hea
rt/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
Know and manage your blood pressure
 Know and manage your cholesterol levels
 Develop ways to handle stress and anger
 Know your risk factors

sphygmomanometer
Mitral valve prolapse
is the most common
cause of heart
murmur.
When the ventricles
contract, the
redundant leaflets
prolapse (flop
backwards) into the
left atrium,
sometimes allowing
leakage of blood
through the valve
opening (mitral
regurgitation).
Connect Chapter 11 Worksheet is due on
Monday, October 1st, no later than
11:59PM.
Study guide for Exam I will be posted on
instructor’s website.
 Review for Exam I on Wednesday,
September 26th.
 Exam I (Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 11) on
Monday, October 1st.
 Please bring a pencil and Scantron 882-E
for Exam I on Exam day.
 As indicated in the course syllabus, no
late or make-up exams given
