AS Assignment: Risk factors of CVD 04:34:00

07/11/2010

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is a disease involving the heart or the blood vessels

(arteries and veins), in other words the cardiovascular system. This includes heart disease, atherosclerosis, Deep vein Thrombosis, coronary heart disease and strokes. Many thousands die every year. Most countries face high and increasing rates of cardiovascular disease. Each year, heart disease kills more Americans than cancer. Risk can be defined as the Probability or a likelihood of a damage, injury, liability, loss, or other negative occurrence, caused by external or internal vulnerabilities, and which may be neutralized through pre-mediated action.

By the time that heart problems are detected, the underlying cause

(atherosclerosis) is usually quite advanced, having progressed for decades. There is therefore increased emphasis on preventing atherosclerosis by modifying risk factors of CVDs. such as;

1. Controllable/treatable risk factors;

2. Uncontrollable risk factors; Genes Age Gender Smoking Cholesterol level Blood pressure Diet Weight (obesity) Stress

Risk factors- Probability of getting a CVD is looked at by finding out the actual

number of people affected by the disease in a population and calculate the likelihood of an average risk of a person getting a CVD within that population within a given amount of time. However, there maybe one, some or all of these risks for a person with CVD. CVD is a multi-factorial disease as many things influence your chances of being affected. Within each factor we may find a link or a correlation that is likely* to be the cause of CVD. *(A correlation does not always equal to cause).

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Smoking Cigarette smoking contributes to cardiovascular disease in a number of ways.

Smoking aggravates and accelerates of the development of atherosclerotic lesions (collections of cholesterol and other matter) in the arterial walls. These collections narrow the arteries, gradually impairing blood flow, and making the arteries harder and less elastic, and more liable to rupture. The exact mechanism by which smoking exacerbates this process is not yet certain, but it is thought that the nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke contribute to the process. Smoking also increases heart rate and blood pressure, which raises the body's demand for oxygen, but at the same time deprives the body of oxygen through the effects of carbon monoxide. This makes the heart work even harder to meet the body's needs, which in time can lead to ischaemia (lack of oxygen due to poor blood supply), with resultant angina pectoris (chest pain or tightness) or myocardial dysfunction (poor heart muscle function). Many studies detail the evidence that chemicals contained in cigarette smoke are causes for the increased risk of damage to the lining of the arteries, leading to CVD. Smoking combined with other factors, greatly increases risk of CVD. For example, smoking combined with a family history of heart disease and obesity also seems to greatly increase the risk. Smoking also decreases exercise tolerance also increases the risk of recurrent Smoking is also known to decreases HDL (good) cholesterol which increases the coronary heart disease after bypass surgery.

risk of having heart disease or a stroke. The risks of developing the disease increases with age and men are more at risk than women. Table below shows the mortality of men and women by smoking, 1/3 of the death cause is CVD. Studies have shown that smokers are far more likely to develop CVD. 9 out of 10 people needing heart bypass surgery are smokers. In the U.K 1/3 of the cause of mortality is by CVD for both male and female. Males have slightly higher number than female.


2 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 Mortality rate per 1,000 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
Belarus Latvia Malta Lithuania Spain Finland France Greece Portugal Italy Estonia Moldova UkraineBulgariaSlovakia Austria Switzerland Russian Federation BelgiumGerm Romania any Total EU-25 Luxem bourg Poland SwedenNorway Ireland Netherlands United Kingdom Hungary Denmark

All-cause mortality due to smoking, women aged 35 to 69, Europe, 2000

Czech Republic

Diet, weight, exercise and CVD

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