Causes and consequences of occlusion of the coronary arteries
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Question
What is blood pressure?
Answer
The **force** that flowing blood exerts on the **walls of the arteries**, written as two numbers (e.g. 120/80).
Question
What is systolic blood pressure?
Answer
The **higher** number — the pressure when the **ventricles contract** and push blood into the arteries.
Question
What is diastolic blood pressure?
Answer
The **lower** number — the pressure when the **ventricles relax** between beats and the heart refills.
Question
What is the role of LDLs?
Answer
They carry cholesterol **from the liver to the tissues**; excess is **deposited in artery walls** — the 'bad' carrier.
Question
What is the role of HDLs?
Answer
They carry **excess cholesterol away** from tissues and arteries **back to the liver** for disposal — the 'good' carrier.
Question
Which is better: high HDL or high LDL?
Answer
**High HDL** (removes cholesterol) and **low LDL** (which deposits cholesterol in arteries).
Question
What is atherosclerosis?
Answer
The build-up of cholesterol **plaque** in artery walls, which **hardens** and **narrows** the artery.
Question
How does high cholesterol cause coronary heart disease?
Answer
Cholesterol is **deposited in artery walls** → **plaque (atherosclerosis)** → **coronary arteries narrow** → **heart muscle gets less oxygen**.
Question
Name three causes of high blood cholesterol.
Answer
A **diet high in saturated fat**, **smoking**, **lack of exercise**, **obesity**, or an **inherited (genetic)** tendency.
Question
What health risk is linked to too much salt (sodium)?
Answer
It raises **blood pressure** (hypertension), which strains the heart and damages arteries.
Question
What are the coronary arteries?
Answer
The arteries that supply the **heart muscle itself** with oxygenated blood.
Question
What happens if a coronary artery becomes fully blocked?
Answer
Part of the heart muscle is starved of oxygen and dies — a **heart attack**.
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