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CHD
Coronary Heart Disease
Vocabulary Word | Definition |
---|---|
Coronary Heart Disease | Build-up of plaque on the walls of the coronary arteries. |
Uncontrollable Risk Factors | Age, Gender, Heredity |
Controllable Risk Factors | Smoking, Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, Physical Inactivity, High blood pressure, High cholesterol, Stress |
Age | Degenerative process begins at approx. the second decade and continues at varying rates depending on lifestyle |
Gender | Women are generally protected against the premature development of CHD because of hormonal differences. After menopause this effect is eliminated. |
Heredity | Predisposition to CHD may be inherited. |
Smoking | Smokers heart has to pump more blood per unit of time in order to transport a given volumn of oxygen therefore the load on the heart is increased. |
Obesity | Existing evidence suggests only a moderate relationship, or that the relationship is co-dependant with such factors as hypertension, diabetes, and smoking. |
Diabetes Mellitus | arteriosclerosis is one disease of the large arties which may be associated with diabetes, in which plaque-like deposits containing large amounts of cholesterol build up on the inside walls of the arteries. |
Physical Inactivity | Lack of exercise is a significant factor in the development of CHD. |
High blood pressure | hypertension is related to CHD |
High Cholesterol | There is a link between high levels of cholesterol and heart disease. |
Stress | The inability to deal with the negative effects of stress has been identified as a major risk factor. |