Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and therefore
many scientists are interested in finding both ways to prevent and to treat it. It
is a multifactorial disease and thus is being influenced by a variety of
environmental and genetic factors and therefore it is difficult to establish the
most important risk factors involved in the development of the disease. The
term risk factor describes those characteristics found, in healthy individuals, to
be independently related to the subsequent occurrence of cardiovascular
disease and, where modifiable, to be reversible. This term includes modifiable
lifestyle and biochemical and physiologic characteristics as well as nonmodifiable
personal characteristics such as age, sex, genetic makeup, early
life influences and family history of premature cardiovascular disease. When a
person develops cardiovascular disease, the modifiable risk factors continue to
contribute to the progression of the disease and prognosis. Risk factors
include smoking, hypertension, changes to lipid levels (e.g. raised total
cholesterol), raised blood glucose, obesity, family history of premature
cardiovascular disease, female hormonal status, dyslipidemia, diabetes, etc.
Except for female hormonal status, no risk factor has been recognised as
acting on one gender but not on the other. [...]
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Lifestyles
- Diet high in saturated fat, cholesterol and calories
- Tobacco smoking
- Excess alcohol consumption
- Physical inactivity
- Psychosocial factors
- Biochemical or physiological characteristics (modifiable)
- Elevated blood pressure
- Elevated plasma total cholesterol (LDL cholesterol)
- Low plasma HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol
- Elevated plasma triglycerides
- Elevated apolipoproteins
- Elevated lipoprotein (a)
- Elevated plasma homocysteine
- Infections
- Inflammation
- Obesity
- Hyperglycaemia / Diabetes
- Thrombogenic factors
- Estrogens
- Personal Characteristics (non-modifiable)
- Age
- Sex
- Genetic makeup
- Family history of premature cardiovascular disease
- Personal history of cardiovascular disease.
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This text aims to identify the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and explore evidence suggesting potential differences in these risk factors between men and women. Additionally, it investigates the success of risk factor intervention over the past decade.
- Major risk factors for cardiovascular disease
- Potential sex differences in risk factors
- Effectiveness of risk factor intervention
- Influence of lifestyle factors on cardiovascular disease
- The role of genetic factors in cardiovascular disease
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The text explores various risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, including lifestyle factors such as diet, smoking, and physical inactivity. It also examines biochemical and physiological characteristics, like elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as non-modifiable personal characteristics like age, sex, and family history. The text delves into evidence suggesting potential sex differences in the impact of certain risk factors on cardiovascular disease. It also analyzes the effectiveness of risk factor interventions over the past decade, considering the benefits and limitations of various approaches.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Cardiovascular disease, risk factors, sex differences, lifestyle, biochemical and physiological characteristics, intervention, prevention, smoking, hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, genetic factors, family history, mortality, morbidity.
- Quote paper
- BA (Oxon), Dip Psych (Open) Christine Langhoff (Author), 2003, Cardiovascular Disease, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/14021
