Factors that lead to CHD

Aron T.

Biology 11

1/20/2016

Factors That Lead to Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is when blood flow to the heart is temporarily or permanently blocked. This is problematic to the wellbeing of one’s heart, because blood transports the materials (nutrients, minerals, oxygen) that are required for heart muscles (or any muscle) to contract and sustain the life of those cells. Caption #1 shows the muscles in the heart that are affected by CHD. Coronary Heart Disease can be caused by the buildup of plaque (cholesterol) in the arteries which direct blood to the heart, and by the increase in blood pressure.

Caption #1: Shows the muscles that are damaged by CHD	Caption #2: Shows the changes on a fatty acid after hydrogenation.

Plaque building up in the arteries, also called atherosclerosis, is mainly affected by one’s diet, specifically in the ingestion of lipids. The lipids that are likely to cause CHD are: saturated fats, and trans fats. Trans fats are created artificially from hydrogenated vegetable oils, which would usually be unsaturated, which changes the physical properties of the lipids. Caption #2 shows how the hydrogenation of an unsaturated fat results in a saturated fat that has hydrogen atoms added to its structure. The physical changes allow trans fats to become solid at room temperature. Trans fats also increases LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the body, while decreasing the concentration of HDL (high-density lipoprotein). LDL and HDL transport cholesterol through the body, and LDL is considered to be negative since it contributes to plaque (cholesterol) buildup in arteries.

Caption #3: Shows the results of hypertension on blood vessels.

CHD can also be caused if the blood pressure of an individual is too high, which can be caused by the ingestion of salts. High blood pressure causes hypertension, which accounts for the slight damage to blood vessels and can cause blood vessels to narrow. The narrowing of blood vessels may also contribute to plaque (cholesterol) and fat buildup (atherosclerosis) in the arteries. Caption #3 shows how an increase in blood pressure can affect the buildup of plaque (cholesterol) in blood vessels.

Other factors that can help the rate of CHD, which are not diet related, may be seen as: smoking, physical inactivity, and diabetes. Smoking regularly may raise blood pressure (caused by nicotine), damage the lining of one’s blood vessels, and (similar to trans fats) increases LDL while lowering HDL. Physical activity can help reduce the risk of CHD by regulating blood pressure and the levels of lipids in blood cells. Without regular physical activity, these benefits are not being exploited, and a high blood pressure and high lipid concentration may lead to CHD. Diabetes is a risk for CHD because it promotes high glucose levels in blood cells. This is because the hormone insulin, that helps transport glucose to other cells, is not being created or isn’t being used properly. The result could be an abnormal level of sugar in blood cells. These symptoms can lead to CHD, because it also promotes hypertension and abnormal lipid levels in the body.

While scientists have found connections with trans fats, and other lipids, to CHD, there are often many roadblocks in the development of this research. Human volunteers for the experiment would have to undergo certain diets and exercise, which might be hard to sustain over long periods of time (Allott/Mindorff 84). The outcome of the experiments could also be affected by the patient's’ DNA, and finding a group with the same genes would be difficult (Allott/Mindorff 84). While scientists have also tried to experiment on animals, the data collected would not necessarily fit symptoms for humans (Allott/Mindorff 84).

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Bibliography

"About Heart Disease." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. <http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm>.

"Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors." Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. <http://www.world-heart-federation.org/cardiovascular-health/cardiovascular-disease-risk-factors/>.

"Trans Fats." Trans Fats. American Heart Association. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. <http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Trans-Fats_UCM_301120_Article.jsp#.VqDgLPkrLIU>.

"Good vs. Bad Cholesterol." Good vs. Bad Cholesterol. American Heart Association. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. <http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/Good-vs-Bad-Cholesterol_UCM_305561_Article.jsp#.VqDh8PkrLIU>.

"Basics About Diabetes." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. <http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html>.

Allott, Andrew, and David Mindorff. IB Biology. 2014 ed. Oxford UP. Print.