• Obesity can increase the risk of CHD and stroke even without other risk factors being present
• The more excess fat carried especially around the middle, the greater the risk is to the heart
• Obesity can also increase the risk of type II diabetes
o Which in turn can increase the risk of CHD and stroke
• Obesity can also raise BP and elevate blood lipid levels
• Studies show a positive correlation between the % of saturated fat in the diet and high BP
• They have also shown a positive correlation between the % of saturated fat in the diet and increased incidence of CVD
CORONARY HEART DISEASE
• Narrowing of the coronary arteries limits the amount of oxygen- rich blood reaching the heart muscle
• This may lead to a chest pain called angina
• The heart muscle lacks oxygen= respires anaerobically
• If fatty plaque ruptures in coronary arteries cholesterol is released which leads to rapid clot formation
• Blood supply to heart may be completely blocked
• Heart muscle is said to be ischaemic (without blood0) when the heart muscle doesn’t receive blood by arteries
• If affected muscles are starved of oxygen for a long time they will be permanently damaged
• Symptoms:
o Intense pain
o Discomfort in the chest or in the left arm or shoulder
o Heaviness
o Tightness
o Burning and pressure
• Sometimes CHD causes the heart to beat irregularly= this is known as an arrhythmia and can lead to heart failure
STROKE
• Supply of blood to the brain is only briefly interrupted then a mini-stroke may occur
• A mini stroke is a warning of problems with blood supply to the brain that could result in a full stroke in the future
• Symptoms that appear suddenly
o Numbness
o Dizziness
o Confusion
o Slurred speech
o Blurred or lost vision