The heart is an extremely important organ of the body. It help pump around the blood to every part of the body. However, like any organ it can be damaged or affected by diet, lifestyle and genetics.

Heart

Disease

Heart attacks can be caused by a series of events:

1. A build up of fat in the coronary arteries.

2. Blood clots formed on fatty deposits

3. The blood clot can block a coronary artery

4. Heart muscle cells don’t get oxygen and nutrients

5. Cells start to die.

In the UK roughly 300,000 people have a heart attack every year.

Heart disease is different to a heart attacks. Heart disease is any illness of the heart. A heart attack can be a cause of heart disease.

Heart disease is caused by:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High levels of salt
• High levels of fat

Questions

1. Draw and explain a diagram to illustrate the inside of an artery and vein

2. Why does a heart cell need a blood supply?

3. Explain how high fat can cause a heart attack

4. List 4 lifestyle factors that increase a persons risk of heart disease

5. Heart disease is more common in the UK than in non-industrialised countries. Suggest why