Risk factors and treatment of cardiovascular diseaseEdexcel A-Level Biology A: Subtopic test

1. 1
   A 55-year-old man smokes 20 cigarettes a day. His father had a heart attack at the age of 52. At a health check his doctor tells him that he has several risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

   (a)

   Which substance in cigarette smoke combines with haemoglobin and reduces the amount of oxygen carried by the blood?

   [1 mark]

   • ANicotine
   • BTar
   • CCarbon monoxide
   • DCarbon dioxide

   (b)

   Which of these risk factors for CVD cannot be changed by the man?

   [1 mark]

   • AHis smoking
   • BHis level of physical activity
   • CHis diet
   • DHis age

   (c)

   Explain how smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 1: 4 marks

2. 2
   A health charity is advising the public on diet and cardiovascular disease. It notes that many processed foods are high in both salt and saturated fat, and that a typical person's intake of both exceeds the recommended level.

   (a)

   Why does a diet high in salt increase the risk of CVD?

   [1 mark]

   • AIt raises blood pressure
   • BIt lowers blood pressure and slows the heart
   • CIt reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood
   • DIt causes the endothelium to thicken

   (b)

   Which dietary change would be most likely to reduce the risk of CVD?

   [1 mark]

   • AReplacing unsaturated fats with saturated fats
   • BReplacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats
   • CEating more salty processed food
   • DEating more food high in saturated fat

   (c)

   Explain how a diet high in saturated fat increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 2: 4 marks

3. 3
   A study followed 40 000 men and 40 000 women, all aged between 45 and 64, for ten years. During that time 2 400 of the men and 1 200 of the women had a first heart attack.

   (a)

   Calculate the percentage of men and the percentage of women who had a heart attack, and compare the risk for the two groups.

   [3 marks]

   (b)

   Suggest two reasons for the difference between men and women, and explain why the study does not prove that gender alone causes the difference.

   [4 marks]

   Total for question 3: 7 marks

4. 4
   A 63-year-old woman has high blood pressure and a raised blood cholesterol level, and her mother died of a heart attack. She does little exercise. Her doctor is considering prescribing drugs and also recommends changes to her lifestyle.

   (a)

   Explain how genetics, age, diet, high blood pressure and inactivity increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

   [6 marks]

   (b)

   Evaluate the benefits and risks of treating cardiovascular disease with antihypertensives, statins, anticoagulants and platelet inhibitors.

   [6 marks]

   Total for question 4: 12 marks

End of questions