Lesson 1.2.3

1.2.3 Risk factors for cardiovascular disease Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Biology A (Salters-Nuffield), Unit 1

20 questions

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Lesson 1.2.3, Risk factors for cardiovascular disease: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) (9BI0), Unit 1: Lifestyle, Health and Risk, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which of these is a non-modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease?

    • Smoking tobacco, which damages the endothelium and raises blood pressure
    • Age, since the risk of CVD rises as people get older
    • Physical inactivity, which contributes to obesity and high blood pressure
    • A diet high in saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol in the blood

  2. Which lifestyle factor is most directly linked to raised blood pressure in the list of CVD risk factors?

    • A low intake of vitamin C, which reduces the number of red blood cells in circulation
    • A high intake of fibre, which increases the concentration of haemoglobin in the blood
    • Regular sleep, which lowers the heart rate and so reduces the pressure in the arteries
    • A high salt intake, which increases blood volume and the pressure in the arteries

  3. Why are men generally at higher risk of CVD than pre-menopausal women?

    • Men have thinner arterial walls, which makes plaque formation more likely in their arteries
    • Oestrogen has a protective effect on blood vessels in women before the menopause
    • Men produce more HDL than women, so their LDL is cleared less efficiently from the blood
    • Women have more red blood cells than men, which increases the blood's clotting ability

  4. Which statement about the effect of smoking on CVD risk is correct?

    • Smoking damages the endothelium and raises blood pressure, both of which promote atherosclerosis
    • Smoking reduces the risk of blood clotting by stopping platelets from adhering to the endothelium
    • Smoking increases HDL levels, which removes cholesterol from the artery walls and prevents plaque
    • Smoking lowers the heart rate, which reduces the pressure on the arteries and lowers the risk

  5. In a cohort study, 40 of 1000 smokers develop CVD over 10 years, compared with 10 of 1000 non-smokers. What is the relative risk of CVD for smokers?

    • 30
    • 3
    • 0.25
    • 4

  6. In a 10-year study, 40 of 1000 smokers and 10 of 1000 non-smokers develop CVD. What is the absolute difference in cases per 1000 people?

    • 30 per 1000 people
    • 4 per 1000 people
    • 0.3 per 1000 people
    • 40 per 1000 people

  7. A study finds that people who eat more salt have higher blood pressure. Which statement is the most appropriate interpretation?

    • The study proves that salt directly raises blood pressure in all people, whatever their other lifestyle
    • The study shows that salt has no effect on blood pressure once smoking has been taken into account
    • The study shows that high blood pressure causes people to eat more salt in their diet
    • The study shows an association, but other factors such as age and weight could also explain the result

  8. Why is a family history of heart disease considered a risk factor for CVD?

    • Children inherit damaged endothelium from their parents, which causes CVD at an early age
    • Some inherited genes affect lipid metabolism and blood pressure, so the risk can run in families
    • Family members share the same diet and so develop CVD only through environmental exposure
    • Heart disease is caused by a single virus that is transmitted within families through close contact

  9. Which dietary change most directly reduces LDL cholesterol in the blood?

    • Increasing the intake of refined sugar in the diet
    • Replacing unsaturated fats with saturated fats in the diet
    • Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diet
    • Increasing the intake of salt in the diet

  10. A 60-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman, both past the menopause, have the same blood pressure and lifestyle. Which statement is most accurate about their CVD risk?

    • Their risks are fixed by their genes and cannot be changed by any lifestyle factors
    • The man has a much lower risk, because testosterone protects the arteries in older men
    • The woman has a much lower risk, because oestrogen remains protective after the menopause
    • Their risk is likely to be similar, because the protective effect of oestrogen has been lost in the woman

  11. Which factor increases the risk of CVD by promoting inflammation and endothelial damage in the arteries?

    • A high level of HDL cholesterol, which helps remove cholesterol from the artery walls
    • Persistently high blood glucose, as in poorly controlled diabetes
    • Regular moderate exercise that increases the number of red blood cells in the blood
    • Consumption of foods rich in dietary fibre that bind cholesterol in the gut

  12. Which lifestyle change is most effective at lowering blood pressure?

    • Increasing saturated fat in the diet to raise blood volume
    • Reducing salt intake and taking regular aerobic exercise
    • Eating only refined carbohydrates to reduce the workload on the heart
    • Taking up smoking to improve circulation through the blood vessels

  13. A study compares CVD incidence in two groups: one group takes regular exercise and the other does not. The exercise group has a lower incidence. What is the most appropriate limitation to note?

    • Exercise causes CVD in people who are already healthy, so the result is the reverse of what was found
    • People who exercise may also differ in diet and smoking habits, so the cause of the difference is uncertain
    • Exercise groups are always too small to produce a meaningful result, so the study cannot draw conclusions
    • Incidence of CVD cannot be measured in a study, so the result is invalid whatever the design

  14. What is the main effect of raised blood pressure on the artery wall?

    • It causes red blood cells to adhere to the artery wall, forming a clot immediately
    • It increases the diameter of the lumen permanently, which removes the risk of atherosclerosis
    • It stretches and damages the endothelium, making the wall more susceptible to plaque formation
    • It causes the artery wall to become completely impermeable, which prevents any lipid from entering

  15. Which combination of factors is most strongly associated with an increased risk of CVD?

    • Low LDL cholesterol, a high-fibre diet and drinking water
    • High HDL cholesterol, a high-protein diet and sleeping eight hours
    • Low blood pressure, high HDL cholesterol and regular exercise
    • High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking

  16. Which statement about body mass index (BMI) and CVD risk is correct?

    • BMI has no relationship with CVD risk, because it measures only the height and weight of the person
    • A low BMI is always linked to higher CVD risk, because thin people have high LDL cholesterol
    • BMI measures the amount of HDL in the blood and so directly predicts the likelihood of plaque formation
    • A high BMI is associated with increased CVD risk, because obesity raises blood pressure and LDL cholesterol

  17. Why is waist-to-hip ratio sometimes used alongside BMI when assessing CVD risk?

    • It measures the amount of HDL in the abdomen, which is the only good predictor of CVD risk
    • It indicates fat distribution, since central abdominal fat is linked more strongly with CVD risk
    • It tells us how much salt a person eats, which is directly linked to the risk of heart attacks
    • It shows the proportion of red blood cells in the waist, which determines the blood's clotting ability

  18. A patient has a BMI of 32. Which is the most appropriate classification of this value?

    • Underweight, since a BMI below 35 is conventionally classified as underweight
    • Obese, since a BMI of 30 or above is conventionally classified as obese
    • Healthy weight, since any BMI between 20 and 40 is conventionally classified as healthy
    • Overweight but not obese, since a BMI between 25 and 40 is conventionally classified as overweight

  19. Which of these best describes an effect of smoking on oxygen transport in the blood?

    • Nicotine binds to oxygen in the alveoli and prevents it from diffusing into the blood
    • Carbon monoxide dissolves in plasma and increases the amount of oxygen carried to the tissues
    • Smoke increases the number of red blood cells, which then carry more oxygen to the body
    • Carbon monoxide binds to haemoglobin, reducing the capacity of blood to carry oxygen

  20. In a population of 1000 people, 200 are inactive and 40 of them develop CVD over ten years. Among 800 active people, 20 develop CVD. What is the relative risk of CVD for the inactive group compared with the active group?

    • 0.5
    • 8
    • 2
    • 10

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