AQA A Level PE 2026 – Master The Cardiovascular System with This All-in-One Practice Test

Arteries hardened and narrowed by fatty deposits describe atherosclerosis. In this process lipids, especially LDL cholesterol, accumulate in the inner lining of arteries and form atheromatous plaques. These plaques make the walls stiffer and the passageway (lumen) smaller, reducing blood flow and raising the risk of restricted oxygen delivery to tissues. The fatty deposit itself is called an atheroma, which is part of atherosclerosis but describes the plaque rather than the whole process. Bradycardia is simply a slow heart rate, and cardiac hypertrophy means the heart muscle has thickened or enlarged—both are different concepts from the buildup of fatty plaques in arteries.