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The Mysterious Human Heart The Mysterious Human Heart border=
A Series by David Grubin


Myths & Misconceptions
What do you actually know about the human heart? Take the The Heart Quiz below.

1. In the United States, heart disease has been the leading cause of death every year since
a. 1878
b. 1900
c. 1919
d. 1948
2. Which of the following factors has not contributed to the emergence of cardiovascular disease in developing countries?
a. Reduced consumption of fiber, fruits, and vegetables
b. Environmental pollution
c. Increased use of tobacco
d. Increased life expectancy
3. A heart disease risk factor that you cannot change is:
a. High blood pressure
b. Age
c. Being overweight or obese
d. Diabetes
4. Which of the following does not help lower LDL cholesterol?
a. Cholesterol-lowering drugs
b. Low-fat diet
c. Exercise
d. Insoluble fiber
5. Trans fats tend to raise blood cholesterol levels and are found mostly in:
a. Red meat
b. Shrimp
c. Hard margarines and shortenings
d. Eggs and dairy products
6. Which of the following factors contribute to metabolic syndrome?
a. Body Mass Index of 24 or below
b. Large waist circumference
c. High HDL cholesterol
d. Systolic blood pressure of 120 mmHg
7. Having metabolic syndrome puts you at increased risk for developing
a. Alzheimer's disease
b. Diabetes
c. Osteoporosis
d. Cancer
8. A program to help people reduce their cholesterol levels has been developed by the
a. Federal Bureau of Investigation
b. Surgeon General
c. Department of Health and Human Services
d. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
9. Diastolic blood pressure is the amount of pressure exerted on the arteries
a. Between heartbeats
b. During exercise
c. During sleep
d. During emotional stress
10. Body Mass Index may be misleading if a person
a. Is very tall
b. Is diabetic
c. Is very muscular
d. Has a family history of high BMI
11. Alcohol is more likely to be harmful than beneficial to heart health unless it is consumed
a. In the evening
b. With fruit juice
c. In moderation
d. Socially
12. Sterols and stanols reduce LDL cholesterol by
a. Turning LDL into HDL in the liver
b. Blocking absorption of LDL in the digestive tract
c. Making anticholesterol drugs work more effectively
d. Turning LDL into soluble fiber
13. Flavonoids are compounds found in which of the following?
a. Plants and fruits
b. Dairy products
c. Shellfish
d. Poultry skin
14. The goal of a cholesterol-lowering diet is to:
a. Increase nonsoluble fiber
b. Reduce HDL cholesterol
c. Lower low-density lipoprotein level
d. Lose weight
15. Of the more than 430,000 smoking-related deaths reported each year between 1997 and 2001, nearly 35% were due to:
a. Lung cancer
b. Heart disease
c. Stroke
d. Peripheral vascular disease

Funding is provided by Medtronic, AstraZeneca, and Mars, Incorporated - makers of CocoaVia. Additional funding is provided by the Fannie E. Rippel Foundation. A co-production of David Grubin Productions, Thirteen/WNET New York and WETA Washington, D.C.
Medtronic AsrtaZeneca MARS Thirteen/WNET NEW YORK