Heart Disease and Associated Problems

To be told you have heart disease can strike fear into anyone hearing it for the first time, however it's not as bad as it sounds.In this article I am going to explain some of the terms, causes and remedies associated with heart disease.Heart disease is a general term used to describe several different conditions, all of which are potentially fatal, but are also treatable and/or preventable.Heart disease is primarily a disease of lifestyle, and is largely preventable through risk factor awareness and modification.However it is a serious condition and if ignored it is a major cause for heart attacks (myocardial infarction), congestive heart failure, angina pectoris, stroke, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), and ischemia (reduced blood flow).The most common form of heart disease is coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery diseaseCORONARYCoronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease, it is caused by a narrowing or clogging of the coronary arteries that supply the heart with oxygen and nutrients.Coronary artery disease and the resulting reduced blood flow to the heart muscle can lead to other heart problems, such as chest pain (angina) and heart attacks myocardial infarction).The risk of coronary heart disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control those adverse factors that put people at greater risk for heart disease and heart attacks.CHOLESTEROLIf you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream, the excess is deposited in arteries,...

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How to Live With Heart Disease

The agony of finding out that you may be suffering from some form of heart disease is usually traumatic. Your doctor has just received the laboratory test results for the battery of tests that you have completed during your recent checkup. From what the results indicate, if you do not stop eating all those fatty foods that you love so much, you are going to require bypass surgery very soon. Do not worry that your quality of life will get worse since there are modern treatment plans that get you on to the road of recovery as long as certain lifestyle changes are made.Living With Heart DiseaseThe first consideration when living with heart disease is the type of heart problem you are suffering from. Is your doctor tracking your cholesterol levels? Or, is it something a lot more serious? The severity of your heart condition will shed a great deal of light on the kind of lifestyle you can have when living with heart diseases and how it actually affects you.If the type of heart problem is currently a very mild form, you should be able to keep a lid on it with medication. But for many people in a state of denial, they will refuse to or do not like taking their medication since they would be admitting to the fact that they are living with the disease.So if you have heart medication to take for your condition and you are too stubborn to take it, understand the consequences of this action. Is it better to take a couple of pills on a daily basis or would you prefer to have to go to the...

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Dispelling Myths About Heart Disease

Misconceptions about cardiovascular diseases -- heart attacks, stroke and high blood pressure -- have existed for many years and have in effect become myths. Most of them stem from factual observations during the early phase of the current global epidemic and have become deeply rooted in the minds of policymakers, health professionals and the public alike. Since these misconceptions adversely influence the allocation of resources and undermine actions to prevent and control cardiovascular diseases, they need to be firmly squashed.Myth 1: Heart disease is a problem of developed countries Every year, cardiovascular diseases cause around 15 million deaths in the world (30% of all deaths), and of these about two-thirds occur in developing countries. So the absolute number of deaths from these causes is twice as high in developing countries as in the industrialized world. Over twice as many deaths from stroke occur in developing countries as in industrialized countries; and the numbers of deaths due to heart attacks are equal in poor and rich countries. It is estimated that in China and India combined, which account for half the population of the developing world, between five and six million deaths are caused each year by cardiovascular diseases.Myth 2: Heart disease is a problem of the rich All societies include "early adopters" and "late adopters" of lifestyle changes. Early in the heart disease epidemic, affluent people in developing countries had the means and the opportunity...

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Some Tips to Avoid Heart Disease

The human heart's job is to pump nutrient-rich blood throughout your body. If you smoke, take d rugs, or drink alcohol excessively, you are giving your heart extra work. how do you feel when you have too much work to do? Your heart cannot handle too much extra work over a long period of time. Over time, the health of your heart will suffer.Scientists have proven that smoking doubles your risk of having a herat attack and doubles, triples or quadruples your risk of sudden cardiac eath. each year, over 300,000 Americans die of smoking-related heart disease. There is hope! Former smokers can completely lower their risk of sudden cardiac death within ten years of quitting.Because they are foreign substances, any drug can affect your heart. With illegal drugs (cocaine, heroin, marijuana, amphetamines, etc.) YOU have to control the effect on your heart. Even a small amount of a drug can be potentially fatal.While Drinking alcohol in moderation may not pose a risk, drinking excesively...

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Facts About Heart Disease

Basically, heart disease is a disorder affecting the ability of the heart to function normally. There are many forms of heart disease of varied etiology.The most widespread form of heart disease is high cholesterol. In the initial stages of the disease, lesions and cracks will form in the walls of blood vessel walls, usually close to the heart itself. The body will repair the damage by depositing fatty substances such as cholesterol and lipoproteins to fill the cracks.If the body does not get adequate vitamin C that are vital for keeping the blood vessel walls from cracking, the repeated deposition of fatty substances can clog the blood vessels and thus cause a stroke or heart attack.Types of Heart DiseasesThe common forms of heart disease are: coronary heart disease, ischaemic heart disease, pulmonary heart disease, hereditary heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, inflammatory heart disease, and valvular heart disease.Heart diseases may also occur due to congenital reasons, heart valvemalfunction, electrical rhythm of the heart going out of sync, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, aortic regurgitation, heart attacks and heart failure.Causes of Heart DiseaseThe major causes of heart disease include obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetic and a sedentary lifestyle. Others include menopause in women, getting on in age, especially after reaching sixty-five years of age and finally, the arterial walls being struck down with infections.Damage to the heart muscle or valves due to a congenital...

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More About Coronary Artery Disease or Ischaemic Heart Disease

Cause and PathogenesisA multitude of factors are responsible for the development of Ischaemic Heart Disease. The major risk factors are smoking, diabetes mellitus and cholesterol levels. Those with Hypercholesterolaemia (elevated blood levels of cholesterol) have a much higher tendency to develop the disease. There is also the theory that Hypertension is a risk factor in the development of Ischaemic Heart Disease, Genetic and hereditary factors may also be responsible for the disease. Males are more prone to Ischaemic Heart Disease. However, in post-menopausal women, the risk is almost similar to that of men. Stress is also thought to be a risk factor, though there has been a great deal of debate on this factor of late. The disease process occurs when an atheromatous plaque forms in the coronary vessels, leading to narrowing of the vessel walls and obstructing blood flow to the musculature of the heart. Complete blockage results in deficient oxygenation and nutrient supply to the heart tissues, leading to damage, death and necrosis of the tissue, which is known as Myocardial Infarction (heart attack). Symptoms and SignsQuite often, the first sign of Ischaemic Heart Disease may be the severe chest pain of Myocardial Infarction, which may be fatal. However, the warning symptoms occur in a large number of patients in the form of Angina Pectoris. The main symptom of Angina is pain over the central chest that may sometimes radiate down the left arm, to the jaw or to the back. The...

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Rheumatic Heart Disease

What is Rheumatic Heart Disease?Rheumatic heart disease is a condition in which permanent damage to heart valves is caused from rheumatic fever. The heart valve is damaged by a disease process that begins with a strep throat caused by streptococcus A bacteria, that may eventually cause rheumatic fever.Rheumatic fever can affect many connective tissues of the body — especially those of the heart, joints, brain or skin. Anyone can get acute rheumatic fever, but it usually occurs in children five to 15 years old. It is a rare but potentially life-threatening disease, a complication of untreated strep throat. Because of antibiotics, rheumatic fever is now rare in developed countries. However, in recent years, it has begun to make a comeback in the United States, particularly among children living in poor inner-city neighborhoods.The greatest danger from rheumatic fever is the damage it can do to the heart. In more than half of all cases, rheumatic fever scars the valves of the heart, forcing it to work harder to pump blood. Over a period of months or even years, particularly if the disease strikes again, damage to the heart can lead to the serious condition of rheumatic heart disease.In rheumatic heart disease, the damaged heart valve either does not completely close or completely open. Sometimes damage to heart valves is not immediately noticeable, but eventually damaged heart valves can cause serious, even disabling, problems. These problems depend on the severity of the damage...

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How can we protect ourselves against heart disease?

Based on what we have learned from the scientific studies, it is possible to formulate a set of guidelines for heart disease prevention, guidelines that include both avoidance of external stresses and common sense dietary advice. Not all external stresses can be avoided, not in today's fast-paced industrial age, but a good diet can provide many factors that help the body deal with environmental toxins and high levels of stress.There are many points contained in the following guidelines that can be debated but one thing is certain: If you are still afraid of saturated fats and cholesterol, you will find yourself on the wrong dietary path. If you are avoiding foods containing saturated fat and cholesterol, you will not only deprive your body of vital nutrients, but the foods that you consume as substitutes will contain many components—polyunsaturated oils, trans fatty acids, refined sugar—that have been associated with increased rates of heart disease.Ten Commandments for Avoiding CHD:DON'T...

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What to do if you are experiencing these warning signs?

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THE WARNING SIGNALS OF A HEART ATTACK YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY:Call your local emergency number for help, or have someone call for you (It's a good idea to keep a list of emergency numbers near the phone at all times).Stop all activity and sit or lie down, in whatever position is most comfortable.If you take nitroglycerin, take your normal dosage.If you are experiencing chest pain, chew and swallow one (1) adult 325 mg ASA tablet (e.g., Aspirin®) or two (2) 80 mg tablets. Do not use pain medicines like acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol ) or ibuprofen (e.g. Advil®).Rest comfortably and wait for emergency medical services (EMS) (e.g., ambulance) to arrive.If you are with someone who is experiencing the warning signals of a heart attack:Help the person with all the activities listed above.Expect denial. You must take charge and call your local emergency number.If the person becomes unresponsive (no normal breathing, coughing, or movement), start CPR.In the event of cardiopulmonary arrest (no normal breathing, coughing or movement), call your local emergency number, attach an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) or begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately and continue until emergency help has arrived.Check the scene for safety.Determine unresponsiveness (no normal breathing, coughing or movement).Call your local emergency number.Get the AED or ask someone to get an AED if there is one close by, and attach it to the person immediately.Early intervention...

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Heart Disease Symptoms

Heart Attack Warning Signs. According to National Institute of Health, a heart attack is a frightening event, and you probably don't want to think about it. But, if you learn the signs of a heart attack and what steps to take, you can save a life–maybe your own. What are the signs of a heart attack? Many people think a heart attack is sudden and intense, like a "movie" heart attack, where a person clutches his or her chest and falls over. The truth is that many heart attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort. If you feel such a symptom, you may not be sure what's wrong. Your symptoms may even come and go. Even those who have had a heart attack may not recognize their symptoms, because the next attack can have entirely different ones. It's vital that everyone learn the warning signs of a heart attack. These are: Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort. Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headednessAccording to Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, there are some warning before heart attack, such as:Pain...

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Known Risk Factors of Heart Disease

There are dozens of risk factors for heart disease. Those cited most often by medical orthodoxy include high blood cholesterol, smoking, lack of exercise, stress and overweight. A high level of cholesterol in the blood is a mild risk factor for individuals with familial hyper-cholesterolemia (cholesterol levels chronically above 350 mg/dl) but for most of us, there is no greater risk of heart disease between cholesterol levels that are "high" (over 300 mg/dl) and those that are "low" (under 200 mg/dl).One factor of apparent importance is smoking, which has been associated in many studies with an increased risk of coronary mortality, even after correction for other risk factors. It is easy to speculate on the mechanism by which smoking causes heart disease. Exposure to fumes containing free radicals may promote the growth of atherosclerotic plaques. Perhaps chronic carbon monoxide intoxication limits the heart's utilization of oxygen.But the picture is more complex than simple cause and effect. In a multi-year British study involving several thousand men, half were asked to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol in their diets, to stop smoking and to increase the amounts of unsaturated oils such as margarine and vegetable oils. After one year, those on the "good" diet had 100 percent more deaths than those on the "bad" diet, in spite of the fact that those men on the "bad" diet continued to smoke.2 In a study of Indians from Bombay and Punjab, researchers found that those from...

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What is Coronary Heart Disease?

There are many kinds of heart disease, and they can affect the heart in several ways. But the ultimate problem with all varieties of heart disease is that, in one way or another, they can disrupt the vital pumping action of the heart.Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is not a single disease, but a complex of diseases of varied etiology. Some of the recognized causes of heart disease include damage to the heart muscle or valves due to a congenital defect; or to inflammation and damage associated with various viral, bacterial, fungal, rickettsial or parasitic diseases. Rheumatic fever or syphilis can lead to heart disease, as can genetic or autoimmune disorders in which cellular proteins in the heart muscle are deranged or which disrupt enzymes affecting cardiac function.These factors probably contributed to most cases of heart disease recorded in the early part of the century, when rates of infectious diseases were much higher and antibiotics were not in use. Nevertheless, heart disease was relatively rare in 1900, accounting for approximately 8 percent of all deaths in the US.But by 1950, CHD was the leading cause of mortality in the US, causing more than 30 percent of all deaths, and the figure has been climbing ever since. Today CHD accounts for about 45 percent of all deaths. The incidence rose most precipitously between 1920 and 1960. Since that time, mortality rates from CHD have declined somewhat. This means that victims of heart disease are living longer, due most likely to...

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What is Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary Artery Disease, otherwise known as Ischaemic Heart Disease.These are diseases of the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood. Sometimes known as CAD, coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease in industrialized nations and far and away the leading cause of heart attacks.Coronary artery disease generally means that blood flow through the arteries has become impaired. The most common way such obstructions develop is through a condition called atherosclerosis, a largely preventable type of vascular disease.The actively contracting heart muscle needs a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients to function. They're delivered by blood vessels known as coronary arteries.Over the course of your lifetime — actually starting in early childhood — these arteries, whose inner lining is normally smooth, can slowly become clogged with clumps of fats, cholesterol and other material, called atherosclerotic plaques. You may also know this as hardening or narrowing of the arteries. The inner walls of arteries become narrow slowly because of a buildup of these plaques, or suddenly by a rupture of a plaque and the formation of a blood clot around the ruptured plaque.As a result, the supply of blood — with its oxygen and nutrients — going to the heart muscle is choked off (myocardial ischemia). As less blood reaches the heart, it can't function normally, and you begin experiencing the physical consequences.Chest pain (angina pectoris) occurs, for instance, when...

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Lets Know about Cardiovascular Disease.

First, consider cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is a broad, all-encompassing term. It's not a single condition or disorder in itself. Rather, it's a collection of diseases and conditions. In fact, some types of cardiovascular disease can even cause other types of cardiovascular disease.Cardiovascular disease, then, has two main components:Diseases of the heart (cardio) Diseases of the blood vessels (vascular) Although you may hear a lot about preventing cardiovascular disease, sometimes you can't prevent it. That's because some types of cardiovascular disease are congenital — you're born with them. Other forms are acquired — you develop them over the course of your lifetime. These acquired conditions are the forms you can often help prevent by doing such things as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet or quitting smoking. And they make up the vast majority of cardiovascular diseases.So, if you have something wrong with your heart, such as an abnormality of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), that's a type of cardiovascular disease. Likewise, an aneurysm, a bulging section of blood vessel, also is a type of cardiovascular disease. And even varicose veins are technically classified as a cardiovascular disease.What is Coronary Artery Disea...

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What Causes Heart Disease?

Cardiovascular disease can take many forms: high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, stroke, or rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease. According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease causes 12 million deaths in the world each year. Cardiovascular disease is responsible for half of all deaths in the United States and other developed countries, and it is a main cause of death in many developing countries as well. Overall, it is the leading cause of death in adults.In the United States, more than 60 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. About 2600 people die every day of cardiovascular disease. Cancer, the second largest killer, accounts for only half as many deaths.Coronary artery disease, the most common form of cardiovascular disease, is the leading cause of death in America today. But thanks to many studies involving thousands of patients, researchers have found certain factors that play an important role in a person's chances of developing heart disease. These are called risk factors.Risk factors are divided into two categories:Major Risk Contributing RiskMajor risk factors are those that have been proven to increase your risk of heart disease. Contributing risk factors are those that doctors think can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, but their exact role has not been defined.The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop heart disease. Some risk factors can be changed, treated,...

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Human Heart Anatomy

System cardiovascular is system giving process facility transportation of various substances from, and to body cells. This system consisted of activator organ so-called heart, and channel system consisted of by artery which drain blood from heart, and vein flowing blood towards heart.An heart is hollow heart having 2 atrium and 2 ventricle. Heart is muscular organ capable to push blood to various part of bodies. Man heart is in the form of like trapeze and fairish equal to hand fist, located in chest cavity as of left barium. Heart wrapped by a membrane so-called pericardium. Heart accountable for maintaining blood stream with help of a number of valves complementing it. To guarantee continuity of circulation, contraction heart periodical.Continuous contraction cardiac muscle without experiencing fatigue. contraction of Man heart is contraction miogenik, that is contraction started by irritant strength from itself cardiac muscle and not from nerve.There are some part of hearts ( anatomically)...

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