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What is coronary heart disease?
The term coronary heart disease covers a group of clinical syndromes arising particularly from failure of the coronary arteries to supply sufficient blood to the heart. They include angina peactoris, coronary thrombosis or heart attack and sudden death without infarction.
There has been a marked increase in the incidence of heart disease in recent years. Heart attacks have become the number one killer in Western countries. They rank third in India, after tuberculosis and infections. The disease affects people of all ages and both sexes, although it is more common in men than in women, especially among those aged 40-60 years.
The heart, the most vital organ in the body, is a muscle about the size of a clenched fist. It starts working even before birth inside the womb. Weighing less than 350 grms, it pumps about 4,300 gallons of blood per day through the body and supplies oxygen and nourishment to all the organs.
It beats 1,00,000 times a day, continuously pumping the blood through more than 60,000 miles of tiny blood vessels. The heart, in turn, needs blood for its nourishment which is supplied by coronary arteries. Coronary arteries are so called because they are arranged rather like a crown or carona. In case of strain, etc., the heart needs more blood and the arteries, under normal conditions, adjust themselves to the increased flow.
In the event of narrowing or hardening of the arteries on account of their getting plugged with fatty substances, the flow of blood is restricted. The heart then does not get sufficient oxygen. This condition is known as ischaemia of the heart or Angina pectoris. In this Coronary heart disease condition , exercise or excitement provokes severe chest pain and so it limits the patient’s physical activity. It serves as a warning to slow down and prompt preventive measures will prevent a heart attack.
If the narrowed arteries get blocked due to a clot or thrombus inside them, causing death of that portion of the heart which depends upon the choked arteries, it is called a heart attack or coronary thrombosis. It may lead to death or heal, leaving a scar. Patients with healed lesions may be severely disabled or may be able to resume normal life with restrictions in their physical activities.
Signs & Symptoms of Coronary heart disease How a Heart Attack Happens A heart attack is something that no one wants for themselves or anyone they know--just to say the words calls up images of people who cannot get up off the floor, cannot breathe, and who are in dire circumstances. You never want to feel like you are having a heart attack, and you certainly don’t want anyone that you know and love to go through a heart attack.
However, there are things that you should know because if you are going to ever have to deal with a heart attack you should be aware of the symptoms and how a heart attack happens so that you can be sure that either you or your loved ones gets the best help possible if you are facing a heart attack. First of all, a heart attack happens when blood can’t get to your heart. This is usually caused by a blocked artery, which doesn’t allow the blood to get to your heart as it should be able to do. When this happens, there is going to be pain, and your heart is going to begin to beat irregularly because it is not going to be able to pump the blood as it is supposed to be pumping. There are many things that can cause a heart attack. If you haven’t been eating the right kind of diet, fat deposits can build up in your arteries, which are going to restrict the flow of blood to your heart. Also, if you aren’t exercising enough, you are going to see that you are going to have a greater chance of having a heart attack than you would have if you were exercising often. There are many symptoms that you might associated with a heart attack. If you are having a heart attack, many people will first claim that they have a feeling like they have eaten too much, or a stiff feeling in their chest. This might be accompanied by chest pain or by a feeling of acid reflux, or heart burn. If this persists for a long time, it could be the signs of something much more serious.
Another symptom of a heart attack might be a shooting pain in your left arm. This is usually what most people associate with the pain of a heart attack, and it has to do with the arteries that exist there. Seek medical attention immediately if you think you may be experiencing a heart attack. Types of coronary heart disease Coronary artery disease (CAD) : a disease of the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood. CAD is one of the most common forms of heart disease and the leading cause of heart attacks. CAD is associated to a blockage of blood flow through the coronary arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. Coronary heart disease : This is a broader term that refers jointly to both diseases of the coronary arteries and their resulting complications, including chest pain, heart attacks, etc. Cardiomyopathy : Cardiomyopathy is a condition that includes all diseases related to the heart muscle. Common types of cardiomyopathy include ischemic, caused by loss of heart muscle from a heart attack; dilated, enlarged heart; hypertrophic, thickening of heart muscles; and idiopathic, where the cause of the disease remains unknown. Valvular heart disease: These are diseases concerning the heart valves. The heart valves may be damaged by a variety of conditions leading to narrowing, leaking, or improper closing. Valvular diseases may be inherited or may be caused due to damage incurred due to rheumatic fever, infections, connective tissue disorders, or radiation treatments for cancer. Pericardial disease : Pericardial Diseases is diseases of the encapsulation that encases the pericardium. Such disorders include inflammation, fluid accumulation, and stiffness. Congenital heart disease : A broad term that includes a wide range of diseases and conditions, congenital heart disease develops before birth. Such coronary heart disease can affect the formation of the heart muscle or its chambers or valves, and might lead to narrowing of a section of the aorta or holes in the heart. Heart failure : Heart failure or congestive heart failure is a state in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to the organs and tissues. Not all types of heart failures are congestive; however, the terms are often used interchangeably. Congestive heart failure may occur because of other cardiovascular conditions that have damaged or weakened the heart, such as coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy.
What Causes coronary heart disease? (i) elevated blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and other fatty substances ( ii) elevated Blood Pressure (iii) elevated blood uric acid levels (mainly caused by high protein diet), (iv) certain metabolic disorders, notably diabetes, (v) obesity, (vi) smoking, and (vii) lack of physical exercise. Each or a combination of these risk factors can contribute to heart disease. Most of them are of dietary origin. These risk factors can be controlled by changing one’s life style and readjusting your diet. Constant worry and tension stimulates the adrenal glands to produce more adrenaline and cartisons. This also contributes to constricted arteries, high blood pressure and increased work for the heart.
Risk Factors: Clogged Arteries and High Blood Pressure: How a Heart Attack can Occur Heart attacks are extremely scary for all people involved and can be deadly if you do not get immediate care. Many people know that having high blood pressure can cause a heart attack. Most also realize that eating unhealthy foods is bad for your heart—fast food is sometimes referred to as a “heart attack sandwich.”
However, many people do not understand why these facts are true and how the heart can become diseased. By learning how and why these things happen, you can help motivate yourself to eat a healthier diet and prevent heart attack. Fattening foods are the main enemy of the heart. They do not hurt the heart itself, but rather hurt the blood vessels. The cholesterol in out foods transfers to the blood stream in a series of processes so that there are more lipids in the blood. As the blood cells bump along the blood stream, some of these lipids are deposited on the walls of the blood vessels.
Over time, the walls of the blood vessels build up with this fatty substance, making it harder and harder for the blood, which is already weighed down with fat, to get through the narrow openings. A heart attack happens when no blood can get through. The heart starts to panic and pump overtime trying to get more blood. You’ll experience sweating, chest pains, and pain in your left arm, among other symptoms. A heart attack can also happen in another way. The build up on the walls of the arteries and veins that are caused by eating fatty foods is called plaque. This plaque is sometimes brittle and can break off. Imagine it like build up in a draining pipe. If a piece breaks off, father down the pipe, it may not be big enough to fit through and when it gets stuck, the water is blocked and backs up into your sink or shower. The same thing happens with your heart. As a large piece of plaque travels down the blood stream, it will eventually become a vessel too small and get stuck, causing a blockage. This results in a heart attack. The same thing can happen with a blood clot if you’ve recently had surgery. However, it the plaque or clot doesn’t get to a small enough blood vessel to get stuck, it travels to the brain and a stroke occurs. In either case, you may not survive. It is important, therefore, to eat heart-healthy foods and less fatty diets in general. This can save your life, especially if you have a genetic predisposition to heart disease.
Prevention of Coronary heart disease & heart attack:
New drugs can stop or limit the damage of a heart attack, but only if the patient gets help immediately, experts say. Once the flow of blood to a portion of the heart is blocked for several hours, the damage is irreversible. Knowing the symptoms of a heart attack, which can be wide-ranging and confusing, is extremely important. So is knowing risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and family history. Typical symptoms of a heart attack include a crushing pain in the chest, sweating, difficulty breathing, weakness and pain in the arms, particularly the left. Symptoms one could attribute to something else can cause devastating delays in seeking treatment. These include feelings of indigestion, back shoulder and neck pain and nausea. Early signs of trouble may appear during physical activity and disappear with rest. Any numbness of tingling of the fingers or toes, dizziness, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing should not be ignored. Clinical studies, laboratory investigations and a number of surveys show certain personal characteristics and life-styles pointing to increased danger of heart attack. These danger signs are called "risk factors." These well established risk factors are high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, cigarette smoking and diabetes mellitus. Attempts at modifying risk factors most certainly have contributed to the declining death rate from heart attacks in the United States. During the 1960's, U.S. death rates from heart attacks were still rising, but today's figures show that heart attacks have fallen dramatically. And, overall, heart-related problems have declined about 25 percent in the last decade. This decrease undoubtedly is due to better medical care of heart attack victims, but it is likely that a sizable percentage is related to modification of risk factors.
Preventing Coronary heart disease: It is Possible There are many things that you can do to prevent Coronary heart disease. First of all, there might be genetic factors that say that you have a higher potential for developing Coronary heart disease. If this is the main factor, then there might not be much that you can do about the idea that you might indeed get Coronary heart disease. However, no matter whether or not you have genetic factors that say you are more prone to heart disease, there are some things that you should consider. Even if you have more of a genetic factor that says you might develop heart disease, there are certain things that you can do. Even if you have the tendency to develop heart disease at a certain point in your life, there are things that you can do which will greatly increase your chances of not developing heart disease – or at the very least, of delaying your development of heart disease as long as possible. Most of the things that you can do to prevent Coronary heart disease are much easier than you’d think they would be. First of all, you should know that the best way to prevent heart disease, no matter what your genetic disposition towards it is, is to exercise often. By exercising, you are allowing your body to get into better shape.
If you can keep your body in good shape, your body is going to be able to better digest the food that it takes in, including fatty foods and other foods. Also, if you are in good shape, and if you exercise often, your body is going to keep your heart strong, which means that it is going to keep pumping at a nice, strong rate, and you are going to stay healthy.
Exercise — Coronary heart disease Worst Enemy
One of the best defenses that a person has against Coronary heart disease is actually exercise. You might not think it is true, but when it comes down to it, the best way to make sure that you don’t get heart disease, or the best way for you to ward it off if you have a genetic disposition towards Coronary heart disease, is to make sure that you are getting a proper amount of exercise. Exercise can provide your body, and your heart, with many things. First of all, it can give you a chance to make sure that your body is really working well. It can make sure that your heart is beating as it should be, and it can also make sure that the blood is getting pumped to your body like it is supposed to be. When you are getting the proper amount of exercise, you are going to be making your heart much stronger. This happens because as you exercise, you force your heart to be beating more and more, and faster and faster. By exercising often, and building up the strength of your heart, you are going to be creating a stronger heart, that can go for longer and that can beat faster without making your body work harder.
If you can keep exercising so that your body is getting stronger and stronger, you are going to see that exercise is also going to make your heart stronger. And a strong heart is very important when it comes to preventing Coronary heart disease. You are going to see that those people who have stronger hearts are much less likely to develop Coronary heart disease because heart disease is going to be more prone to attacking weaker hearts. If you can make and keep your heart strong, you are going to see that you have a less chance of developing Coronary heart disease.
Remember that this is something that you can be doing on a daily basis, and it is going to help your heart to be stronger and stronger. A good idea is to develop an exercise regime that makes your heart work. You should start by doing something that will make your heart pump harder than it pumps every day, and you should gradually increase the time that you are performing this task, and how quickly your heart is pumping.
The idea is to build up endurance, so that your heart can work harder and longer without having much strain. Once you have built up a great endurance, your heart is going to be much healthier. Another important thing that you should keep in mind when it comes to heart disease is that you need to keep up a good diet. Foods that are high in fat, and foods that are not healthy for you are not going to be foods that benefit your heart. In fact, they are going to be foods that contribute to a greater possibility of heart disease. Therefore, in order to keep Coronary heart disease at bay, you need to be exercising regularly and eating a good diet that is low in fat. This is always a good idea, but an especially good idea if you are looking at ways to prevent heart disease When to seek Medical Advice: Perhaps one of the most common problems human beings face today in terms of their biology is that of blood pressure. The pressure exerted by blood pumping through a human body can change rapidly due to so many different reasons. Thus, it has become commonplace for medical practitioners to check a patient's blood pressure as one of the first tests when a Coronary heart disease problem occurs. Click to read more about Blood Pressure Medical technology is advancing at an increasingly rapid rate. More drugs and medical technology are available than ever before and the entire population is now more aware of the seriousness of heart attacks. There has been an increased interest in learning CPR and many community organizations now offer this valuable training. Of particular concern by doctors and researchers is the role that the American diet plays in the health of one's heart. Obesity predisposes individuals to coronary heart disease. Some of the reasons for this are known, but others are not.
The major causes of obesity in Americans are excessive intake of calories and inadequate exercise. When caloric intake is excessive, some of the excess frequently is saturated fat, which further raises the blood cholesterol. Thus, obesity contributes to higher coronary risk in a variety of ways. Many of the major risk factors for a heart attack are silent and much of the responsibility for their detection lies with each of us as individuals. Regular checkups are particularly necessary if there is a family history of heart attacks of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels or diabetes.
Stress Tests: No Cheat Sheets Allowed Coronary heart disease is a common problem in America and around the world. There are many reasons why your heart may not be working correctly. Some people are simply born with irregularities and genetic predisposition. Others don’t get enough exercise. Still other people eat unhealthy foods that clog their arteries.
No matter what the reason behind your heart problems, it is simply important to catch these diseases before more serious things, like heart attacks, can occur. One way in which doctors test the strength of your heart is with a stress test. When you are at rest, your heart may not exhibit signs to doctors that there are any problems. A stress test puts you under stress and you heart has to perform at a higher standard. Abnormalities are then exhibited more readily. The stress test is used to first identify a problem and then to rate that problem’s severity.
Stress tests are performed under close supervision by a medical professional, so they are quite safe, and they are the best way in many cases to test is anything is wrong with your heart. To perform the stress test, a doctor first hooks his or her patient up to a ECG machine and blood pressure cuff. Sometimes, a device is attached to your finger as well to test for oxygen levels in the blood. You are monitored at rest for a number of minutes so that a doctor can see what is normal for your body. Remember, everyone is slightly different. By seeing what is normal in you, your doctor can notice even the smallest differences. After obtaining a base for the test, the patient is asked to begin doing low levels of action. Usually, you are asked to either walk on a treadmill or pedal and stationary bike slowly. Every three minutes, the level of exercise is raised, while your doctor watches how your body reacts. This continues until the patient is either too tired to go on or has symptoms like chest pain that prevent the test from going any farther. Sometimes, however, the ECG machine will show that there is a problem with the heart even before this fatigued level is reached. Stress test are usually used to indicate coronary artery disease, but may be used for other types of Coronary heart disease as well. They are not by any means 100% accurate, but are used to rule out heart disease if a patient is having problems. If you are experiencing symptoms of Coronary heart disease, ask your doctor is a stress test might help you diagnose the problem.
Treatment/Therapy: There are many people in the world that might be at a high risk for Coronary heart disease and for heart attacks and a great number of these people don’t even know it. You should be aware of the dangers, symptoms, and treatment options in case you have a heart attack. It might be that you have a genetic predisposition towards heart attacks because of what runs in your family. With a good diet and lots of exercise, you can stay out of the danger zone, but just in case you are still at risk, learn how stents can help you improve your heart’s health. No matter how well you live your life, there is a chance that you might have to deal with Coronary heart disease or with heart attacks. In some of these cases, there are things that you can do to help yourself through life. One of these thing is to have heart stents implanted in your heart. These work as extra valves, and help you to move the blood through your heart at a good rate. If you have a heart stent, you know that your heart isn’t going to have to work as hard, because it is going to be like putting an extra door into a crowded room. There is simply going to be more of a chance for people, or blood, to get through. Stents can also help to hold open your heart’s arteries if they are in danger of becoming clogged. This will increase blood flow and, once again, help your heart work more efficiently. May heart attack patients receive stents after already having a heart attack in order to prevent total heart failure or to prevent another heart attack. Remember that since this is a surgical procedure, your doctor can let you know if he thinks that this is a good idea for you. If he or she says that it is, consider that there are many different options when it comes to heart stents. Review each of them with your doctor and check with your insurance provider to see what is covered and what is not. Stents, because they require surgery, are expensive to place into the heart and so you should make sure your procedure is covered before having it done. In most cases, it is. If not, talk to your doctor about other options so that you can make a good decision for your body.
The diet should be lacto-vegetarian, low in sodium and calories. It should consist of high quality, natural organic foods, with emphasis on whole grains, seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods which should be eliminated are all white flour products, sweets, chocolates, canned foods in syrup, soft drinks, squashes, all hard fats of animal origin such as butter, cream and fatty meats.
Salt and sugar should be reduced substantially. The patient should also avoid tea, coffee, alcohol and tobacco. The essential fatty acids which reduce serum cholesterol levels and minimise the risk of arteriosclerosis can be obtained from sunflower seed oil, corn oil or safflower oil.
Several studies have indicated that garlic can reduce the cholesterol level in persons whose body normally cannot regulate the cholesterol fractions. Other important cholesterol lowering foods are alfalfa and yogurt. Lecithin helps prevent fatty deposits in arteries. Best food sources are unrefined, raw, crude vegetable oils, seeds and grains.
Fruits and vegetables in general are highly beneficial in the treatment of heart disease. Seasonal fruits are quite effective heart tonics. Apples especially contain heart stimulating properties and the patients suffering from the weakness of heart should make liberal use of apples and apple jams. Fresh grapes, pineapples, oranges,custard apples, pomegranaes and coconut water also tone up the heart. Grapes are effective in heart pain and palpitation of the heart and the disease can be rapidly controlled if the patient adopts an exclusive grapes diet for few days. Grape juice, especially will be valuable when one is actually suffering from a heart attack. Indian gooseberry or amla is considered an effective home remedy for heart disease. It tones up the functions of all the organs of the body and builds up health by destroying the heterogeneous elements and renewing lost energy.
Another excellent home remedy for heart disease is onions. They are useful in normalising the percentage of blood cholesterol by oxidising excess cholesterol. One teaspoon of raw onion juice first thing in the morning will be highly beneficial in such cases. Honey has marvellous properties to prevent all sorts of heart disease. It tones up the heart and improves the circulation. It is also effective in cardiac pain and palpitation of the heart. One tablespoonful daily after food is sufficient to prevent all sorts of heart troubles.
Patients with heart disease should increase their intake of foods rich in vitamin E, as this vitamin promotes the functioning of the heart by improving oxygeneration of the cells. It also improves the circulation and muscle strength. Many whole meal products and green vegetables, particularly outer leaves of cabbage are good sources of vitamin E. The vitamin B group is important for heart and circulatory disorders. The best sources of vitamin B are whole grains.
Vitamin C is also essential as it protects against spontaneous breaches in capillary walls which can lead to heart attacks. It also guards against high blood cholesterol. The stress of anger, fear, disappointment and similar emotions can raise blood fat and cholesterol levels immediately but this reaction to stress can do little harm if the diet is adequate in vitamin C and pantothenic acid. The richest sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits. The problem with difficulties with your cardio vascular system can be from many causes as we have seen above. Many, many people can be greatly helped with weight control and sensible diets. The other major products that can save lives are Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids and Nitrous Oxide. The following is the suggested diet for persons suffering from hypertension or some disorder of the heart : On rising : Warm water with lemon juice and honey or fresh fruit juice of apple,grapes, orange, pineapple. Breakfast : Fresh fruit such as apples, grapes, pears, peaches, pineapple, orange, melons, one or two slices whole meal toast, yogurt, skimmed milk or soya milk. Mid-morning : Fresh fruitjuice or coconut water. Lunch : Combination salad of vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, endive, carrots, cucumber, beetroot, tomato, onion and garlic. One or two slices of whole meal bread or chappatis, curd, fresh grapes and other fruits in season. Mid-afternoon : One or two wholemeal biscuits and fruit juice. Dinner : Fresh fruit or vegetable juice or soup, two lightly cooked vegetables, one or two whole wheat tappets.
The patient should also pay attention to other laws of nature for health building such as taking moderate exercise, getting proper rest and sleep, adopting the right mental attitude and getting fresh air and drinking pure water.
Another major nutritional support for your Cardiovascular system is Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. One of the highest quality full spectrum Omega 3 Omega 6 fatty acids. If you have problems with circulation then you will be amazed at the support Omega fatty acids can give you. Finally there is a lot of new information about Nitric Oxide and what it can do to support your Cardiovascular health. Dr Louis Ignarro won a Nobel Prize for his work in this area. He is now working with a major nutrition company to make Nitric Oxide products available on the market.
Vitamin & Nutrient Associations One of the most powerful products that assist in the management of coronary heart disease in a natural way is Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. This is a fish oil product. To find an answer to this reluctance so that the general population could access the benefits of Omega 3 and Omega 3 fatty acids Dr Piggot worked with a leading nutritional company to create an Omega 3 capsule so people could get the correct dose every day of a quality product. Nowadays use of Omega 3 fatty acids is very common.
More Resources available about Coronary heart disease:
Fish Help the Heart by Fighting Inflammation
Blood Pressure Thus, it has become commonplace for medical practitioners to check a patient's blood pressure as one of the first tests when a problem occurs.
cholesterol Understanding the facts about cholesterol will help you take better care of your heart so you can live a healthier life, reducing your risk for heart attack and stroke. What are symptoms of heart disease? In some cases, you simply do faint because of heat, nerves, fever, or other things. However, if you faint for what seems to be no reason at all, see a doctor right away. Heart Disease and Women: Not Just for Men This is partly genetic, remember. Most of the people who have heart disease have a genetic disposition towards it. However, this means that even those that have a genetic disposition have a chance to get around it, and not develop heart disease.
What is a Stroke? The two main categories of a stroke are those where a blockage of blood flow to the brain and those caused by bleeding in or of the brain. Not usually life threatening, the blockage of a blood vessel in the neck or brain a causes roughly 80 percent of all strokes. Bleeding into the brain or surrounding areas of the brain causes the second kind of strokes or a hemorrhagic stroke. Sudden numbness, confusion, speech slurring, dizziness or loss of balance and headaches without cause are the symptoms that some suffering from a stroke may experience. Prevention is the key to managing your risk and prevents you from having to go through the damaging effects of a stroke. Simple lifestyle changes can greatly reduce your risk for strokes and increase your overall health simultaneously. Majority of stroke patients are left with some forms of permanent disability that interferes with normal daily activities, such as walking, speech, vision, understanding, reasoning and memory.
Angina valvular heart disease When things go wrong with the heart, we call the illness heart disease, and because so many things can go wrong, there are special names for each type of heart disease. Blood Pressure Thus, it has become commonplace for medical practitioners to check a patient's blood pressure as one of the first tests when a problem occurs.
cholesterol Understanding the facts about cholesterol will help you take better care of your heart so you can live a healthier life, reducing your risk for heart attack and stroke.
What are symptoms of heart disease? In some cases, you simply do faint because of heat, nerves, fever, or other things. However, if you faint for what seems to be no reason at all, see a doctor right away. Heart Disease and Women: Not Just for Men This is partly genetic, remember. Most of the people who have heart disease have a genetic disposition towards it. However, this means that even those that have a genetic disposition have a chance to get around it, and not develop heart disease.
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Coronary heart disease problems that could include increased blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, build up of plaque on their arteries. Dr Piggot then separated the group on the western diet and put half back on their traditional diet and left half on the western diet. 