3 Most Commonly Asked Questions about Heart Disease
Heart diseases have become a major cause of deaths among both men and women; therefore it is important to understand how we can keep our health. Being one of the most vital organs of the human body the heart is responsible for providing oxygen-rich blood to various body organs with the help of a network of arteries.
Heart disease refers to various conditions that affect your heart including heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias); blood vessel diseases namely coronary artery disease; and heart defects that you are born with (congenital heart defects).
The term cardiovascular disease is also used interchangeably with heart disease. The cardiovascular disease typically refers to conditions that result from blocked or narrow blood vessels that can cause a heart attack, stroke, or chest pain. Other heart conditions including those that affect your heart’s rhythm, valves, or muscle also fall under the umbrella of heart disease.
However, the risk of developing heart disease can be minimized by educating yourself about the various kinds of heart diseases, recognizing the symptoms associated with heart disease and embracing a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Coronary heart disease
Coronary heart disease, the most common heart disease, occurs when plaque develops in the walls of the coronary arteries thus limiting blood flow to the heart. The most common symptom associated with CHD is angina where the patient feels pain similar to pressure or squeezing in the arms, back, jaw, chest, or shoulders.
Heart valve disease
A heart has four valves that work in unison to ensure that blood is pumped in the proper direction. The heart valve disease occurs when one or more of these four valves do not work properly. The main causes of this disease include atresia where blood is not able to flow easily; regurgitation where blood flows back into the heart; and stenosis which refers to the fusing or thickening of the valve flaps.
Arrhythmia
Electrical impulses present in the heart initiate your heartbeat and ensures its normal pumping function. Arrhythmia refers to any change in these electrical impulses causing the heart to beat too slow or too fast thus resulting in a broad range of symptoms.
Heart failure
Heart failure refers to the condition where the pumping capacity of the heart is not sufficient to meet the body’s demand for oxygen and blood.
Q.1. What are the potential causes of heart disease?
Risk factors for developing heart disease are as follows:
Family history: A family history increases the risk of coronary heart disease particularly if a parent suffers from it from an early age (before 55 years for a male relative like father or brother and 65 for a female relative like your sister or mother).
Age: Advancing age increases the risk of narrowed and damaged arteries and thickened or weakened the heart muscle.
Smoking: Heart attacks are more frequent in smokers than in nonsmokers as nicotine causes your blood vessels to constrict while carbon monoxide can harm their inner lining. This is the reason why smokers are more susceptible to atherosclerosis.
Poor diet: A diet that is high in sugar, cholesterol, fat, or salt also greatly contributes to the development of heart disease.
Diabetes and obesity: Diabetes and excess weight can increase your risk of heart disease.
Stress: Unrelieved stress can cause irreparable damage to your arteries thus worsening the risk factors for heart disease.
High blood pressure: This can cause the arteries to harden and thicken thus hindering the blood flow.
Physical inactivity: Another risk factor associated with not only the many forms of heart disease but with various other diseases is physical inactivity.
High cholesterol levels: This causes the formation of atherosclerosis and plaques thus increasing the risk of heart disease.
Poor hygiene: Not practicing proper hygiene such as washing your hands regularly or other habits that can help prevent bacterial infections greatly increases the risk of heart infections especially if you already suffer from an underlying heart condition. Poor dental health can also be a contributor to heart disease.
Q.2. What are the complications that can arise from heart disease?
Some complications of heart disease include:
Heart failure: heart failure is one of the most common complications of heart disease. It occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to meet your body’s requirements. Heart failure can result from various forms of heart disease such as cardiovascular disease, heart infection, heart defects, valvular heart disease, or cardiomyopathy.
Heart attack: Heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks the blood flow to the heart thus causing damage to the heart muscle. Atherosclerosis can also result in a heart attack.
Aneurysm: An aneurysm is a serious complication that can occur anywhere in the body. It is a condition where a bulge develops on the wall of the artery. If it bursts, it could cause internal bleeding that could be life-threatening.
Sudden cardiac arrest: Sudden cardiac arrest refers to the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function. Patients may also suffer from breathing difficulty and loss of consciousness which is usually caused by arrhythmia. Sudden cardiac arrest can be fatal if medical treatment is not provided immediately.
Stroke: The risk factors which cause heart disease can also result in an ischemic stroke which hinders blood flow to the brain due to narrowed or blocked arteries. In this medical emergency, brain tissues start to die within a few minutes of the stroke.
Peripheral artery disease: In peripheral artery disease the patients experience leg pain when walking as the patient’s extremities, particularly the legs, do not receive sufficient blood flow. Atherosclerosis can result in peripheral artery disease.
Q.3. What are the most effective preventive measures for heart disease?
Although some heart disease, namely heart defects, cannot be prevented. However, you can keep your heart healthy and help prevent many types of heart disease by making some lifestyle changes such as:
- Following a balanced diet low in saturated fat and salt
- Quitting smoking
- Practicing good hygiene
- Reducing and managing stress
- Walking regularly and exercising for at least 30 minutes every day
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Keeping a tight check on other medical conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure
