Our heart is one of the most important organs that needs a lot of extreme care. Unfortunately, more and more people suffer from such disease. At present, heart disease is very common and worse; it is one of the leading causes of death anywhere in the world. This condition exempts no one; even a new born baby can have a certain type of such disease. How much more the older people who don't watch what they eat and don't even care to exercise.
Heart disease, like any other medical condition, has causes. Identifying the causes will greatly help in preventing the progression of any heart condition and in giving the right treatment. The causes of a heart disease maybe very common, but the consequences and impact of the same are fearfully bad for your health. The causes may include high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and over weight, smoking, heredity, alcohol, birth control pills, sex hormones, and more.
High blood cholesterol plays a gigantic role in most types of heart disease. Cholesterol is a fatty substance which is carried in our blood and is also found in all our body cells, which causes the disease. If this fatty substance may stick in our arteries and builds up to form a plaque, it will then result to the narrowing of arteries. The narrowing of our arteries interrupts the blood flow, causing less supply of oxygen and other nutrients to our hearts and other parts of the body. If worse comes to worst when the arteries are blocked because of the fatty substance build up, a heart attack occurs.
Heart problem is one of the causes of death among the people with diabetes. If a person is found out to have diabetes, he or she should be under a doctor's care to monitor blood sugar levels, and therefore reduce the risk of heart disease.
Obesity and over; weight are among the causes of heart disease. If you are overweight, it is likely that you have high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure resulting to a high risk. Obesity increases the chances of developing heart condition. To know if you are obese, the doctors are measuring obesity in terms of body mass index (BMI), which is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared, [ BMI= W (kg) / H (m?) ]. You are considered over weight if the result is over 25; obese if over 30 is the result. In addition, people who are obese and over weight are usually physically inactive. They don't entertain the idea of a regular exercise, and if they do, just the thought tires them already (just like me!).
Smoking is one of the causes. It greatly increases your risk of heart disease and peripheral vascular disease, disease in the blood vessels that supply blood to your arms and legs. Many people die each year because of illnesses brought about by smoking and some of these deaths are due to the effects of smoking on the heart and blood vessels.
A heart disease can be hereditary. A heart condition has a possibility to be passed from one generation to another.
Studies shows that people who drink moderate alcohol has a lower risk compared to nondrinkers. A moderate intake of alcohol averages to one or two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. More than moderate intake of alcohol, on the other hand, is one of the causes.
It's never too late to take care of your health and your heart. Do the things which are good for your health and heart, and avoid those that aren't. Nobody knows yourself better that you! Start caring for your health and stop the causes of heart disease.
Most people are unaware of the fact that having abnormal blood cholesterol levels seriously jeopardizes one's health. High blood cholesterol is a major cause of heart disease, rendering people very susceptible to suffering heart attack. Actually, the higher your total blood cholesterol level, the higher your risk for developing coronary disease and suffering a heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among the population of the United States. Statistics indicate that there are more than one million cases of heart attack reported in the United States each year. Around 500.000 Americans die each year as a consequence of heart disease. Most cases of heart disease and heart failure among the American population are solely caused by inappropriate blood cholesterol levels. This is a very disturbing fact, as coronary disease due to high blood cholesterol can be effectively prevented and treated in present.
Apart from coronary disease, people with high blood cholesterol levels are also very exposed to developing peripheral vascular disease, arthritis and in some cases, diabetes. People with high blood cholesterol levels are also prone to suffering stroke and permanent brain damage. All these conditions are linked with inappropriate blood flow and poor oxygenation of the organism, consequences of abnormally high blood cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol is a fatty, wax-like substance produced by the liver. In normal amounts, cholesterol is benefic for the organism, supporting the activity of blood cells and aiding the body in producing hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. While in small amounts cholesterol is benign for the human body, fulfilling a series of vital roles inside the organism, in large amounts it seriously affects one's overall health. When in excess, cholesterol accumulates in the bloodstream, sticking to the interior walls of arteries and obstructing normal blood flow. Clogged with cholesterol deposits, the arteries eventually become hardened and narrow, slowing down blood flow. When cholesterol accumulates inside the coronary arteries, it prevents blood flow from reaching the heart, depriving the heart valves from vital nutrients and oxygen supplies. Complete blockage of the coronary arteries causes the heart to stop functioning, resulting in a heart attack.
In order to prevent the occurrence of heart disease and other conditions associated with high blood cholesterol levels, it is very important to regularly have your cholesterol numbers checked. If your blood cholesterol values are higher than average, you should address to your physician in order to receive the appropriate treatment. In addition, you will have to follow a cholesterol-lowering diet and make a few lifestyle improvements in order to keep your cholesterol levels in check. Corroborated with proper diet and a physically active lifestyle, cholesterol-lowering medications greatly reduce the risk of developing a wide range of life-threatening conditions linked with high blood cholesterol levels.
Doctors recommend all people with ages over 20 to have their cholesterol levels measured regularly. Young adults and middle age people are advised to have their cholesterol levels measured every 5 years, while older adults need to have their cholesterol levels measured at least once every 2 years.
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