Posts Tagged ‘Coronary Arteries’

Heart Disease

If you’re like most people, you think that heart disease is a problem for other folks. But heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S. It is also a major cause of disability. There are many different forms of heart disease. The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself.

Heart disease is an umbrella term for a number of different diseases affecting the heart. As of 2007, it is the leading cause of death in the United States,[1][2] England, Canada and Wales,[3] killing one person every 34 seconds in the United States alone.

Symptoms of Heart disease

The symptoms of heart disorder include certain types of pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations (awareness of slow, fast, or irregular heartbeats), light-headedness, fainting, and swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet. However, these symptoms do not necessarily indicate a heart disorder.

Symptoms may be very noticeable, but sometimes you can have the disease and not have any symptoms.

Chest pain or discomfort (angina) is the most common symptom. You feel this pain when the heart is not getting enough blood or oxygen. How bad the pain is varies from person to person.

Causes of Heart Diseases

Too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad cholesterol”) in the blood causes plaque to form on artery walls, which starts a disease process called atherosclerosis. When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, you are at greater risk of having a heart attack.

Many distinguished scientists have pointed to serious flaws in this theory, beginning with the fact that heart disease in America has increased during the period when consumption of saturated fat has decreased. “The diet-heart idea,” said the distinguished George Mann, “is the greatest scam in the history of medicine.

Stress Contribute to Heart Disease

Medical researchers aren’t sure exactly how stress increases the risk of heart disease. Stress itself might be a risk factor, or it could be that high levels of stress make other risk factors (such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure) worse. For example, if you are under stress, your blood pressure goes up, you may overeat, you may exercise less and you may be more likely to smoke.

Treatment of Heart Disease

Diagnosis and Conventional Treatment

In many cases the first indication of cardiovascular disease is a sudden heart attack. There are more than 1.5 million heart attacks in the United States every year and 30% of them are fatal within the first month(5,24). As one popular medical textbook puts it: “Sudden death is the first and only manifestation of coronary heart disease in about 25% of patients.”

Intermittent claudicating involves pain in a muscle to which the blood supply has been restricted due to atherosclerosis. The pains occur with exercise and subside within a couple of minutes once the exercise is stopped. Conventional medical therapy includes an emphasis on daily walks, weight reduction, and total avoidance of smoking.



By: james sameul

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. Almost 700,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. each year. It is also a major cause of disability. There are many different forms of heart disease. The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. Heart disease is a term that includes several more specific heart conditions. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack. There are many different forms of heart disease. The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. This is called coronary artery disease and happens slowly over time. It’s the major reason people have heart attacks. Other kinds of heart problems may happen to the valves in the heart, or the heart may not pump well and cause heart failure. Some of these risk factors a person can’t do anything about, like being older and having other people in the family who have had the same problems.

Some people are born with heart disease. Heart disease is not contagious the can’t catch it like you can the flu or a cold. Some of these risk factors a person can’t do anything about, like being older and having other people in the family who have had the same problems. But people do have control over some risk factors — smoking, having high blood pressure, being overweight, and not exercising can increase the risk of getting cardiovascular disease. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease in women. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in New York State, killing more than 70,000 residents each year. Many of these survivors are disabled and cannot lead productive lives. They also are at high risk for additional events. High blood pressure-High blood pressure increases the heart’s workload, causing the heart to thicken and become stiffer. It also increases your risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure.

Heart disease, also called cardiovascular disease, mainly affects older people and means that there are problems with the heart and blood vessels. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, cause heart failure and lead to stroke. About 20%-30% of women who have had an episode of preeclampsia will develop the disorder in a subsequent pregnancy, which makes this history at least as significant a risk factor for future preeclampsia as chronic hypertension, renal disease, and pregestational diabetes. The earlier in the first gestation preeclampsia developed, the higher the risk of recurrence in the next: the condition returned in more than half of women who had their first episode before week 27, compared with a 40% recurrence when the index episode was between week 27 and 30, and 20% at week 37 or after. Cholesterol-lowering medicines lower the risk of heart attacks in men. Taking an aspirin every day may lower your risk of problems if you have coronary artery disease, a heart attack or angina.

Heart Disease Treatment Tips

1. Angioplasty-This opens a blocked vessel by using a balloon-like device at an artery’s narrowest point.

2. Atherectomy-This involves cutting the plaque out of an artery, so blood can flow freely.

3. Bypass surgery-This involves taking part of an artery or vein from another part of the body.

4. Pacemakers - A pacemaker is a small electronic device that’s put inside the body to regulate the heartbeat.

5. Valve replacement. If a heart valve is damaged or isn’t working, a surgeon can replace it.



By: Juliet Cohen

About the Author:

Juliet Cohen writes articles for online medical clinic and skin disorders. For more information visit our site at http://www.diseasestreatment.com.



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 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.

Symptoms

A common symptom of heart disease is shortness of breath which is caused by the blood being

deprived of the proper amount of oxygen. Another common symptom is chest pain or pain down

either arm. Other symptoms are palpitation, fainting, emotional instability, cold hands and feet,

frequent perspiration and fatigue. All these symptoms may be caused by many other disorders.

Appropriate tests and studies are, therefore, essential to establish the true nature of these

symptoms.

Causes

The basic causes of heart diseases are wrong dietary habits, faulty style of living and various

stresses. The famous Framingham Heart Study of the National Heart and Lung Institute

identified seven major risk factors in coronary heart disease. These are : (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 the 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.

Treatment

The fundamental conditioning factor in all heart diseases is the diet. A corrective diet designed to

alter body chemistry and improve the quality of general nutritional intake can, in many cases,

reverse the degenerative changes which have occurred in the heart and blood vessels.

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 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.

Water Treatment

The use of an ice bag on the spinal area between the second and tenth thoracic vertebrae for 30

minutes three times a week, a hot compress applied to the left side of the neck for 30 minutes

every alternate day and massage of the abdomen and upper back muscles are water treatments

which are beneficial in cases of heart disease.

Hot foot and hand baths are excellent for relieving the pain of angina pectoris. To this may be

added hot packs on the chest over the heart for one minute and a cold pack applied alternately

for five minutes.

Asanas such as shavasana, vajrasana, and gomukhasna, yogic kriyas like jalneti and

pranayamas such as shitali, sitkari and bhramari are also helpful in providing relief to heart

patients.



By: sulamita berrezi

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