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Health & Wellness

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES: TYPES, RISK FACTORS, SYMPTOMS, PREVENTIVE MEASURES

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Cardiovascular disease is a term used to describe any type of heart or blood vessel-related illness. The word ‘cardiovascular’ literally means ‘relating to the heart and blood vessels’, so, any disease that is related to the heart or blood vessels can be considered as cardiovascular.

Cardiovascular disease is the prime cause of death and disability in the world. Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for over 17 million deaths each year around the world. Cardiovascular disease can be Symptomatic or Asymptomatic.

Cardiovascular diseases can be caused by a range of factors including unhealthy life style, smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, lack of exercise and genetics.

 It’s important to notice cardiovascular disease early on, so that the required treatment and management can begin.

TYPES OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES:

There are a range of cardiovascular diseases which involves heart:

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE:

Coronary artery disease, also known as coronary heart disease, is a condition in which the coronary arteries become narrowed and blocked. Coronary artery disease is caused by atherosclerosis, in which plaque builds up inside the artery walls. When the blood supply is cut off (due to a blockage), it can lead to angina or a heart attack.

ANGINA:

Angina is chest pain felt when the heart muscle doesn’t have enough oxygen. Angina is typically treated with nitrates, but sometimes a patient may need surgery or other treatments. The symptoms of angina include: chest pain, pressure, or heaviness, Palpitations, Shortness of breath, Dizziness, Nausea and vomiting .Chest pain radiating to the arm, neck, jaw, or stomach. Pain in one or both arms, neck or jaw Chest pain when you take a deep breath. It is often mistaken for anxiety. Weakness or numbness of an arm and leg on one side of your body. Sudden shortness of breath during exercise or with minimal exertion.

CARDIOMYOPATHY:

Cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart muscle has become weaker or stretched out. The main symptom is shortness of breath, and there may be other symptoms such as chest pain and fatigue. 

Cardiomyopathy is a disease that makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to the rest of your body. This can lead to heart failure.

HEART ATTACK:

Heart attack is a life-threatening medical condition in which the blood flow to the heart is significantly reduced, resulting in chest pain and shortness of breath. It affects both men and women of all ages and can be caused by coronary artery disease or other heart diseases.

HYPERTENSIVE HEART DISEASE:

Hypertensive heart disease is a condition in which the pressure of the blood that flows through the veins is high. This high pressure can cause different symptoms, such as chest pain, headache, dizziness and fainting. Those who experience these symptoms should make an appointment with their doctor to find out more about hypertensive heart disease.

CARDIAC DYSRHYTHMIAS:

Cardiac dysrhythmias are a type of abnormal heartbeat. They can vary in severity, but they all interfere with the heart’s ability to pump blood and can be life-threatening.

HEART FAILURE:

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart does not pump enough blood to meet the body’s metabolic needs. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, tiredness, swelling and excessive sweating.

CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE:

Congenital heart disease is a birth defect of the heart’s structure. The most common type of congenital heart disease is Tetralogy of Fallot.

PULMONARY HEART DISEASE:

Pulmonary heart disease is a condition that has to do with the structure of the heart. The right side of the heart is affected, which means that it can’t pump blood efficiently. There are two types of Pulmonary Heart Disease: Primary and Secondary. Primary Pulmonary Heart Disease is caused by other conditions such as emphysema or bronchitis, while Secondary Pulmonary Heart Disease is caused by an underlying heart condition that leads to the development of pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary Hypertension: Pulmonary hypertension is a condition in which your arteries fail to properly open and allow blood flow into the lungs. This can lead to a build-up of pressure in your lungs (pulmonary edema) and, ultimately, an increased risk for heart failure or death.

INFLAMMATORY HEART DISEASE:

Inflammatory heart disease is a heart problem where inflammation is causing your artery walls to narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow through the body.

ENDOCARDITIS:

Endocarditis is a heart inflammation that affects the endocardium, which is the lining of the heart. Endocarditis is a complication associated with bacterial infections that affect the heart. This can happen when bacteria in the blood stream enters the bloodstream, and then gets inside the heart. The infection can grow and spread on the tissue of your heart’s valves and cause different symptoms including fever, shortness of breath, fatigue and rapid heartbeat.

INFLAMMATORY CARDIOMEGALY:

Inflammatory cardiomegaly, also known as peripartum cardiomyopathy, is a condition of enlarged heart where weakening of the heart muscle occurs in some women during pregnancy or within six months after giving birth. 

MYOCARDITIS:

Myocarditis is the inflammation of the myocardium. It is a result of an infection such as diphtheria or Coxsackie virus and is typically associated with influenza or other respiratory infections.

EOSINOPHILIC MYOCARDITIS:

Eosinophilic myocarditis is a rare disease that affects the myocardium tissue of the heart by eosinophilic leukocytes.

VALVULAR HEART DISEASE:

Valvular heart disease is a condition of cardiovascular disease where the four valves of the heart involves. The aortic and mitral valves are present on the left side of the heart and the pulmonic and tricuspid valves on the right side of the heart).The functionality of the valves diminishes which in turn affects the heart function.

RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE:

Rheumatic heart disease is a condition where a gram positive Streptococcus species – streptococcus pyogenes is responsible for rheumatic fever which damages the muscles and valves of the heart.

RADIATION HEART DISEASE:

In radiation heart disease, the radiations to the chest damages the valves and blood vessels of the heart.

Cardiovascular diseases which involves blood vessels (Vascular diseases):

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE:

Coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease is a condition in which the flow of blood to the muscles of the heart reduces because of the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in the arteries. 

PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE:

Peripheral arterial disease is narrowing of arteries thus reducing blood flow to arms and legs.

CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASE:

Cerebro vascular disease is a condition in which abnormal narrowing of the arteries takes place in the brain and cerebral circulation and thus decreasing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Ischemic stroke is the most common cerebrovascular disease.

RENAL ARTERY STENOSIS:

Renal artery stenosis is the condition in which one or both renal arteries narrows mostly due to atherosclerosis which affects the blood flow to the aimed kidney leading to renovascular hypertension.

AORTIC ANEURYSM:

Aneurysm is enlargement of aorta that can bleed when ruptured.

ATHEROSCLEROSIS:

The formation of plaque around the walls of the blood vessels takes place making them narrow thus reducing the supply of oxygen. 

DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT):

Deep vein thrombosis is a condition in which there will be a blockage or plaque in blood vessels and veins that brings blood back from body, brain to heart.

RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE:

The precise cause for cardio vascular disease is not clear and vary according to the type of the disease for instance – atherosclerosis may be a reason for coronary artery disease, genetic or medications may be a reason for arrhythmias and infections, aging may be a cause for valvular diseases. But there may be many underlying determining factors that may increase or elevate the risk of the disease.

These factors are called “Risk factors”. The greater chances of getting cardio vascular diseases, if you have more risk factors. The factors include:

  • Medical diagnoses:

Medical conditions like High blood pressure (hypertension), High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), diabetes (high blood sugar), Gestational diabetes (pregnancy induced diabetes), excess weight or obesity, Preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) or toxemia, chronic inflammatory or autoimmune conditions, chronic kidney disease may increase the chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

  • Lack of physical activity:

Lack of physical activity may be one of the most important risk factors in developing cardio vascular diseases. The risk of heart diseases may be reduced by involving any type of physical activity. Exercising and any type of physical activity can help you keep your heart healthy. In addition exercise can also help in improving blood glucose, lipid profile, hypertension, Insulin sensitivity, maintaining healthy weight. These in turn lowers the chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

  • Diet: 

Diet plays an important role in the overall wellbeing of a person. Taking balanced healthy diet have a great impact on blood sugars, lipids, body weight and even blood pressure. Including more of saturated fats, Tran’s fats, salt, sugars, processed foods, energy foods have adverse effects on blood lipids and blood glucose which effects your heart health. Eliminating and minimizing these foods and including more of fruits and vegetables, fiber, grains can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

  • Smoking And Alcohol:

High levels of alcohol consumption is directly related to high risk of cardiovascular disease. Smoking and other tobacco products can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. High Alcohol consumption can increase blood pressure, cholesterol and tobacco intake can damage and narrow the blood vessels.

  • Family History / Genetics:

Family history or genetics is an important risk factor. If you have a history of cardiovascular disease in your family then you are more likely at a risk of developing the disease. There is an increase by three fold if the family have the history of cardiovascular disease.

Other Risk Factors Include

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Occupational Exposure
  • Stress (traumatic and mental stress)
  • Chemical and radiation exposure
  • Sleep

Symptoms of Cardiovascular Disease:

Symptoms of heart attack:

Discomfort or pain in the chest region alone or along with pain in arms, left shoulder, or back. Sometimes shortness of breath or difficulty breathing can also be seen. Other symptoms like nausea or vomiting, headache, sweating or dizziness.

Symptoms of a stroke:

Weakness in the face region, arm or leg or sometimes total one side of the body can be seen.

Numbness, confusion, blurred vision, difficulty in speaking or understanding, walking, loss of coordination, headache or fainting are the other symptoms.

Symptoms of blood vessels when there is a blockage:

More often, the symptoms are asymptomatic with blood vessel disease but some symptoms include cramps or pain in legs while walking, appearance of red skin on legs, swelling in legs, coordination imbalance, numbness especially one side of the body.

Symptoms of rheumatic disease:

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, giddiness, fatigue, irregular heartbeats, chest pain and fainting are the symptoms of rheumatic heart disease.

Fever, swelling and pain of the joints, nausea sensation or vomiting, stomach cramps are the symptoms of rheumatic fever.

Preventive Measures:

Cardiovascular disease can be preventable if appropriate measures taken for established risk factors. Life style changes can greatly reduce the risk of developing many cardiovascular diseases expect which cannot be prevented like congenital heart disease. Preventing measures may be varying depending upon the condition and risk factors involved.

You can minimize the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by the following measures:

Diet:

Eat a balanced diet .Include a variety of food in your menu. Diet should be balanced and nutritious. Include more of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fiber, dark colored foods, good fats, functional foods (foods rich in antioxidants, phytochemicals and micro nutrients), adequate fluids.

Minimize or restrict or avoid unhealthy foods like foods containing high amounts of simple sugars, saturated fats, Tran’s fats, and salt, processed, preserved and canned foods and empty calorie drinks, carbonated and caffeinated beverages.

Diet including high portions of fruits and vegetables reduces the chances of cardiovascular disease.

Physical Activity:

Regular physical activity can have great impact on cardiac health along with overall health and fitness. Physical Mobility or exercise reduces the chances of cardiovascular diseases. Minimum of 45mins to 1 hour physical activity is recommended to acquire good results.

Quit smoking: 

Quit smoking and avoid second hand smoke which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 35%.

Limit alcohol intake:

Reduce or avoid alcohol consumption. Excessive consumption of alcohol can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Enough sleep:

Insufficient sleep can adversely affect the overall health. Decreased sleep quota can increase the risk of hypertension and sleep apnea may increase the risk of heart disease. Minimum of 6-8 hours’ sleep per day is recommended.

Good Mental Health:

Stress, depression and bad mental health are associated with increased chances of heart problems. Practice relaxation techniques to stay calm.

Manage other medical conditions:

Overweight, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, renal diseases are the diseases which affects the cardiovascular diseases. It’s important to manage them under control is very much needed. Healthy diet (low in saturated fats, salt, and sugars), physical activity and medication can help in managing these health conditions.

BOTTOM LINE – Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is the type of condition in which the heart and its blood vessels gets affected. There are many types of cardiovascular diseases depending on the parts affected. Many risk factors are associated in developing cardiovascular diseases.

Early diagnosis, managing other health conditions, life style changes, diet, physical activity and proper medication can help in managing cardiovascular disease.

Staying healthy can minimize the risk of getting worse and living a full and active happy life.

Health & Wellness

16 Ways to keep your Heart Healthy

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This Article is all about understanding the ways to keep your heart healthy.

A strong heart is the cornerstone of overall good health. A healthy lifestyle can help people of any age to prevent heart disease and lower their risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. By doing exercise and eating a nutritious diet you can maintain a healthy heart.

Even at a younger age, you can begin taking care of your heart. It is accurate to say that the sooner you start making healthy choices, the longer you will reap their benefits. Activities like knitting, sewing, and crocheting can help you decompress and improve your heart health.

But even if you have previously experienced a heart attack, adopting healthy practices to promote good health might be beneficial. Heart disease is one of the primary causes of death, and it is preventable. While some risk factors, like age, sex, and family history, cannot be changed, there are several strategies to lower your risk of heart disease. You can laugh aloud throughout the day to keep yourself out of stress.

Below listed are some of the best ways to keep your heart healthier:

  • Physical Activity
  • Importance of Having a Healthy Food
  • Limit the intake of salt
  • Balanced Diet
  • Consume Less Sugar
  • Maintain Proper Dental Health
  • Stop Smoking
  • Enough Sleep
  • Manage Stress
  • Maintain a Healthy Weight
  • Reduce the Intake of Alcohol
  • Avoid Sitting for a Long Time

Benefits through physical activity:

Any movement that works your muscles and consumes more energy than you do while resting is considered physical exercise.

Physical activity includes walking, running, dancing, swimming, yoga, and gardening. The essential things you can do to maintain the health of your heart and lungs are to be physically active, maintain a nutritious diet, and quit smoking. Physical activity, even in little doses, benefits your health. 

Your heart benefits from physical exertion, especially aerobic activity. Exercise improves heart health and lowers risk factors for coronary heart disease. It can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce blood pressure, and improve and manage your body’s capacity to regulate insulin and blood sugar levels.

It lowers your risk for diabetes, lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, and lower blood levels of other fats and cholesterol. 

Your risk of heart disease may increase if your CRP levels are high. Physically inactive people have a nearly two-fold higher risk of developing heart disease.

Doing exercise regularly can highly benefit your health. At least 10 minutes should pass between each round of exercise. For instance, spend at least 30 minutes each time walking quickly five days a week. 

Become Physically Active:

Persons who are not physically active are more likely to experience a wide range of health issues, such as heart disease. Any form of exercise is preferable to doing nothing at all. To lower the risk of heart disease, it is advised that one engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.

Daily walking for 45–60 minutes is recommended for those just getting started. Being constant is important to have a healthy heart. Exercise can help lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, in addition to assisting people in losing weight.

Importance of having healthy food for a healthy heart:

Healthy food can help you to prevent heart disease and lower your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. To start caring for your heart, you can begin at any age. Having a healthy heart is essential for general well-being. It supplies oxygen, transports waste and contaminants out of your body, and circulates blood that is rich in nutrients. 

It is crucially responsible for almost everything that keeps your body alive, from the successful operation of your immune system to the transportation of oxygen throughout your body as the center of your cardiovascular system. Losing weight, eating healthily, staying active, lowering cholesterol, and maintaining blood pressure are straightforward lifestyle modifications that impact heart health. You could face many issues if you don’t care for your heart. 

The main component of your circulatory system is your heart. It regulates blood pressure, and heart rate, and pumps blood throughout your body. Your heart resembles a home in several ways.  It has plumbing, an electrical system, rooms, doors, walls, and so forth.

Various components work together to maintain blood flow and nourish your other organs. Some of the most prevalent medical disorders are those that have an impact on your heart. 

Limit the intake of salt:

People who consume too much salt typically increase blood pressure, which increases their risk of heart disease and stroke. Adults are advised to consume less than six grams of salt daily. You should cut back on your salt consumption and check the salt content of goods by reading the labels.

Fast foods and processed meat items frequently have very high salt content. You can lower your blood pressure by taking less salt, which should also decrease the dosage of blood pressure-lowering drugs. Be on the lookout for strategies to maintain a healthy heart.

Maintain a healthy and balanced diet:

The significant risk factors for heart disease are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and being overweight, which can be reduced by changing one’s dietary habits. As a result, just a few small dietary changes can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Moderating your regular intake of alcohol and salt are heart-healthy practices.

Consume Less Sugar:

Sugar supplies empty calories that can easily result in obesity. Sugar is quickly elevating to the position of public enemy number one. Everywhere and in most foods, sugar may be found. Diabetes, blood vessel disease, and heart disease can all be brought on by excessive sugar intake.

Sugar is also a significant contributor to tooth decay and dental cavities. We must reduce our sugar consumption. Reduce your intake of sugary foods like pies, sweets, chocolates, and other baked goods, as well as alcoholic beverages like soda. Since many foods are high in sugar, reading labels is crucial to maintaining a healthy heart. You may attempt to steer clear of the bulk of these foods.

Have healthy food:

Maintaining a long-term healthy diet requires balance. Meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables should make the most of your diet. You will be able to indulge occasionally if you eat this way most of the time. It’s crucial to permit yourself sometimes to consume something you crave. Therefore, do not feel bad about rewarding yourself for eating well by treating yourself. Just be careful not to indulge yourself excessively. Colour should be considered when selecting your vegetables. 

A colorful plate with lots of dark green, orange, yellow, and red veggies helps provide you with more minerals and vitamins. Reduce or even stop eating items that have undergone extensive processing. Foods in boxes and packages, especially those ready to eat, have experienced much processing.

Think crackers, and potato chips, can contain large amounts of salt. You can look for salt-free foods. Use water in place of soda and energy drinks. The sugar content in soda and energy drinks is astronomical. You can substitute water for these products to improve your health. Having healthy food can make your heart healthy. 

Eat more fish:

Eat more fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, cod, and other varieties, instead of red meat. Unsaturated fatty acids, abundant in these fish, can reduce your blood cholesterol. It is advised that people eat fish at least twice or three times every week. If you are a vegetarian and yet want to reap these advantages, you can do so by consuming foods like walnuts, wheat germ, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, and canola oil when cooking.

Eat healthy fats:

Saturated, polyunsaturated, and unsaturated fats are all essential components of our diet. Tran’s fat is one type we don’t need because it raises your lifelong risk of developing heart disease or a stroke. You can improve the blood flow throughout your body by eliminating them from your diet.

They are industrially manufactured fats frequently used to enhance flavor and texture in packaged baked products, snack foods, margarine, and fried fast food.

Eat a good amount of plant-based food:

The advantages of a plant-based diet are now beyond dispute. Fruits and vegetables are plant foods high in essential nutrients and minerals and low in calories. Vegetables are a good source of fiber that can help you to control bowel motions and lower blood sugar. 

You should consume at least 2-4 plant-based foods daily, with all fruits and vegetables considered heart-healthy. People who follow a plant-based diet typically enjoy better health, a longer lifespan, and fewer medical conditions.

Manage Stress:

Some people use harmful coping mechanisms to deal with stress, such as binge eating, drinking excessively, or smoking. Your health can be enhanced by finding more effective stress-reduction techniques, such as exercise, relaxation, or meditation. You should keep your mind relaxed and do your activity without getting stressed. 

Everyone manages stress in their unique way. Your health may be directly impacted by how you respond to it. You can reduce tension by doing breathing exercises. Additionally beneficial in reducing stress is meditation. The best approach to handle it is to exercise. 

Maintain a Healthy Weight:

Numerous studies have demonstrated that obesity increases the severity of existing cardiac conditions by overworking the heart and increases the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular accidents. It favors the development of type 2 diabetes and other conditions that are impacted by the overload they are exposed to, such as lung and osteoarticular disorders.

A BMI of more than 25 is linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease by about 40%. Everyone needs to be aware of their BMI and take appropriate action, especially if they are older than 20.

Reduce the intake of alcohol:

Drinking alcohol is linked to various health issues, such as high blood pressure, heart muscle damage, and the onset of abnormal heart rhythms. Alcohol is known to lower blood cholesterol in small doses, but since some people cannot manage how much they consume, it could become more troublesome. Walking, which is safe and cost-free, is another simple way to profit from a fair bit of alcohol. Male should limit alcohol consumption to two glasses of wine per day, while women should limit their consumption to one glass per day.

Avoid sitting for a long time:

People have found that prolonged sitting is unhealthy for your health, regardless of how much activity you get. This is terrible news for many people who work sedentary jobs all day. According to research, the number of hours spent sitting was linked to a 147 percent rise in cardiovascular events and a 90 percent rise in mortality from these events.

This finding was based on the combined findings of several observational studies that included nearly 800,000 participants. 

Maintain proper Dental Health:

Because people with periodontal disease frequently share the same risk factors for heart disease, dental health is an excellent indicator of overall health, including your heart. Studies on this matter are still ongoing, but many have demonstrated that oral bacteria involved in the onset of gum disease can enter the bloodstream and increase C-reactive protein, a marker for vascular inflammation. Heart disease and stroke risks may consequently arise due to these changes.

Stop smoking:

One of the critical factors of heart issues is tobacco usage. Smoking damages the cardiovascular system raises the risk of thrombosis decreases the coronary arteries’ diameter and makes the heart hard to pump blood. As a result, it’s imperative never to use tobacco or smoke around other people. 

Get enough Sleep:

Your heart’s health depends on getting enough sleep. No matter your age or other health practices, your risk of cardiovascular disease may be higher if you don’t get enough sleep. According to a study that included 3,000 persons over 45, those who slept less than six hours each night had a heart attack or stroke approximately twice as frequently as those who slept six to eight hours every night. According to the research, insufficient sleep can affect various biological functions and underlying medical issues, including blood pressure and inflammation.

Bottom line: for Ways to keep your heart healthy

We know that altering your way of life is not simple, so try to go forward incrementally while acknowledging your accomplishments. Spending time with your loved ones is essential because it helps maintain a healthy heart. You should do a regular check-up to have a healthy life.