What is Heart Disease and How Can It Be Prevented?

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is when my heart vessels have a problem delivering blood through the valves in my heart and passing the blood though the rest of the body due to blocked arteries. Heart disease is a very serious condition that kills approximately 450,000 people in the United States each year. How bad the heart disease is determined by the different types of heart disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the atherosclerosis, where is arteries are clogged up with plaque that lines in interior walls of the arteries and causes them to become harder and smaller restricting blood to the heart. Coronary artery disease is one of the most common leading causes of a heart attack. The heart needs all the blood it can get. The blood has a hard time getting to the heart because of slow, restricted blood flow. This can generate long-term problems that may not be reversible. You must take care of your body before it is too late. Where else are you going to live if you destroy your body. The two main goals of any healthy heart are a healthy diet (eating lifestyle) and exercise.

Here are some of the problems a person with coronary artery heart disease will have to cope with during their live.

* Angina: Angina is when a person has severe chest pains and they are going to find discomfort in their body due to lack of oxygen going their vital organs. This is when the heart delivery system does not get enough of the blood that it needs to function correctly. This builds up extreme pressure and squeezing type pain in a person and the angina will feels like a heart attack. They will most likely have a heart attack in the future and have a chance of dying.

* Heart attack is when the arteries are badly blocked and the blood is restricted from going to the heart for approximately twenty minutes.

Heart Failure: Heart failure is when the heart cannot adequately pump blood through the body causing other organs in the body to not get enough blood. Heart failure does not mean that the heart stops. Common signs are: shortness of breath; swelling of the feet, ankles, legs; and extreme tiredness. is going to happen when the heart is unable to pump the blood through the vessels.
The heart may not stop but will be functioning at a reduced rate.

* Heart Arrhythmias: Arrhythmias are disorders of the regular rhythmic beating of the heart. Arrhythmias are a common condition and can occur in a healthy heart and be of minimal consequence. It can also may indicate a serious problem and lead to heart disease, stroke or sudden cardiac death. The beat can be slower of faster depending upon the circumstances of arrhythmias. Most will feel dizzy, faint or lose their breath. They will find that as they get older they will have more problems with their heart.

All heart disease is a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly. The main thing to remember is get periodic checkups by your doctor and keep an accurate account of your blood pressure reading. Have someone help you check your blood pressure regularly. If you have any severe pain you need to call 911 immediately and get the emergency medical treatment that your body needs. The life you save might be your own.

You need to let others you live with or work with that you have heart problems so that they can also look for any signs that may mean you are in danger of having a heart attack. You must take the precautions and advice that medical professionals give so you can be treated and live longer and happier life.