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The Spotlight Series is a series of articles looking at common, and preventable, diseases. I explain the science behind the condition, how to spot early signs and what you can do to prevent it.
The science
Coronary heart disease (also known as cardiovascular disease, or ischaemic heart disease) is one of the leading causes of death in Canada. It is also relatively preventable, by making small lifestyle adjustments.
Coronary heart disease is caused by a build-up of atheromas along the lining of the arteries around the heart (coronary arteries). Atheromas are deposits, made up largely of fat and cholesterol. This build up in the walls of the arteries makes the arteries narrower, which is called atherosclerosis.
This narrowing of the arteries means that the heart receives less blood. This can cause a variety of problems, the most common of which is angina. Angina is chest pain, that is brought on when the heart isnt getting enough blood. This can be because of physical activity or stressful situations, where the heart is beating faster and therefore requires more blood.
Another form of coronary heart disease is a myocardial infarction, or heart attack. This occurs when the arteries become completely blocked, meaning the heart isnt receiving any blood.
Heart failure can also be a consequence of coronary disease, as the heart becomes too weak to pump blood properly around the body. This can happen either suddenly or gradually.
Signs and symptoms
Angina causes chest pain that is typically associated with a heaviness, tightness or uncomfortable sensation, that may spread to the jaw, neck, arms or back. Angina is often triggered by exercise, and will pass quickly when you rest or use a nitrate spray.
If the pain doesnt go away when you rest, or if the pain is particularly severe, it may be a heart attack. People also experience symptoms like nausea, sweating, feeling faint or short of breath. If you experience these symptoms, call 911 immediately, as this is a life-threatening emergency.
Heart failure can happen gradually or suddenly, and usually presents with shortness of breath. This is due to a build up of fluid in the lungs because the heart cant effectively pump fluid around the body.
How to prevent heart disease
Luckily, you can reduce your risk of getting coronary heart disease easily by keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the normal range.
Eating a cardio-protective diet is the best place to start. Here are the key aspects of the cardio-protective diet:
The heart is a muscle like any other, and so its important to treat it as such. Giving it regular exercise is the best way to keep it healthy and prevent the onset of disease. Regular exercise keeps your circulatory system efficient, reduces your cholesterol, and keeps your blood pressure at a healthy level.
As well as eating well and exercising to protect your heart, giving up smoking is a hugely important part of preventing disease. Smoking is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, as it causes the blood to be more sticky, and likely to atherosclerose.
Good news: drinking alcohol (albeit in small doses, and in low sugar forms) is actually a positive thing for heart health. Enjoy a glass of this regions awesome wine once or twice a week, and know that its on doctors orders! However, any alcohol in excess is not good, and binge drinking increases the risk of a heart attack. Be sensible.
Take home message
You guessed it its my motto! Eat well, exercise, and be aware of the signs and symptoms. If you believe you may be suffering from heart disease, speak to your family doctor. Even if you have heart disease, it is possible to reverse some of the damage to your arteries. Get in touch if you have any questions, or want to discuss this topic more.
Excerpt from:
The Spotlight Series: coronary heart disease - Health and Happiness - Castanet.net
- Heart Disease - April 10th, 2018 [April 10th, 2018]
- Heart and Cardiovascular Research - April 10th, 2018 [April 10th, 2018]
- Heart and Cardiovascular Research - iMedPub - May 22nd, 2018 [May 22nd, 2018]
- Heart Disease - A Closer Look at Stem Cell Treatments - May 27th, 2018 [May 27th, 2018]
- Heart Conferences | Heart Congress | Cardiology ... - June 26th, 2018 [June 26th, 2018]
- Heart disease - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - September 21st, 2018 [September 21st, 2018]
- Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke | NIDDK - September 29th, 2018 [September 29th, 2018]
- Heart Diseases & Disorders - Heart Rhythm Society - October 31st, 2018 [October 31st, 2018]
- Heart Disease - Closer Look at Stem Cells - November 15th, 2018 [November 15th, 2018]
- What is Heart Disease?, HHS, NIH, NHLBI - December 28th, 2018 [December 28th, 2018]
- Types of Heart Disease | Covenant HealthCare - December 30th, 2018 [December 30th, 2018]
- Heart Disease - Lab Tests Online - December 30th, 2018 [December 30th, 2018]
- Heart Diseases | Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center ... - December 30th, 2018 [December 30th, 2018]
- Heart Healthy Lifestyle - Prevent Heart Diseases - HeartCare - January 26th, 2019 [January 26th, 2019]
- Breast cancer most prevalent in Sabah - The Borneo Post - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Menopause and womens heart health - Udaipur Kiran - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Low Birth Weight Linked To Heart Problems In Adulthood: Study - News Nation - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Consuming Red Meat And Pork Linked To Heart Disease And Cancer - Peoria Observer - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Yes, we still need to cut down on red and processed meat - The Conversation AU - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- On oral contraceptive pills? You could be at risk of heart disease! - Times Now - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Rutgers researchers find heart valve infections increasing in hospitals - RU Daily Targum - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Most common warning symptoms of heart attack - Elets - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Adults Who Lost Teeth More Prone to Heart Attack, Stroke - SciTechDaily - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Heart and Stroke Foundation: 80% of heart attacks, strokes can be prevented - Northern Natal Courier - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Heart diseases on the rise: experts - newagebd.net - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Heart attack: Best diet to protect against the life-threatening condition - Express - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Women 'suffering and dying' because of inequalities in heart disease diagnosis and treatment - Holyrood - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- B'luru's air pollution contributing to heart diseases? Study finds drivers are at risk - The News Minute - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Alia Bhatt supports fundraising for kids with heart diseases: They are more positive than adults - India Today - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Reduce heart disease at the American Heart Associations Heart Walk - KXAN.com - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Losing teeth may not be a good sign, could be indicative of heart disease risk - Economic Times - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Tooth Loss Associated with Higher Risk of Heart Disease - Cath Lab Digest - October 6th, 2019 [October 6th, 2019]
- Heart failure is the silent killer you've been ignoring - Times of India - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- FDA awards 12 grants to fund new clinical trials to advance the development of medical products for the treatment of rare diseases - FDA.gov - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Daikon Radish: Types, Nutrition, Benefits, and Uses - Healthline - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Air Pollution May Affect Every Organ, Cell in the Body - Voice of America - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Less than 6 hours of sleep a night linked to increased risk of early death - NHS Website - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Disabled mum left in tears after DWP wrongly stopped all her benefits - Mirror Online - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- How to live longer: Best diet to boost your life expectancy - what to eat - Express - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Men Should Stop Drinking Six Months In Advance If They Plan to Be Fathers - AskMen - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Dr. Roach: Assessing the risks of secondhand cigarette smoke - The Detroit News - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- What is vascular disease? - Midland Daily News - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Fauna Bio Receives Grant From the National Institutes of Health to Advance Its Drug Repurposing Platform - BioSpace - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Bacon rashers, statistics, and controversy - The BMJ - The BMJ - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Why should you have semolina (suji) for weight loss - Times of India - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- 4 blind spots in the confusing debate about red meat - Inverse - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Inflammation Signs That Are Often Overlooked - msnNOW - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- MKRMS seminar: Experts stress regular exercise, healthy food for heart health - The News International - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Exercise, healthy food for heart health stressed - The News International - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation Awards $775000 to 11 Innovative Heart Health Programs & Announces Open Call for Applications - Business Wire - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- How to live longer: The superfood proven to boost brain and heart health - Express - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- People with mental disorder at high risk of heart diseases - Yahoo India News - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Do Women Need To Worry About Heart Disease? - Version Weekly - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Stroke rates continue decline in the U.S. - Reuters - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- 6 Foods That Can Help Protect You Against Life-Threatening Ailments - International Business Times - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Prevention of Heart Disease - The Sentinel Assam - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Tooth loss linked to higher risk of heart disease - The New Indian Express - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Performing HIIT Exercises Can Help Minimize The Risk Of Contracting A Heart Disease - International Business Times - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Heart disease: Best exercise to lower the risk of developing the deadly condition - Express - October 10th, 2019 [October 10th, 2019]
- Shropshire people left more than 343000 in wills to British Heart Foundation - shropshirestar.com - October 11th, 2019 [October 11th, 2019]
- Queen's Speech puts air pollution, science and the NHS on the agenda - British Heart Foundation - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- In a rural Wisconsin village, the doctor makes house calls and sees some of the rarest diseases on Earth - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Treatment And Management Of Heart Disease During Pregnancy - Version Weekly - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Severe dental diseases persist in S.D. due to chronic poverty and lack of access to dentists - KELO AM-FM - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- New York Ranks 25th In Nation In First-Ever Childhood Obesity Study - WAER - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Saddleridge Fire Leads to Poor Air Quality, Tips on Staying Healthy - NBC Southern California - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- This country just became the first to ban ads for sugary drinks - WGAL Lancaster - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Heart disease: Three dietary tips to keep the risks at bay - Express - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Eating habits that can reverse heart disease - Daily Monitor - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Hale and hearty: Tips to maintain good heart health - The New Indian Express - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Exercise Is Especially Important For Those With Heart Disease - Anti Aging News - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Exercise good for people with heart disease, other physical ailments - Al Bawaba - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Should you eat red meat or not? A dietitian explains the latest nutrition science on meat, eggs and butter - NBC News - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- Rheumatic heart disease in Northern Territory 'a bloody health emergency' - The Guardian - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- PPMD Grants to Promote Gene Therapy for Heart Disease and Patient Outcomes Research - Muscular Dystrophy News - October 15th, 2019 [October 15th, 2019]
- University of Guelph researchers track how cats' weights change over time - Jill Lopez - October 20th, 2019 [October 20th, 2019]
- Study Shows That a 50% Pay Raise Lowers the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases by 15% - WORLD OF BUZZ - October 20th, 2019 [October 20th, 2019]
- Dog owners less likely to have cardiovascular diseases, and better chances of recovering from strokes or heart - MEAWW - October 20th, 2019 [October 20th, 2019]
- Keep your heart pumping - The New Indian Express - October 20th, 2019 [October 20th, 2019]
- How Can We Curb the Spread of Scientific Racism? - Scientific American - October 20th, 2019 [October 20th, 2019]