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Coronary
heart disease
The heart is a powerful
pump responsible for delivering blood to all the vital organs through a complex
network of arteries and veins. It is essential that your heart, veins, and
arteries remain in good condition. Arteries have different names, depending on
what part of the body they supply; those supplying the heart itself are called
coronary arteries. When these arteries are affected, the result is coronary
heart disease.
What is
coronary heart disease?
Coronary heart disease results from the coronary arteries becoming narrowed with
fatty deposits on the inside wall. This narrowing reduces flow of blood to the
heart and increases the chances of a blood clot blocking the artery, resulting
in a heart attack.
How
does it affect people?
As the coronary arteries narrow, patients will often experience chest pain or
tightness, known as angina. This pain may spread to the left shoulder or arm, or
to the neck and jaw. The pain can occur at times of exercise, stress, or strain,
particularly in cold weather.
What
are the causes?
Certain factors are linked with the
development of coronary heart disease. The main factors that increase the risk
of developing coronary heart disease are listed below. They are divided into two
categories, depending on whether you can change them.
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Things
you can change |
Things
you cannot change |
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Cholesterol
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Smoking
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High blood pressure
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Stress
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Lack of exercise
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Excessive alcohol intake
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Diabetes
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Being overweight
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Family history of coronary
heart disease
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Sex
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Age
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Of the risk factors that
you can control, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking are
three of the most important.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is an
essential body fat. It is present in food but is also made by the liver. At any
one time, some cholesterol is always present in the bloodstream. When people
with heart disease have abnormally high amounts of cholesterol in their blood,
however, the danger of a heart attack increases. This is because cholesterol
becomes embedded in the blood-vessel walls, causing them to narrow.
What can be done?
If you have coronary heart disease, you should have your cholesterol levels
checked. Not everyone with raised cholesterol will develop problems, but the
chances of developing coronary heart disease increases with raised cholesterol,
especially as the cholesterol level increases above 5.2 mmol/L.
If your cholesterol levels are high, the first step is to change your diet by
reducing your intake of fat, especially saturated fat. Eating the right foods,
like fresh fruit and vegetables, which contain a lot of fiber, will also help.
Moderate exercise may also help (more about this later). If the doctor tells you
that your cholesterol level is still too high, medicines may be prescribed to
help reduce your cholesterol level further.
Smoking
Smoking has been shown
to increase coronary heart disease risk two to threefold (compared with not
smoking). In addition to coronary heart disease, other diseases are linked with
smoking. These include diseases affecting blood vessels, lung cancer, and chest
conditions. If you have had a heart attack or a coronary bypass graft operation
or suffer from angina (chest pain), stopping smoking is one of the most
important things you can do for yourself.
Smoking can be hard to
give up, but help is available. Various information brochures, books, and videos
are available that suggest ways in which you can win the battle against
cigarettes.
Blood
pressure
As the blood circulates
around the body, it is under pressure. The blood pressure is a result of the
pumping action of the heart and the resistance of the vessels through which the
blood flows. When blood pressure remains high, it puts an unnecessary strain on
the heart and blood vessels. High blood pressure is a common problem that causes
few symptoms but is a major risk factor contributing to coronary heart disease.
The only way you can tell if your blood pressure is high is to have it measured
by your doctor. It will have to be measured on several occasions over a period
of time before it can be confirmed whether you have high blood pressure.
If your blood pressure is high, you can help to reduce it. Regular exercise,
weight loss, and reducing salt intake can all help to lower your blood pressure.
Some patients, however, also need drugs to lower their blood pressure.
Stress
Almost everyone at one
time or another experiences stress. The effects of stress are the result of the
hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), which is released into the blood, speeding up
the heart and increasing the blood pressure. The release of epinephrine can be
triggered by anything we are worried about at work, in o |
