Coronary Artery Disease
Heart Disease
Heart disease can take many forms. The form of heart disease I am focusing on is coronary disease. Different arteries supply different areas of the heart with oxygenated blood. If one or more of these arteries become narrowed or clogged as a result of coronary artery disease, or atherscelorosis the artery cannot fully supply the part of the heart it is responsible for. The heart is an effective pump only when good blood supply is maintained to all heart muscles.
If an artery becomes so clogged that blood cannot flow through it, the result is chest pain which could progress to a heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI). "Myocardial" is a medical term that means "having to do with the heart" or "heart muscle". "Infarct" is a medical term for tissue death. During a myocardial infarction, the portion of the heart that is supposed to get blood from the diseased artery dies. However, cardiologists are trained to recognize symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue of coronary artery disease in patients before the symptoms becomes severe. A cardiologist is often able to treat coronary disease before it causes an MI. – http://myweb.com/contents/dmk_article396168
Coronary Artery Disease
Healthy arteries are flexible, strong, and elastic. Their inner layer is smooth and blood flows freely. As you get older, your arteries become thicker, less elastic, and deposits build in them. This leads to a general hardening of the arteries, which is also called atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis is the main cause of coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis is the gradual buildup of cholesterol inside the artery. When this happens in a coronary artery, the space inside the artery where blood flows becomes narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow freely. The result is less blood flow through the artery and less blood supply to heart tissue. Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue that can be mild, or abrupt and severe, such as a heart attack. –http://www.heartpoint.com
Symptoms of Coronary Disease
More than 6 million Americans have symptoms due to coronary artery disease (CAD). As many as 1.5 million Americans will have a heart attack this year. As a result, almost one-third will die. The most dramatic symptom of...
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... LDL and total cholesterol levels.
· Eat only small amounts of sweets.
· Eat 1 to 2 servings of fish or seafood each week if you have coronary artery disease. People with coronary artery disease seem to benefit from eating fish and seafood.
· Cook with garlic. Several studies have shown that garlic reduces LDL cholesterol and lowers blood pressure.
· Eat moderate amounts of nuts that are rich in monounsaturated fat, like hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, walnuts and macadamia nuts. These nuts have been shown to improve cholesterol levels. Avoid eating nuts by the handful. Instead, garnish food with one tablespoon of chopped nuts per person.
What else can I do if I have coronary artery disease?
Besides changing your diet, you should talk to your doctor about an exercise program that's right for you. If you smoke, quit. If you're overweight, try to lose weight (changing your diet and exercising will help you lose weight). Talk with your doctor about reducing other risk factors, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. – Dr. Donnely; Cody Family Practice Center
In some studies, CAM approaches have shown potential for controlling hypertension, but more research needs to be done to show the safety and effectiveness. Some herbs and supplements show evidence of lowering blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, some nuts and vegetables, and supplements. Research shows that they can decrease triglycerides (the major form of fat stored in the body), slow the buildup of fatty deposits inside arteries, decrease the risk of abnormal heartbeats, and lower blood pressure slightly (Hirsch). Coenzyme-Q10 is produced by the body and is also available in supplements, there is good scientific evidence that coenzyme Q-10 does lower blood pressure (Hirsch). Furthermore, Garlic contains sulfur that has a positive effect on cholesterol levels, which could lower blood pressure levels. Cocoa products and dark chocolate are rich in antioxidants. A study shows that when people with high blood pressure consumed cocoa twice daily for two weeks, it improved the ability of artery walls to relax but did not lower blood pressure significantly (Hirsch). A patient who is taking alternative medicines needs to let their physician know because some herbs and supplements will interact with other medication. Relaxation techniques help relax the body and reduce stress, which could help with blood pressure.
Coronary artery disease is a heart disease characterized by narrow arteries and restricted blood flow in arteries and is the major cause of morbidity and mortality globally.[1] According to WHO estimation, 6.8% in men and 5.3% in women are affected globally.[2-4] Cardiovascular disease account for 29% of all deaths in Canada; of all the cardiovascular death, 54% and 23% was due to ischemic heart disease and heart attack, respectively. The total costs for heart disease and stroke were more than $20.9 billion every year. [5,6] With more than 1 artery impacted, multivessel coronary artery disease is more complex and more likely accompanied by other comorbidities including diabetes or high blood pressure; multivessel coronary artery disease usually is more difficult to deal with, has worse prognosis and cost more compared with single coronary artery disease. [7]
LDL or bad cholesterol comes from food that is a high source of cholesterol and/or saturated fats. Plaque forms when bad or LDL cholesterol builds up in your bloodstream and attaches to the arterial wall, as more LDL builds up the plaque becomes larger, this can become a major problem for your cardiovascular system. Because plaque is a substance that has rough edges, it reduces the elastic nature of the artery which means your heart will have to work double-time to pump the necessary blood to all your limbs, that will mean your limbs won’t get the amount of oxygen that they require to function properly. Plaque can also narrow the area blood has to pass through, this means your heart has to work overtime and overall capacity of your cardiovascular system is lowered. When the LDL cholesterol embeds itself in the wall of the artery it than damages the artery then blood pressure expands it which causes an aneurysm. When an aneurysm is too weak there is a high possibility of it bursting, when that happens it leaves the cells in and around that area without oxygen. If that artery is connected to a major vital organ the person will most likely die. When the blood flow is slowed it shows a greater risk for blood clots and although blood clots are natural and important to healing broken blood vessels, if blood clots gather inside the blood vessel this proves to be a serious health risk. The clots have the possibility to get stuck and completely cut off the blood flow to cells, leaving them without oxygen and causing them to die. If a clot gets inside a blood vessel connected to a major organ this could cause the person to die. The heart is fed by the coronary artery, if plaque or a blood clot blocks off blood flow to the heart, the heart ...
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of multifactorial chronic heart disease. It is a consequence of plaque buildup in coronary arteries. The arterial blood vessels, which begin out smooth and elastic become narrow and rigid, curtailing blood flow resulting in deprived of oxygen and nutrients to the heart [1].
Coronary heart disease is defined by the hardening of the epicardial coronary arteries. The buildup of plaque in the arteries slowly narrows the coronary artery lumen. In order to better understand the physiology of the disease, it is important to first know the basic anatomy of the human heart. The aorta, located in the superior region of the heart, branches off into two main coronary blood vessels, otherwise known as arteries. The arteries are located on the left and right side of the heart and span its surface. They subsequently branch off into smaller arteries which supply oxygen-rich blood to the entire heart (Texas Heart Institute, 2013). Therefore, the narrowing of these arteries due to plaque buildup significantly impairs blood flow throughout the heart.
Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect your heart. Diseases under the heart disease umbrella include blood vessel diseases, heart rhythm problems, and heart defects. The major cause of this is a build-up of fatty plaques in the arteries. Plaque build-up thickens and stiffens the vessel walls, which can inhibit blood flow through the arteries to organs and tissues.
Today, cardiovascular disease is “the number one killer in the United States and the developed world” (Sapolsky, 2004, p. 41). Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common form of cardiovascular disease, and is responsible for claiming an unreasonable amount of lives every year. CHD can begin to accumulate in young adults, but is prominently found in both men and women in their later adult lives. As a result of CHD, men typically experience heart attacks, whereas women present with chest pains, known as angina (Matthews, 2005).
One of the leading causes of death in the United States is heart disease. “Approximately every 29 seconds one American will have a heart attack, and once a minute one American will die from a heart attack” (Ford-Martin and Odle, 915). According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine men over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55 are considered at risk for heart disease. Heart disease is a major cause of death. It is beneficial to individuals who seek to prevent heart disease to recognize the risks leading to heart attacks as they are one of the primary indications of developing heart disease; especially those that fall into the at risk age groups. These risks consist of some that cannot be changed such as heredity risks, or those that can change such as smoking habits. It is very important to know these specific risks for prevention and to understand the symptoms of heart attacks, such as sweating or the feeling of weakness so if these or other symptoms occur people are aware. Finally heart disease treatment is of vital importance if you experience a heart attack so you can learn how to prevent another one from occurring.
Coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease affects 16.8 million people in the United States and causes more than 607,000 deaths annually (Lemone, chap.30). It is caused by atherosclerosis which is the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries causing impaired blood flow to the myocardium. CAD or coronary artery syndrome is usually without symptoms but may induce heart attack, angina and acute coronary syndrome if not properly treated. There are many risk factors associated with CAD like obesity, high cholesterol diet, hereditary, physical inactivity, just to name a few. Patients with CAD may be unable to identify and manage their risks factors. It is imperative for nurses to educate the patient about CAD and measures to enhance their health.
Replace unhealthy fats from the junk and processed foods by healthy fats (in the form of meats, egg yolks, dairy items etc).
natural whole foods are a large part of the diet. Fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts, and olive oil are the heavy hitters in protecting your heart and lowering your blood pressure. Drinking wine with meals is an old custom ... and gives even more health benefits.
The Heart is a very important organ in the body. It is what keeps your blood flowing and your organs going. It is a tireless muscle that pumps more than two thousand gallons of blood every day. The blood that is pumped is filled with nutrition and oxygen (Colombo 7). It travels through out your body in less than sixty seconds. So it needs to be taken extra good care of. When abuse is put on the body, the heart’s performance is not at its best. The Heart is a major organ that needs loving and care. Everyone has only one and by abusing it, they are cutting their live span little by little. People can live their lives freely but how they choose to live them could be the difference between life and death.
What is heart disease? Heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease. Is a disorder of the blood vessels of the heart that could eventually lead to a heart attack. Heart attacks occur when one of the arteries become blocked preventing nutrients and oxygen from reaching the heart.
Heart disease can refer to an assortment of diseases affecting the heart. A heart attack happens when a heart muscle is destroyed or hurt due to not getting enough oxygenated blood to maintain life. Different examples of Heart Disease include Cardiomyopathy, Cardiovascular Disease, Hypertension, and Ischemic Heart Disease. Pediatric Heart Information for Patients, Families, Medical Professionals – Information on different. heart conditions and diseases in children.