Coronary Heart Disease CHD
Coronary heart disease CHD is a condition in which the arteries that
supply the heart muscle with oxygen and nutrients are narrowed by fatty
deposits such as cholesterol and triglycerides Narrowing of the coronary
arteries diminishes blood supply to the heart muscle, which can lead to a
heart attack In the United States, CHD accounts for approximately 21 of
all deaths and about 50 of all cardiovascular deaths Over half of the
people who die experience no previous symptoms The following are leading
contributors to the development of CHD:
1 Physical inactivity
- Aerobic exercise has potentially the greatest impact in reducing overall
risk for cardiovascular disease
2 High blood pressure
- Blood pressure should be checked regularly regardless of whether its
elevated or not
- Ideal blood pressure is 120/80 or below
- Chronically elevated blood pressure is anything above 140/90
- Those who have elevated blood pressures are advised to engage in regular
aerobic exercise, weight control, a low-salt/low-fat and high potassium
/high-calcium diet, decreased intake of caffeine and alcohol, steps
towards smoking cessation,
and stress management
3 Excessive body fat
- In the United States, 63 of men and 55 of women are overweight and 21
of men and 27 of women are obese, which yields 97 million people who
are overweight and over 30 million who suffer from obesity
4 Low HDL-cholesterol
- High-density lipoprotein HDL, also known as good cholesterol, offers
some protection against heart disease
- HDL-cholesterol is determined genetically Women have higher levels
than men do with the female sex hormone estrogen tending to raise HDL
- Habitual aerobic exercise, weight loss, niacin, and smoking cessation
all help raise HDL-cholesterol
5 Elevated LDL-cholesterol
- Low-density lipoprotein LDL, also known as bad cholesterol, tends to
release cholesterol whereas HDL tends to take in cholesterol when coming
in contact with cholesterol-filled cells
- A desirable LDL-cholesterol level is below 130 Between 130 and 159
mg/dl is considered borderline-high and 160 and above presents a high
risk for cardiovascular disease
- LDL-cholesterol can be lowered by losing body fat, taking medication,
participating in regular aerobic exercise program, and having a diet
low
in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and fiber intake between 25 to
30 grams a day
6 Elevated triglycerides
- Triglycerides, which are fats formed by glycerol and fatty acids, speed
up the formation of plaque These fatty acids are found in poultry
skin, lunch meats, and shellfish, but are manufactured primarily in the
liver, from refined sugars, starches, and alcohol
- A high intake of alcohol and sugars raises triglyceride levels
significantly
- The level of triglycerides can be lowered by cutting down on some of the
foods mentioned along with engaging in aerobic activity
7 Diabetes
- Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose is unable to enter the
cells either because the pancreas totally stops producing insulin or
does not produce enough to meet the bodys needs
- More than 80 of people with diabetes die from cardiovascular disease
8 Abnormal electrocardiograms ECG
- Electrocardiograms ECG are a recording of the electrical activity of
the heart A stress ECG is used frequently to diagnose CHD, which
reveals the hearts tolerance to high-intensity exercise
9 Tobacco use
- Cigarette smoking is the single
largest preventable cause of illness and
premature death in the United States, responsible for 400,000 deaths a
year, with about 53,000 being non-smokers who were exposed to secondhand
smoke Secondhand smoke is ranked as the third-leading preventable
cause of the death in the United States
- Pipe and cigar smoking and chewing tobacco also increase the risk for
heart disease
10 Stress
- Those who are not able to relax place a constant low-level strain on the
cardiovascular system that could manifest itself in heart disease
- When a person is placed in a stressful situation, the coronary arteries
that feed the heart muscle constrict, reducing the oxygen supply to the
heart
11 Personal and family history of cardiovascular disease
12 Age and gender
- Age become a risk factor for men over the age of 45 and women over the
age of 55
- The greater incidence of heart disease may stem in part from lifestyle
changes as one ages
Source:gov.mb.ca
