heart disease | Treatment & Resources

There are many factors that can cause heart disease and this article gives top five leading causes of heart disease. It is very important for you to know so you can avoid them and reduce the risk of suffering from heart disease.

#1 High cholesterol

High cholesterol can be extremely dangerous, and particularly it can cause atherosclerosis, or a hardening of the arteries, which sequentially can lead to blocked coronary arteries, marked by chest pain, or a heart attack. Other severe problems such as blocked arteries to the brain, for example, can result in a stroke, while blocked arteries in the legs can create pain, limping and even disability.

Cholesterol is a fatty and wax-like material that is naturally present in the human body, and your body makes use of this cholesterol to create many different hormones, such as Vitamin D and the bile acids that assist to digest fat. Even though a certain amount of cholesterol is usual, if you have too much in your bloodstream then the surplus may be dumped in the arteries of the heart, which in turn can lead to heart disease.

#2 Diabetes

Some people believe that they need to have been born with diabetes for it to be a factor; but in fact, a person can get type two diabetes. Type two diabetes usually comes about when a person is very much overweight, particularly because of their diet. Too many people have a fondness for junk food, and junk food has a hefty amount of sugar in it. Eating too much sugar not only makes considerable weight increase, it also increases the level of sugar in the blood, which results in type two diabetes.

For people that have type two diabetes owing to years of eating junk food, heart disease is the next thing that typically happens. The fat from this food is absorbed into the blood flow, and over time the fatty substances build up in the arteries. Some people end up with arteries that are so blocked that they need bypass surgery.

So, how can you keep away from getting diabetes and heart disease? First of all, the thing that you should do is ensure you eat the right food, food that is low in sugar and cholesterol. Also, be sure that you keep active, even if it is just taking a walk. Really, it is all about self-control, so if you choose to eat healthy now, you can have a healthier future.

#3 Hypertension or high blood pressure

Hypertensive heart disease is on the whole a more serious and dangerous form of heart disease and it is normally caused by uncontrolled and extended elevation of blood pressure, as this can lead to various changes in the myocardial structure, coronary vasculature, and conduction system of the heart.

Heart failure is a common complication of hypertensive heart disease, and it is often unrecognized, partly because of how at the time that heart failure develops, the dysfunction heart is unable to create the high blood pressure, which results in obscuring the etiology of the heart failure.

#4 Smoking

The carcinogens found in cigarettes are part of the relationship between smoking and heart disease. These substances that are in the cigarette are absorbed into the blood stream. As a result, the blood becomes contaminated. As this blood is pumped through the heart, the nicotine from the cigarettes also develops in the blood stream. As an outcome, the blood becomes thick, which can create clotting. Also, the nicotine will develop in the valves leading to the heart, which increases the risk of heart attack.

There are many ways that you can do to quit smoking and thus prevent heart disease. Consult with your doctor for these treatment methods. You are certain to discover a method that works for you, a method that could save your life as well as your health.

#5 Stress

There are two types of stress: physical stress and emotional stress. The physical stress places quantifiable and reproducible demands on the heart, and it is this physical stress which is usually accredited as being good and in fact, the lack of physical stress is what considered as being a major risk factor for heart disease.

Then there is the relationship between emotional stress and heart disease, and this is considered as being the more monumental relationship, as emotional stress is normally the type of stress that people are chatting about when they are referring to stress causing heart disease. If emotional stress is severe enough it can be extremely harmful, not only in regards to heart disease but to other diseases and illnesses as well.

The main factor that stress is so likely to cause heart disease is because the rush in adrenaline that is caused by severe emotional stress results in causing the blood to thicken more readily, thus significantly increasing the risk of heart attacks and other coronary problems.