admincomprehensive prevention and education programmes are not implemented immediately.
In partnership with WHO, the World Heart Federation organises World Heart Day on September 29 2012. Awareness events are hosted in more than 100 countries and are focused on education of what cardiovascular disease is and how it can be treated and prevented.
There are many risk factors for heart disease and stroke that include high blood pressure, cholesterol and even elevated blood sugar levels that is seen in diabetes. Other major contributing factors include physical inactivity, poor diet, obesity and smoking.
Heart attack warning signs
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense while others start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort and progress over time. Commonly a person that is experiencing a heart attack is not fully aware of what is happening and fail to get immediate medical attention.
Signs and symptoms of a heart attack may include:
l Shortness of breath or a “tight” chest sensation;
l Pain over the heart or the middle of the chest;
l Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, neck, jaw and back;
l A cold sweat, upset stomach and possible dizziness.
Stroke warning signs
A stroke is always a medical emergency. If you have any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
l Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs;
l Sudden vision changes in one or both eyes;
l Sudden difficulty walking with dizziness, loss of balance and in co-ordination;
l Sudden piercing headaches without cause.
What causes cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease is not limited to one risk factor as it is a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors such as poor diet, lack of physical exercise and smoking. This deadly condition is also associated with other conditions that are progressively getting worse such as diabetes and obesity. The more risk factors that you have, the greater the chance of developing cardiovascular disease.
Many of the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease cause problems because they affect the blood flow to the heart, brain and body. This phenomenon is called atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is the narrowing and thickening of arteries that develops for years without you even knowing it. This is one of the reasons that cardiovascular disease is known as the “silent killer”.
The hardening, narrowing and thickening of the arteries is due to the deposition of fatty material known as cholesterol to the walls of blood vessels. Inflammation in the body due to stress, poor diet and physical inactivity is the leading cause of high cholesterol.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is a natural part of the every cell in your body. Your body needs it for proper healing, brain function and nerve transmission. Your liver produces cholesterol but it is also a by-product of the food that you eat.
Stress, injuries and other aspects that negatively affect the body will produce excess cholesterol as a healing response. Many chronic or long-term health conditions will spike cholesterol levels and put you at risk for heart disease and stroke.
There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sleep and stress reduction will spike “good” cholesterol while lowering “bad” cholesterol.
What is the connection between high blood
pressure and heart disease?
Blood pressure is controlled by the flexibility and overall size of the blood vessels. Inflammation and excess cholesterol will reduce the flow of blood that will ultimately increase the pressure within the blood vessel.
When the pressure increases, your heart has to work harder to pump blood through the smaller space and wherever the blood is travelling to will suffer. Blood carries vital nutrients and oxygen to the tissues. The diminished blood flow ultimately affects the ability to heal and over time the tissue deteriorates.
How are smoking and heart disease linked?
Smoke contains chemicals that will damage the lining of the blood vessels, producing inflammation and increasing fatty deposits in the arteries. Ingredients such as nicotine will raise blood pressure, increase heart rate and reduce oxygen flow to the tissues.
Smoking is a destructive lifestyle choice that is highly addictive. It has been linked to weight gain, weight loss resistance, physical inactivity and excessive chemical stress on the body. Cardiovascular disease deaths can be greatly reduced by eliminating smoking alone.
Does diet play a part in the development
of heart disease?
We are what we eat. Every choice that we make today will impact us tomorrow. Our diet plays a significant role in the prevention or production of heart disease. Diets that are high in artificial processed fats, low in fresh vegetables and fruit, and high in alcohol are at the greatest risk of heart disease.
To help keep your blood pressure under control, and therefore lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, limit the amount of salt you consume. Up to 75 percent of the salt in the diet comes from processed foods — everything from soups to salad dressings.
It is recommended to choose foods without added salt, and preparing home-cooked meals with little or no salt. All-natural food items such as fruits, vegetables, fish and lean meats have very little salt.
Is heart disease hereditary?
Your risk of developing a heart attack goes up significantly with age. Over 80 percent of people who die of heart disease are 60 years of age or older. Men have a greater risk of developing a heart attack earlier in life. Women commonly experience a heart attack after menopause with diminished levels of estrogen.
Estrogen is known to raise “good” HDL cholesterol thus protecting a woman early in life. However, the positive effects of estrogen are negated if a woman is overweight, suffers from diabetes or has elevated cholesterol.
You may be at risk if you have a family member or parent that has developed a heart attack or stroke at an early age but genetics is no longer the primary determinant for cardiovascular disease. Learned lifestyle habits such as exercise, diet and stress management has been found to play a significant role in the development of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
Good lifestyle choices are the most important ways to prevent cardiovascular disease regardless of your age, gender or race. The good news — even if your mother or father have heart disease, you can still make personal lifestyle improvements that reduce your risk significantly. Your choices are not genetic.
Give this article to someone that you love in celebration of the World Heart Day. By working together we can reduce the devastating effects of cardiovascular disease and prevent becoming one of the statistics.
This column is directed by your questions, comments and inquiries. The health advice provided is in collaboration with the World Health Organisation’s goals of prevention, maintenance and natural treatment of disease. The advice is for educational purposes and does not necessarily reflect endorsement. Visit their websites: www.afro.who.int www.world-heart-federation.org
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