Incidence of Heart diseases in women is rising due to changing lifestyle of new age women and stress at both home and office. Smoking is the major preventable risk factor for heart diseases in women. The underlining mechanism is: (narrowing of blood vessels/Atherosclerosis) Decrease (shrinking) in the size of coronary arteries (vessels supplying blood to the heart), thereby free flowing of the blood is affected. There is more amount of fat accumulation inside the walls of the blood vessels. The more decrease in the size of the vessels, the earlier is the heart attack. Causative factors: 1. Age: Women of above 65 years of age are more prone to heart attacks. 2. Smoking: One of the main culprits and the dangerous factor. Nicotine in the tobacco makes the vessels to shrink in the size and decrease in inner capacity volume. 3. Excessive in taking of more fatty food materials like, non vegetarian diet, ghee, Fried foods, readymade junk foods, etc. 4. Diabetes: When it is not under control. 5. Sedentary life: Lack of exercise is more common in the present day modern life. 6. Race and genetic factors. Some of the above factors can be avoided, like Smoking, fatty foods intake, sedentary life, diabetes, etc. Age, genetic race factors are beyond our capacity to control them. Avoid the following risk factors, there by, the individual can be saved from heart attacks: 1. Stop smoking: In the first year itself, the risk is decreased by 50%. After 5 years of stopping of smoking, your health condition is just like the health status of “Non smokers”. 2. Avoid fatty foods: Instead take fresh fruits, vegetables and fish without frying with oil. Take fewer amounts of snacks. 3. Body weight should be under control: The BMI (Body mass index) should be between -18.5 to 24.9. The weight measurement should be 35 inches or less. 4. Avoid anxiety, stress and strain: By keeping them under control, the risk of heart attacks is decreased by 70%. 5. High B.P and Diabetes: Women having them may prone to heart attacks 3-7 times more. So it is well and good to keep them under control by following appropriate food habits, doing regular exercise and taking drugs regularly. The signs and symptoms of heart diseases: 1. Pain or weight in the chest, and it gradually extends to upper limbs, neck, to the facial bones containing the teeth, breathing becomes difficult, tiredness and sleeplessness (especially in women). Tests to be done: (if necessary) Stress test, CT scan, Angiogram, Cardiac MRI, etc. Management of the cases in women: 1. Balloon angioplasty or Stunting2. By- pass grafting. We can prevent more than 50% of heart diseases by changing our lifestyle and through regular screening. … [Read more...]
How to prevent heart diseases?
Human heart is of the size of a man’s fist. Even though it is of such a small size, its performance is of the size of a mountain. World Heart Day is observed on -24th September, every year. Throughout the world, 57 million people are dying due to various causes, in a year. Out of which 17 million people are dying due to the diseases of the heart only. It is estimated by World health organisation that by 2010 more number of deaths might be due to diseases of heart and blood vessels. But most of these deaths are preventable. Main causes for these deaths: 1. High blood pressure 2. Atherosclerosis (high cholesterol levels in the blood) 3. Diabetes (especially affecting more people in developing countries). 4. Obesity due to bad food habits and lack of exercise. 5. Tobacco smoking: Raises the bad cholesterol level (LDL) in the blood (in low fat persons) which is not good for heart. 6. Stress and strain: More common in modern speedy life, as hurry makes worry. Signs and symptoms: If any of the following symptoms are noticed, one has to consult the physician for further treatment of the case. 1. Pain in the chest and also some discomfort in the middle of the chest2. Feeling of tightness or keeping weight on the chest3. Breathing becomes difficult4. Dyspnoea and sweating all over the body. How to protect your Heart? 1. Get rid of that bat habit of tobacco smoking. 2. Walk for ½ an hour daily (as brisk walking is the best exercise) 3. Blood pressure and Diabetes should be under control. 4. Avoid tension (stress and strain), and try to be with laughing face always (as laughter is the best medicine), 5. Take balanced diet always (as quality is main than quantity, that slogan holds good anywhere and every where). 6. Have positive thinking mentality (as hope is life). 7. Belief in GOD gives you mental peace (as sincere faith moves mountains). Hence keeping the heart in healthy condition is in your hands only. Remember this slogan always: Health is Wealth, (and every other thing is secondary to Health). … [Read more...]
World No Tobacco Day – May 31
World No Tobacco Day aims to encourage countries and governments to work toward strict regulation of tobacco products. According to World health organization (WHO), Tobacco is responsible for the death of 1 in 10 adults worldwide. Tobacco is responsible for 5 million deaths worldwide. WHO urged all governments to ban smoking in public places. Women and children are worst sufferers due to passive smoking. China is the worst sufferer where more than 1 lakh people are dying each year due to second hand smoking. Leading causes of death according to WHO: 1. Heart diseases, 2. Tobacco use. Tobacco use in any form can produce number of diseases in the body. Out of them, 70% are diseases of Respiratory system. The most important disease is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and the second important disease is Lung Cancer. Tobacco mainly contains –Nicotine, Tar, Carbon Monoxide and 4000 different types of different harmful cancer producing chemicals. When a person smokes tobacco, the harmful chemicals enter into the respiratory tract damages the inner mucous layer and produce other poisonous substances. The cilia (thread –like small structures) immediately come into action and move vigorously to all sides, trying to remove the harmful products. But after some time the cilia become weak and cannot send out these pollutants from the respiratory system and in turn, the harmful products remain there and begin to damage the respiratory system and infect the organs causing diseases. Diseases due to Tobacco use: 1. Pneumonia 2. Bronchitis 3Tuberculosis 4. Emphysema 5. Lung Cancer. Signs and Symptoms of Lung Diseases: 1. Tightness in the chest 2. Pain in the chest during inhalation 3. Cough and wheezing. 4. Breathlessness 5. Loss of appetite and weight loss, 6. Sleeplessness, tiredness and shivering of the body (mainly due to accumulation of Nicotine in the blood). 7. If the person is already suffering from Asthma, smoking aggravates it severely. 70% of the smokers want to get rid of this bad habit, but only 3% are able to put a full stop to it. How to get rid of this bad habit: 1. Doctor’s moivation is essential.2. Support from family members and friends is also plays a prominent role. 3. Behavior therapy with psychologists. 4. Constipation problem may be there after stopping smoking, but this will be solved with drugs. 5. De- Addiction Therapy the desire of smoking is gradually decreased. The drugs have to be taken under the supervision of a physician. Many individuals might stop the smoking with the above methods, but some may start to smoke again, so the persons should be watched by their relatives for some more time and also they should be kept away from the smokers’ circle. It is good to consult the doctor for every three months. Smoking should not be stopped all of a sudden, because of nicotine effect on the body. If stopped suddenly, the person gets angry even for small causes and develops vomiting, diarrhea, pains all over the body, shivering, loss of concentration and tiredness. So smoking should be stopped gradually. Why they smoke? Brain is activated and there is a sense of happiness develops in the mind of a smoker, due to the presence of Nicotine in the tobacco. Our body naturally produces some amount of Nicotine along with other chemicals. The normal function of Nicotine is to control the emotions that arise in the brain (mind) and gives joyfulness even in the depressed mind (man).The body produces only the required amount of Nicotine, for its normal physiological function, and not excess any more. More over hormones like-Adrenaline and neurotransmitters like Acetyl choline control the production of Nicotine; otherwise the excess production will endanger the life of a person. Here the Nicotine in the tobacco mixes with the already present natural Nicotine in the body and causes the harmful effects in the individual. Now, … [Read more...]
Coronary heart disease – Risk Factors, Symptoms and Prevention
Heart disease is a broad term that includes several more specific heart conditions. The most common condition is coronary heart disease (CHD), which occurs, when the coronary arteries, that supply blood to the heart muscle, become hardened and narrowed due to the plaque build- up. Plaques are a mixture of fatty substances including cholesterol and other lipids. Blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart can be reduced or even fully blocked with a growing plaque. What happens in CHD? In some people, the first sign of CHD is heart attack. A person is likely to experience one of the below or all symptoms or signs: 1. Chest discomfort in the form of pain, or uneasiness or tightness or fullness. 2. Shortness of breath. 3. Discomfort in the other areas of the upper body, which include pain in one or both the arms, the back, the neck, the jaw area or in the stomach. 4. Cold sweating 5. Feeling nausea 6. Light-headedness The risk factors for CHD are: 1. High blood pressure 2. Obesity 3. High blood cholesterol levels 4. Alcohol. 5. Tobacco smoking 6. High fat diet 7. Physical inactivity. 8. Stress and strain. Prevention of Coronary heart Disease: 1. Control of cholesterol levels. 2. be physically active 3. Keeping blood sugars under control 4. Diet control 5. Avoid-alcohol, smoking and tobacco use in any other form. 6. Meditation to avoid stress and strain. Bypass surgery: when should be done? It is reported that out of 5 deaths that are occurring daily one is due to heart attack( which is also known as Myocardial infarction). This heart disease is treated either by, Angioplasty or Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and supply to heart is restored. Indications for bypass surgery: 1. When treatment with medicines is not possible, 2. When main coronary artery (which supply blood to heart) on the left side is closed 70% or more. 3. In chronic diabetic patients (for them Angioplasty is not suitable), 4. In those patients, where there is block in the three coronary arteries. Method: Now the latest procedure is “Minimally Invasive Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting”. In this method there is no necessity to open the heart and with the help of one or two openings operation will be done. It is possible only when there is one block only. But when there are two or more blocks in the arteries, surgeons will do operation in the conventional method by opening the heart. There is no guarantee that heart attack will not reoccur later on once the bypass operation is performed, hence the patient should take the following precautions. Patient should take the drugs regularly and should undergo periodical checkups. He should not carry heavy loads. He/she should avoid constipation and situations that cause stress and strain and also other factors that cause heart attacks. Walking is the best form of exercise. 30-45 minutes of walking is enough. Avoid non- vegetarian food like mutton etc also it is good to take less amount of fats in the diet, Yoga and meditation are good to do but no sexual activity at least for two months after the surgery. If the patient follows the above precautions scrupulously, life span will be prolonged minimum for 10-15 years. … [Read more...]
Best diet for healthy heart
The major triggers of heart diseases are obesity and hypertension. Heart attack signs and symptoms: 1. Chest discomfort: You can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.2. Pain or discomfort in the arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. 3. Shortness of breath 4. Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. Cardiac arrest signs and symptoms: 1. Sudden loss of responsiveness. No response to gentle shaking.2. Blood pressure and pulse rate drop3. No signs of circulation. 4. No movement or coughing. Dietary control is the first step and perhaps the best approach to a “healthy heart” and change a life style can reduce risk of heart disease significantly. Diet recommendations for a healthy heart: 1. A well-balanced diet like plenty of fiber, fresh fruits (apple etc) and vegetables can save arteries and prevent heart diseases. Foods rich in the antioxidants like beta –carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium that fight free radicals. Foods like tomatoes, sprouts, raw nuts (except peanuts), garlic etc help to reduce serum cholesterol levels. 2. Avoid foods like coffee, tobacco, alcohol, sugar, butter, red meat, hydrogenated oils, fried fruits, soft drinks, and white flour products etc as they damage the arteries and cause heart attack. 3. Consume no more than 20 to 22% of daily calories from fat per day. 4. Life style modifications: Modify some of those important risk factors which predispose you to develop angina and ultimately leading to heart attack. 5. Smoking: Smokers carry a 3-6 times greater risk of developing heart attack than non smokers. Smoking causes injury to the walls of the arteries and increases cholesterol level and other substance which gradually narrowly the arteries. 6. Obesity: Obese people have excess of harmful cholesterol. Fat deposits causing body weight to be more than 20% normal weight constitutes obesity. Obesity places a strain on the heart. 7. Alcohol: Regular intake of more than moderate quantity of alcohol leads to hypertriglyceridemia which in turn raises bad cholesterol and lead to the increase in abdominal weight. 8. High Blood Pressure: Increase in blood pressure can damage the delicate inner lining of the arteries and allow excess cholesterol to creep into walls of the arteries and cause narrowing of blood vessels. 9. Exercise and Stress: Regular exercise reduces blood cholesterol levels and slows down the process of atherosclerosis and decreases the body weight. It also promotes mental relaxation and reduces strain and stress. Future stress on cardiac diseases is not about treatment but prevention through healthy diet, regular exercise and disciplined lifestyle. … [Read more...]
Heart attack – Signs, Symptoms and prevention
Heart attack means death of heart muscle due to loss of blood supply to that heart part mainly due to obstruction in the blood vessel. One million americans are suffered by heart attack every year. Coronart heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in america. Heart attack control is of two types: 1. Possible Control methods: Possible for persons. -Smoking, High blood pressure, High cholesterol level in the blood, Sedentary life style, Irregular and uncontrolled diet habits. 2. Beyond our control: Difficult to avoid. - Males, Age beyond 60 yearsand hereditary. The main cause of obstruction for the free flow of heart is Atherosclerosis – in which fat particles get accumulated in the blood vessels. It takes long time for it to become severe. How to prevent Heart Attacks: Reduce body weight to optimal lavel. Exercise for at least 45 minutes daily. Control your blood pressure and sugar levels. Take fat free diet at regular intervals. Meditate and keep calm under stresful conditions. Checkup your body annually. If Atherosclerosis affects blood vessels, the signs and symptoms of heart disease develop. If the inner gap in the coronary blood vessels is decreased to 30% of the normal size, there is a big obstruction to the blood circulation. It gradually leads to heart attack. Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease:1. Angina – Pain develops in the chest after exercise and subsides at rest. It occurs in the middle of the heart. It is “Constricting” type. Patient feels heaviness in the chest and somebody bends on their chest and feels as if the chest is breaking away and cries bigger. Pain may radiate to back, checks and left arm. 2. Dyspnoea - Difficulty in breathing. 3. Patient becomes pale with severe sweating in the body. 4. If the above signs may not appear, we may call it as a “Silent heart Attack”. Remember: First 30 minutes are very essential. First 6 hours are crucial. As time progresses, Heart muscle gradually necroses (dies) and irrecoverable. Relatives of cardiac patients should learn about Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Aspirin and Sorbitrate drugs are life savers in this crucial period. Take them immediately after you feel pain. To prevent heart attacks, daily exercises and control in dietary habits are must for every one. If we can reduce the level of Cholesterol by 1%, the danger of occurring of heart attack becomes less by 2%. Every one should check their cholesterol levels annually after 40 years. Type A mentality persons (Highly ambitious people) are at risk for heart attack. Best Diagnostic test to find blocks in the blood vessels is Cardiac CT. It will show blocks in some patients, even though their ECG and ECHO are normal. Please share your experiences. … [Read more...]
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