Save Your Heart!

























Our heart functions as a muscular pump.It pumps blood to all the organs in our body.For the heart to function it needs its own blood supply.It derives its blood supply from the coronary arteries.When the blood cholesterol level is high it forms plaques in the arteries,including the coronary arteries.This leads to Coronary Artery Disease.

Coronary Artery Disease is a chronic,progressive disease.It can be categorised into 3 stages:-

1.atherosclerosis
2.angina pectoris
3.myocardial infarction

There are many risk factors for coronary artery disease.Some of the risk factors can be controlled.The risk factors are:-
Age
Sex
Smoking
Obesity
Family history of CAD
Hypertension
Diabetes mellitus
A class personality
Increased blood cholesterol
Increased blood apolipoprtein B
Increased blood homocystein

Age
Atherosclerosis disease process starts when we are at about 6 years of age.In the coronary arteries it gradually progresses to angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. So as we grow older the chances of getting coronary artery disease becomes greater
When we are young, the harmful free radicalsin our body are easily destroyed by the enzyme antioxidantsfound in our body.As we grow older,the levels of these enzymes(eg.glutathione peroxidase,catalase ) in our body declines!The free radicals get the upper hand.

Sex
Among those below 45 years,males are more proned to CAD compared to females.However among those above 45 years,there is not much of a differance among the sexes.This is because of the protective effect of the female hormone,estrogen.When the fairer sex attain menopause the estrogen level decreases and they are proned to CAD like the males. Doctors sometimes prescribe hormonal replacement therapy to prevent CAD if blood cholesterol levels go beyond uncontrollable levels in post menopausal women.

Smoking
When one inhales the cigarette smoke one is inhaling plenty of free radicals.Smoking also constricts the blood vessels.It also raises the blood LDL cholesterol!

Obesity
Atherosclerosis is not independently associated with obesity.Weight reduction is important in the reduction of both triglycerides& cholesterol and glucose intolerance(diabetes)It is an undesirable hazard to cardivascular functions.You can compare your weight with the ideal weight chart. If one is overweight the heart is overworked!

Family history of CAD
Increased blood cholesterol level,diabetes and hypertension are all familial.There are families with excessive premature atherosclerosis in which none of the known risk factors appears to be operating.


Diabetes
There is at least twofold increase in myocardial infarction in diabetics compared with non diabetics.

Hypertension
The incidence of CAD among hypertensives is five times greater than in normotensive people.Hypertensives tend to have thicker tunica media(middle layer of artery).With plaques in tunica intima and thickened tunica media, the lumen of the coronary artery gets occluded earlier!

A class Personality
Emotional stress and anxiety are associated with precipitation of overt CAD and sudden death. Mental stress,worries,tension,anger,stressful working conditions are said to release a lot of free radicals in the body.You must learn to avoid stressful life situations.

Increased Blood Cholesterol Level

Please click here to know more about cholesterol

Increased Blood Homocysteine Level

Please click here to know more about tha amino acid,Homocysteine!