You are on page 1of 12

Various causes and risk factor associated with heart disease You might be headed down the road

to either your first heart attack, or possibly your second or third, then you are very much willing to know the various causes of the heart diseases. So, what the number one cause for heart disease actually is? And the truth is no singular cause is responsible for heart diseases, several risk factors that you really need to be aware of, if you are to have any chance of beating the odds. Heart disease may come in any form like high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, rheumatic fever rheumatic heart disease or valvular heart disease, to name but a few. Here are the various common reasons of heart diseases, have a look! High cholesterol! "holesterol is considered as a ma#or cause of heart disease and if you dont recogni$e it as a common cause of heart disease, then you must have been in a comma for the last %& years or so, and ' would like to take this opportunity to welcome you back to the real world. "holesterol is always being produced by liver to supply the body with its essential needs. (hen the production is more than enough, then it is deposited in the arteries, including those in the heart. )inally it will leads to leads to a narrowing of the arteries, heart disease, as well as other conditions. Smoking! Smoking always promotes atherosclerosis and increases the levels of blood clotting factors, such as fibrinogen. *he dangerous chemicals used in the production of cigarettes that facilitate the buildup of arterial deposits, as a result of which it leads to severe heart complications. Hence smokers be aware+++ ,iet! "ertainly diet has a vast role in promoting the heart disease. 'f your diet is enriched with high saturated fat and cholesterol and high sodium, then you are more prone towards the heart disease. -besity! -besity directly linked to high bad cholesterol levels and other blood fats, reduces

the number of helpful H,. molecules, and increases the risks of diabetes. Stress! 't always poses a high threat in promoting the heart diseases. Always try to be happy and active. .ifestyle! 't has a high contribution towards the risk of heart disease. Hence it is highly recommended to start eating more fruits, vegetables and to have regular e/ercise. 'n addition to this, there are also several contributing risk factor associated with the heart disease. *hese are Se/ hormone, birth control pill, diabetes sufferer and lack of mobility. 'n fact there is no real agreement on the list of determinants. 0ust try to follow the above steps and ensure a secured and heart disease free life. Various heart disease and its Symptoms 'n todays date after cancer if any disease poses a threat to human being, then it is heart diseases. 1ore than 234 population of the whole globe is affected by heart diseases. 'n fat its a very broad term, it is a very simple e/ercise to give a glimpse of various type of heart diseases. '. "auses of Heart ,iseases *here are numerous reasons for heart disease, out of which one is High levels of bad cholesterol 5.,.6 build up in the arteries as a result of uncontrolled diet with high levels of saturated fat and trans fat. *he deposited fat causes an arterial blockage or anything that serves to damage the inner lining of blood vessels and impedes the transportation of o/ygen and nutrition to the heart can be defined as a risk of heart disease. %6 Symptoms! .eg cramps during walking! .eg cramps during walking are the common associated with every heart disease and it is advised to take lot of water. *he leg pain appear due to cramps during walking might be an indication of heart disease caused by arteries in your leg being clogged up by cholesterol in result of not enough o/ygen being delivered to the cells in your leg. "hest pain! *his common symptom appears due to

blood vessels in the heart temporarily being blocked up. 'n fact inade7uate o/ygen supply to the heart muscle or coronary is also another reason of the symptom. Shortness of breath! *his measure symptom appears due to left ventricular insufficiency and people feel restless ness. ,i$$iness! *his symptom appears due to low blood count, low iron in the blood stream and other blood disorders, dehydration, and viral illnesses. So it is advised to concern a doctor whenever you are having such syndrome. .oss of consciousness! this is the most common symptoms of every heart patients. However sometimes this condition indicates a dangerous or even life8threatening condition such as heart disease so when loss of consciousness occurs it is important to figure out the cause. *ypes! "ongestive heart failure! *his condition appear when the heart does not pump as much blood as it should and so the body does not get as much blood and o/ygen that it needs. 'n todays date a ma#or population are facing this problem. 9ulmonary heart disease! *his form of disease appears due to an enlarged right ventricle where the blood flowing into the lungs is slowed or blocked causing increased lung pressure. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy! *his disease is characteri$ed with shortness of breath, di$$iness, fainting and angina pectoris. Angina 9ectoris! :asically there are two types of angina pectoris, i.e stable and unstable. However in both the case it is characteri$ed by a stabbing type of pain in the chest. *he list of heart disease is endless; to keep you update keep visiting this place.

1yocardial infarction 51' 6 or acute myocardial infarction 5A1'6, is the medical term for an event commonly known as a heart attack. 't happens when blood stops flowing properly to part of the heart and the heart muscle is

in#ured due to not enough o/ygen. <sually this is because one of the coronary arteries that supplies blood to the heart develops a blockage due to an unstable buildup of white blood cells , cholesterol and fat . *he event is called =acute= if it is sudden and serious. A person having an acute myocardial infarction usually has sudden chest pain that is felt behind the breast bone and sometimes travels to the left arm or the left side of the neck. Additionally, the person may have shortness of breath , sweating , nausea, vomiting , abnormal heartbeats , and an/iety . *he an/iety is often described as a =sense of impending doom.= >?@ (omen e/perience fewer of these symptoms than men, but usually have shortness of breath, weakness, a feeling of indigestion, and fatigue . >%@ 'n many cases, in some estimates as high as AB percent, the person does not have chest pain or other symptoms. >C@ *hese are called =silent= myocardial infarctions. 'mportant risk factors are previous cardiovascular disease, old age, tobacco smoking , high blood levels of certain lipids 5low8density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides6 and low levels of high density lipoprotein 5H,.6 cholesterol, diabetes , high blood pressure , lack of physical activity, obesity , chronic kidney disease, e/cessive alcohol consumption , the use of illicit drugs 5such as cocaine and amphetamines6, and chronic high stress levels. >B@>3@>A@ *he two main ways to determine if a person has had a myocardial infarction are electrocardiograms 5D"Es6 that trace the electrical signals in the heart and testing the blood for substances associated with damage to the heart muscle. "ommon blood tests are creatine kinase 5"F8 1:6 and troponin . D"E testing is used to differentiate between two types of myocardial infarctions based on the shape of the tracing. (hen the S* section of the tracing is higher than the baseline it is called an S*8elevation myocardial infarction 5S*D1'6 which usually

re7uires more aggressive treatment. 'mmediate treatments for a suspected myocardial infarction include aspirin, which prevents further blood from clotting, and sometimes nitroglycerin to treat chest pain and o/ygen . >2@ S*D1' is treated by restoring circulation to the heart, called reperfusion therapy, and typical methods are angioplasty , where the arteries are pushed open, and thrombolysis, where the blockage is removed using medications. >G@ Hon8S* elevation myocardial infarction 5HS*D1'6 may be managed with medication, although angioplasty may be re7uired if the person is considered to be at high risk. >I@ 9eople who have multiple blockages of their coronary arteries, particularly if they also have diabetes , may also be treated with bypass surgery 5"A:E6. >?&@>??@ 'schemic heart disease, which includes myocardial infarction, angina and heart failure when it happens after myocardial infarction, was the leading cause of death for both men and women worldwide in %&??. >?%@>?C@ "lassification *here are two basic types of acute myocardial infarction based on pathology! *ransmural! associated with atherosclerosis involving a ma#or coronary artery. 't can be subclassified into anterior, posterior, inferior, lateral or septal. *ransmural infarcts e/tend through the whole thickness of the heart muscle and are usually a result of complete occlusion of the areaJs blood supply. >?B@ 'n addition, on D"E, S* elevation and K waves are seen. Subendocardial! involving a small area in the subendocardial wall of the left ventricle, ventricular septum, or papillary muscles. *he subendocardial area is particularly susceptible to ischemia. >?B@ 'n addition, S* depression is seen on D"E. 'n the clinical conte/t, a myocardial infarction can be further subclassified into a S* elevation 1' 5S*D1'6 versus a non8S* elevation 1' 5non8

S*D1'6 based on D"E changes. >?3@ *he phrase heart attack is sometimes used incorrectly to describe sudden cardiac death , which may or may not be the result of acute myocardial infarction. A heart attack is different from, but can be the cause of cardiac arrest , which is the stopping of the heartbeat, and cardiac arrhythmia , an abnormal heartbeat. 't is also distinct from heart failure , in which the pumping action of the heart is impaired; however severe myocardial infarction may lead to heart failure. >?&@ A %&&2 consensus document classifies myocardial infarction into five main types! >?A@ *ype ? Spontaneous myocardial infarction related to ischemia due to a primary coronary event such as pla7ue erosion and or rupture, fissuring, or dissection *ype % 1yocardial infarction secondary to ischemia due to either increased o/ygen demand or decreased supply, e.g. coronary artery spasm, coronary embolism, anaemia, arrhythmias, hypertension, or hypotension *ype C Sudden une/pected cardiac death, including cardiac arrest, often with symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischaemia, accompanied by new S* elevation, or new .:::, or evidence of fresh thrombus in a coronary artery by angiography and or at autopsy, but death occurring before blood samples could be obtained, or at a time before the appearance of cardiac biomarkers in the blood *ype B Associated with coronary angioplasty or stents! *ype Ba 1yocardial infarction associated with 9"' *ype Bb 1yocardial infarction associated with stent thrombosis as documented by angiography or at autopsy *ype 3 1yocardial infarction associated with "A:E sign and symptoms *he onset of symptoms in myocardial infarction

51'6 is usually gradual, over several minutes, and rarely instantaneous. >?2@ "hest pain is the most common symptom of acute myocardial infarction and is often described as a sensation of tightness, pressure, or s7uee$ing. "hest pain due to ischemia 5a lack of blood and hence o/ygen supply6 of the heart muscle is termed angina pectoris . 9ain radiates most often to the left arm , but may also radiate to the lower #aw , neck , right arm, back, and epigastrium, >?&@>?G@ where it may mimic heartburn. .evineJs sign , in which the patient locali$es the chest pain by clenching their fist over the sternum , has classically been thought to be predictive of cardiac chest pain, although a prospective observational study showed that it had a poor positive predictive value. >?I@ Shortness of breath 5dyspnea6 occurs when the damage to the heart limits the output of the left ventricle , causing left ventricular failure and conse7uent pulmonary edema . -ther symptoms include diaphoresis 5an e/cessive form of sweating 6, >?@ weakness, light8 headedness, nausea, vomiting , and palpitations. *hese symptoms are likely induced by a massive surge of catecholamines from the sympathetic nervous system >%&@ which occurs in response to pain and the hemodynamic abnormalities that result from cardiac dysfunction. .oss of consciousness 5due to inade7uate cerebral perfusion and cardiogenic shock6 and sudden death 5fre7uently due to the development of ventricular fibrillation6 can occur in myocardial infarctions. >?&@ )emale, elderly, and diabetic patients report atypical symptoms more fre7uently than their male and younger counterparts. >%?@>%%@ (omen also report more numerous symptoms compared with men 5%.A on average vs ?.G symptoms in men6. >%?@ *he most common symptoms of 1' in women include dyspnea 5shortness of breath6, weakness, and fatigue . )atigue, sleep disturbances, and dyspnea have

been reported as fre7uently occurring symptoms that may manifest as long as one month before the actual clinically manifested ischemic event. 'n women, chest pain may be less predictive of coronary ischemia than in men. >%C@ (omen may also e/perience back or #aw pain during an episode. >%B@ At least one8fourth of all myocardial infarctions are silent, without chest pain or other symptoms. >C@>%3@ *hese cases can be discovered later on electrocardiograms, using blood en$yme tests or at autopsy without a prior history of related complaints. Dstimates of the prevalence of silent myocardial infarctions vary between %% and AB4. >C@ A silent course is more common in the elderly , >C@ in patients with diabetes mellitus >%A@ and after heart transplantation, probably because the donor heart is not fully innervated by the nervous system of the recipient. >%2@ 'n people with diabetes, differences in pain threshold , autonomic neuropathy , and psychological factors have been cited as possible e/planations for the lack of symptoms. >%A@ Any group of symptoms compatible with a sudden interruption of the blood flow to the heart are called an acute coronary syndrome . >%G@ *he differential diagnosis includes other catastrophic causes of chest pain, such as pulmonary embolism , aortic dissection , pericardial effusion causing cardiac tamponade , tension pneumothora/ , and esophageal rupture. -ther non8catastrophic differentials include gastroesophageal reflu/ and *iet$eJs syndrome . >%I@ causes Heart attack rates are higher in association with intense e/ertion, be it psychological stress or physical e/ertion, especially if the e/ertion is more intense than the individual usually performs. >citation needed@ *he period

of intense e/ercise and subse7uent recovery is associated with about a A8fold higher myocardial infarction rate 5compared with other more rela/ed time frames6 for people who are very physically fit. >citation needed@ )or those in poor physical condition, the rate differential is over C38fold higher. >citation needed@ -ne observed mechanism for this phenomenon is increased pulse pressure , which increases stretching of the arterial walls. >citation needed@ *his stretching results in significant shear stress on atheromas , which results in debris breaking loose from these deposits. >citation needed@ *his debris floats through the blood vessels, eventually clogging the ma#or coronary arteries. >citation needed@ Acute severe infection, such as pneumonia , can trigger myocardial infarction. A more controversial link is that between "hlamydophila pneumoniae infection and atherosclerosis . >C&@ (hile this intracellular organism has been demonstrated in atherosclerotic pla7ues, evidence is inconclusive as to whether it can be considered a causative factor. >C&@ *reatment with antibiotics in patients with proven atherosclerosis has not demonstrated a decreased risk of heart attacks or other coronary vascular diseases. >C?@ *here is an association of an increased incidence of a heart attack in the morning hours, more specifically around I a.m. >C%@>CC@ >CB@ Some investigators have noticed that the ability of platelets to aggregate varies according to a circadian rhythm, although they have not proven causation. >C3@ Lisk factors 1yocardial infarction results from atherosclerosis . >?&@ Smoking appears to be the cause of about CA4 of coronary artery disease and obesity %&4. >CA@ .ack of e/ercise has been linked to 28?%4 of cases. >CA@>C2@ 0ob stress appear to play a minor role accounting for

about C4 of cases. >CA@ Lisk factors for myocardial infarction include! Age >B@ Se/! At any given age men are more at risk than women, particularly before menopause , >CG@ but because in general women live longer than men ischemic heart disease causes slightly more total deaths in women. >B@ ,iabetes mellitus 5type ? or %6>CI@ High blood pressure >B&@ ,yslipidemia hypercholesterolemia 5abnormal levels of lipoproteins in the blood6, particularly high low8density lipoprotein, low high8density lipoprotein and high triglycerides>B&@ *obacco smoking , including secondhand smoke >B&@ Short term e/posure to air pollution including! carbon mono/ide , nitrogen dio/ide , and sulfur dio/ide but not the o$one . >B?@ )amily history of ischaemic heart disease or myocardial infarction particularly if one has a first8degree relative 5father, brother, mother, sister6 who suffered a JprematureJ myocardial infarction 5defined as occurring at or younger than age 33 years 5men6 or A3 5women6. >B@ -besity >B%@ 5defined by a body mass inde/ of more than C& kg mM, or alternatively by waist circumference or waist8hip ratio 6. .ack of physical activity. >B@ 9sychosocial factors including, low socio8 economic status, social isolation, negative emotions and stress increase the risk of myocardial infarction and are associated with worse outcomes after myocardial infarction. Socioeconomic factors such as a shorter education and lower income 5particularly in women6, and unmarried cohabitation are also correlated with a higher risk of 1'. >BC@ Alcohol Studies show that prolonged e/posure to high 7uantities of alcohol can increase the risk of heart attack. -ral contraceptive pill women who use combined oral contraceptive pills have a

modestly increased risk of myocardial infarction, especially in the presence of other risk factors, such as smoking. >BB@ Hyperhomocysteinemia 5high homocysteine 6 in homocysteinuria is associated with premature atherosclerosis, >B3@ whether elevated homocysteine in the normal range is causal is contentious. >BA@ 'nflammation is known to be an important step in the process of atherosclerotic pla7ue formation. >B2@ "8reactive protein 5"L96 is a sensitive but non8specific marker for inflammation . Dlevated "L9 blood levels, especially measured with high8sensitivity assays, can predict the risk of 1', as well as stroke and development of diabetes. >B2@ 1oreover, some drugs for 1' might also reduce "L9 levels. >B2@ *he use of high8sensitivity "L9 assays as a means of screening the general population is advised against, but it may be used optionally at the physicianJs discretion in patients who already present with other risk factors or known coronary artery disease. >BG@ (hether "L9 plays a direct role in atherosclerosis remains uncertain. >B2@ 'nflammation in periodontal disease may be linked to coronary heart disease, and, since periodontitis is very common, this could have great conse7uences for public health . >BI@ Serological studies measuring antibody levels against typical periodontitis8causing bacteria found that such antibodies were more present in sub#ects with coronary heart disease. >3&@ 9eriodontitis tends to increase blood levels of "L9, fibrinogen and cytokines ; >3?@ thus, periodontitis may mediate its effect on 1' risk via other risk factors. >3%@ 9reclinical research suggests that periodontal bacteria can promote aggregation of platelets and promote the formation of foam cells . >3C@>3B@ A role for specific periodontal bacteria has been suggested but remains to be established. >33@ *here is some evidence that influen$a may trigger an acute myocardial infarction. >3A@

:aldness , hair greying , a diagonal earlobe crease 5)rankJs sign >32@ 6 and possibly other skin features have been suggested as independent risk factors for 1'. >3G@ *heir role remains controversial; a common denominator of these signs and the risk of 1' is supposed, possibly genetic. >3I@ "alcium deposition is another part of atherosclerotic pla7ue formation. "alcium deposits in the coronary arteries can be detected with "* scans. Several studies have shown that coronary calcium can provide predictive information beyond that of classical risk factors. >A&@>A?@>A%@ 1any of these risk factors are modifiable, so many heart attacks can be prevented by maintaining a healthier lifestyle. 9hysical activity, for e/ample, is associated with a lower risk profile. >AC@ Hon8modifiable risk factors include age, se/, and family history of an early heart attack, which is thought of as reflecting a genetic predisposition . >citation needed@ *o understand epidemiological study results, it is important to note that many factors associated with 1' mediate their risk via other factors. )or e/ample, the effect of education is partially based on its effect on income and marital status . >BC@

You might also like