NEWSGRAIN H E A L T H

t is also a major cause of

disability. There are many
different forms of heart disease.
The most common cause of heart
disease is narrowing or blockage of
the coronary arteries, the blood
vessels that supply blood to the
heart itself. This is called coronary
artery disease and happens slowly
overtime. It's the major reason
people have heart attacks.
Other kinds of heart problems may
happen to the valves in the heart, or
the heart may not pump well and
cause heart failure. Some people are
bom with heart disease.
You can help reduce your risk of
heart disease by taking steps to
control factors that put you at
greater risk:
* Control your blood pressure
* Lower your cholesterol
* Dont smoke
* Get enough exercise

2 diabetes.
"It doesn't surprise me that you
get better health outcomes in
bean eaters," said David Jenkins, a
nutrition researcher at the
University of Toronto who
developed the concept of the
glycerr.ic index to help diabetics
gauge the effect various foods
would have on their blood sugar.
"Beans are notable among plant
foods" for having a modest effect
on blood sugar, he explained.
Although Jenkins said the health
benefits of different beans might
vary, "as a class they hang
together pretty well, and much
more uniformly than other foods."

Heart Disease
If you're like most people, you would think
that heart disease is a problem for other folks.
But heart disease is one of the main killer
diseases in Nigeria.

The heart is like any other muscle,

requiring blood to supply oxygen
and nutrients for it to function. The
heart's needs are provided by the
coronary arteries, which begin at
the base of the aorta and spread
across the surface of the heart,
branching out to all areas of the
heart muscle.
The coronary arteries are at risk for
narrowing as cholesterol deposits,
called plaques, build up inside the
artery If the arteries narrow
enough, blood supply to the heart
muscle may be compromised
(slowed down), and this slowing of
blood flow to the heart causes
pain, or angina. A heart attack or
myocardial infarction occurs when
a plaque ruptures, allowing a blood
clot to form. This completely
obstructs the artery, stopping
blood flow to parts of the heart
muscle, and that portion of muscle
dies.

W H A T ARE TH E RISK
FACTORS FOR H EAR T
DISEASE?
Risk factors for heart disease
include:
* Smoking
* High blood pressure
(hypertension)
* High cholesterol
* Diabetes
* Family history
* Peripheral artery disease
*Obesity

W H A T ARE TH E S YM P TO M S
OF H EA R T DISEASE?
The typical symptoms of coronary artery
disease are associated chest pain with
shortness of breath. Classically, the pain of
angina is described as a pressure or
heaviness behind the breast bone with
radiation to the jaw and down the arm
accompanied by shortness of breath and
sweating. Unfortunately, angina has a
variety of presentations, and there may not
even be specific chest pain. There may be
shoulder or back ache, nausea, indigestion
or upper abdominal pain.
Women, the elderly, and people with
diabetes may have different perceptions of
pain or have no discomfort at all. Instead,
they may complain of malaise or fatigue.
Healthcare providers and patients may have
difficulty understanding each other when
symptoms of angina are described. Patients
may experience pressure or tightness but
may deny any complaints of pain.
People with coronary artery disease usually
have gradual progression of their symptoms
overtime.