Department Of Health

The heart is the organ that pumps blood, with its life-giving oxygen and nutrients, to all tissues of the body. If the pumping action of the heart becomes inefficient, vital organs like the brain and kidneys suffer.And if the heart stops working altogether, death occurs within minutes. Life itself is completely dependent on the efficient operation of the heart. Who Gets Heart Disease? Heart disease, the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, is also on the rise in developing countries. The most common form of heart disease is coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD afflicts an estimated seven million Americans. Each year, approximately 500,000 Americans die from CAD-related heart attacks. Other types of heart disease include cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and stroke Atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries is a major cause of heart disease. Atherosclerosis occurs when buildup of cholesterol and fat create plaques that thicken the walls of blood vessels causing them to stiffen and become more narrow. Cholesterol is a fat that is made by the liver from the saturated fat that we eat. Cholesterol is essential for healthy cells but, if there is too much in the blood, it can lead to coronary heart disease. Cholesterol is carried in the blood stream by molecules called lipoproteins. There are several different types of lipoproteins, but two of the main ones are low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Signs and Symptoms No single symptom unmistakably indicates a heart disorder, but certain symptoms suggest the possibility, and several symptoms together may make the diagnosis almost certain. Doctors identify symptoms by interviewing the person to obtain the medical history and by performing a physical examination. Often, diagnostic procedures are performed to confirm the diagnosis. However, sometimes a heart disorder, even when serious, produces no symptoms until it reaches a late stage. Routine health checkups or a visit to the doctor for another reason may uncover a heart disorder that has caused no symptoms. Treatment of Heart Disease Diet modifications can help patients maintain an appropriate weight for their frame and build. Physicians recommend eating a well-balanced, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet that includes several servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Vitamin supplements that may help prevent heart disease may also be recommended. One heart disease treatment that many people may not consider is trying to lower their stress levels. Reducing stress in your life as a heart disease treatment can be much more effective than you might realize and may provide other health benefits. Reducing stress as a heart disease treatment is probably one of the easiest types of heart disease treatment to implement and avoids the harmful side effects of drugs. There are many drugs that treat the variety of causes of heart disease. According to the AHA, most people recovering from heart failure will take a combination of medications to manage their consideration. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute offers the following guide to common drugs that treat heart disease. ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitor -- ACE inhibitors stop the production of a chemical that makes blood vessels narrow and is used to help control high blood pressure and for damaged heart muscle. It may be prescribed after a heart attack to help the heart pump blood better. It is also used for people with heart failure, a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to supply the body's needs.

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