Just about
everyone knows a family member, friend or coworker who has some form of heart
disease. My passion for working with
patients to create a nutrition lifestyle to prevent or manage heart disease began
when I was 12, after the loss of a grandparent due to a fatal heart attack.
According to
the CDC, it is still the leading cause of death for both men and women in the
United States. In 2010, nearly ¼ of all
deaths were from diseases of the heart. In
the United States, the most common type of heart disease is coronary artery
disease (CAD), also known as atherosclerosis, which can lead to a heart attack.
It is
important to have a basic understanding of the cardiovascular system to better
understand what goes wrong with the development of heart disease. The cardiovascular system is composed of the
heart and blood vessels, including arteries and veins. The blood vessels form a closed system under
pressure for delivering blood to tissues throughout the body and for returning
it to the heart. The heart pumps blood
through the elastic arteries to deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the
body.
There are
many diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
The most common include atherosclerosis, hypertension (high blood
pressure), and congestive heart failure (CHF).
Atherosclerosis – a narrowing of the
arteries that supply the heart muscle with oxygen. The narrowing of the arteries is caused by
atheromas, or fatty plaques, that protrude into the blood vessel and narrow and
eventually block the passageway. Cell
damage on the artery wall, inflammation, and elevated blood lipids may all
contribute to the development of artery plaque, also called coronary artery
disease. A blocked artery may result in
a heart attack.
Hypertension – High blood pressure that
increases blood flow in excess of normal needs and if untreated, increases
risks for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and dementia. High blood pressure typically does not
exhibit any symptoms until late in its course.
Often the cause of high blood pressure is due to many factors, including
a combination of lifestyle and genetic factors.
Blood
pressure is the force exerted per unit area on the walls of arteries and it is
measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
The measurement is expressed as two numbers: (1) systolic pressure - the amount of
pressure in arteries as the heart contracts, and (2) diastolic pressure – the
amount of pressure that remains in arteries between beats with the heart is
relaxed. Normal blood pressure is
defined as less than 120/80 mm Hg.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) – CHF is
a condition where the heart can no longer pump the blood delivered to it by the
veins. It is a progressive weakening of
the heart muscle commonly due to decreased blood flow related to blocked
arteries or from high blood pressure.
The heart muscle responds by enlarging, creating an even higher demand
for oxygen. The end result may be
shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, and fluid buildup (edema) in the lungs,
abdomen or legs.
Many people
just accept that the development of high blood pressure or atherosclerosis is a
part of the aging process and readily accept medication without considering
lifestyle changes. What they don’t
realize is that heart disease is highly affected by lifestyle – nutrition,
stress, body weight, smoking, and physical activity level are all factors that
can be modified to prevent or improve heart disease.
In upcoming
blog posts, I will discuss specific risk factors, how heart disease is
diagnosed, and foods that support heart health. With simple changes over time, you can change the course of your heart health.
