Symptoms Of Coronary Heart Disease

By Dr. Beth Paxton

All of our muscles need a continuous supply of oxygen carried by the blood and the heart is no exception. However, due to diet, age, and other factors such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking, our coronary arteries may become smaller or clogged. When the blood flow to the heart is restricted, it results in coronary heart disease, sometimes known as CHD. Angina occurs when not enough blood carrying oxygen can get through to the heart. This often causes a pain in the left arm or chest. When the blood flow is cut off completely, a heart attack occurs. Any part of the heart that is not receiving the oxygen it needs begins to die and permanent damage to the muscle can be done.

What are the symptoms of coronary heart disease?

Some people may not experience any symptoms. Others may feel short of breath or experience a mild discomfort in their chest area. Still others suffering from coronary heart disease experience a constant chest pain that may hinder their everyday activities.

Those that suffer from angina say they feel a pressure or heaviness on their chest. This can sometimes include a burning sensation or they may say it feels like their chest is being squeezed. Other symptoms associated with coronary heart disease include dizziness, queasiness, shortness of breath, and can include heart palpitations. Pain may spread to their neck, jaw, or arms.

If you suffer from angina, the doctor will try to diagnose what type you have – stable or unstable. Just like the names, stable angina tends to occur at certain times such as after you exert yourself, after a large meal, or when you get upset. The pain lasts between one and five minutes and usually resting helps alleviate the symptoms. If you have no pattern as to when you experience the pain, it is known as unstable angina. This is the more severe type of the two.

Once the doctor establishes that you do have coronary heart disease, he may ask you to take some tests to see to what damage has been done. One test he may order is the electrocardiogram (ECG). This will show him the electrical activity of the heart. A stress test is normally done on a treadmill. This forces the heart to work harder, a time when problems often show up. Your blood pressure and heart rate will also be monitored while taking the stress test. A nuclear scanning involves the doctor inserting a small amount of radioactive material into your vein. He can then see damage done by using a scanning camera. Finally, a coronary angiography is a test where a catheter is inserted into an artery (usually in your arm or leg) and it films the heart while it pumps. The picture it takes is known as an angiogram.

What is the treatment for coronary heart disease?

That depends on the severity. If it is less severe, the doctor will probably suggest lifestyle changes. Many people do not care for this treatment because it involves giving up things they love. You will need to change your diet so it is lower in fat and cholesterol. You will also need to start on an exercise regiment as well. Even a small amount of exercise can lower your risks of a heart attack. Smokers can drastically reduce their chances of a heart attack when they quit smoking. Even if you have already suffered from one heart attack, stopping smoking can prevent another.

Those with more severe cases of coronary heart disease may need to undergo surgery. Coronary angioplasty is one type of surgery for coronary heart disease. Often referred to as balloon angioplasty, this involves a catheter going through the artery that is blocked. The balloon on the end is inflated to help open up the artery. If the artery cannot be opened, you will need a coronary artery bypass operation. In this, the surgeon removes a blood vessel from another part of the body and graphs it onto the blocked artery. The blood is then able to go around the blockage by way of this new vessel. Even after having these surgeries, you will be asked to change your lifestyle.

If you experience any type of chest pain, it is imperative that you visit your doctor to get a checkup. Chances may be it is nothing life threatening, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

About the Author: Dr. Beth Paxton is a general health practictioner providing helpful information for families and patients with heart disease.

               

Heart Disease Signs Symptoms Information

By Jose Santiago

Of the numerous types of cardiovascular conditions, the one that is most likely to lead to a heart attack is what is known as Coronary Heart Disease or more appropriately, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). One Condition increased cardiovascular risk is diabetes and high cholesterol level.

You want reduce the risk for CAD. Highly variable cyclic training has been linked to increased anti-oxidant prodcution in the body and an anti-inflammatory response, a more efficient nitric oxide response,which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system. Also increased metabolic rate response which can assist with weight loos and decrease cholesterol level. To summarize, some of the potential benefits of variable cyclic training compared to steady state endurance training are improved cardiovascular health, increased anti-oxidant protection, improved immune function, reduced risk for joint wear and tear, reduced muscle wasting and increased capacity for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. In addition, regular cardiovascular exercise can increase the concentration of hemoglobin in blood, allowing the body to become more efficient at transporting oxygen to the cells that need it, as well as removing waste products such as carbon dioxide. Antioxidants protect arteries as well as the heart itself in several ways.

A daily dose of fish oil has helped prevent, slow or even reverse the hardening and narrowing of arteries in heart disease in some studies. Reduce the cholesterol decrease the arteries become rigid and hard to produce coronary arteries disease.

Cholesterol only affixes itself to arteries in order to coat and cover up the abrasions and protect the underlying tissue like a waterproof bandage. Therefore cholestero is an important function of the body, but too much cholesterol in the body becomes a risk as it can clog up arteries and this can be cause of heart attacks and strokes. The latest studies suggest that chronic inflammation of the lining of arteries is an important factor in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. For this reason you need to remember these free radicals in your arteries and veins promote the plaque build up in our arteries leading us to incrased risk of heart disease.

Other sustance related to CAD is homocysteine. Homocysteine is chemical compound and is formed from S-adenosyl methionine reaction. The elevations of homocysteine occur in rare hereditary disease homocystinuria. This chemical product cause heart attacks by puching holes in arteries, starting plaque formation and then causing clots fo form in the plaques.

The person with CAD have several symptoms. The most commond is chest pain and short of breath. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that last more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. One disease confuse with coronary heart disease is heart burn. Heart burn can be cause by eat spicy foods, caffeinated beverages, alcohol and even stress can lead to symptoms. If more people recognized the signs of heart attacks or coronary arteries disease and acted sooner, more people would survive them. One reason that people don’t always recognize the warning signs of heart attacks is that they act differently. Also remember, heart attacks in diabetics occur at a younger age than they do in non-diabetics.

Heart attacks and coronary arteries disease can be prevented by preventing the development of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries.

About the Author: Free People Information Online