Coronary Heart Disese

By Crystal | December 29, 2009

Even though it is important for all of us to do all we can to lower the major risk factors for heart disease, once you have done so try to keep a sense of proportion. Remember that heart disease is a disease not a punishment. Blaming yourself or feeling guilty or inadequate for developing it is not useful and may increase feelings of helplessness which can be damaging to self-esteem and confidence and may even impede recovery.

Besides of having looked at “in-bulit” factors that may increase the risk of heart disease, there are also aspects of health or lifestyle which have in many studies been linked with heart disease. One of the most positive measures you can take is to look at your own lifestyle and work out ways in which you can change it for the better.

Knowing your personal risk factors for heart disease and working out ways in which you can moderate them can not only increase the fitness of your heart and blood vessels but can also help you to make more sense of your condition and give you a feeling of being more in control.

An abnormality in a valve is usually discovered when the doctor hears a murmur while listening to the heart with a stethoscope. Disorders of the valves may be caused by congential abnormalities or by infection or inflammation. A heart murmur does not always mean that a person has a serious disease.

Treatment is aimed at preserving the heart tissue, restoring blood flow in the coronary arteries, relieving pain, and making sure that the heart is pumping properly. Early diagnosis of a suspected heart attack is important, because immediate treatment can prevent further damage and save lives. For example, clot-dissolving drugs given within the first two hours can reduce the size of the damaged area.

Increased heart rate, abnormal heart rhythm, shortness of breath, cough, fluid buildup in the body leading to swelling of the feet and ankles or abdomen, weakness, nad fatigue are some of the signs of heart failure. These vary, depending on the severity of the failure and the part of the heart affected. A variety of drugs can be prescribed to widen blood vessels, prevent the buildup of fluids, and strengthen heart contractions. In heart failure, the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. This may be due to heart muscle being weakened by conditions such as high blood pressure, myocardial infarction, or a mechanical failure in the valves. Heart failure does not mean that the heart stops pumping-that’s called cardiac arrest-but rather that the heart is not working efficiently.

One of the common heart disease is nonetheless, coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease results from a restricted suupply of blood to the heart muscle. When arteries become clogged, or narrowed, by deposits of hardened fat, cholesterol, and other substances called plague, blood does not flow through them easily.

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