We all must know by now that heart disease is the number one cause of death for men and women in the United States and the U.K. if not the world over. The risk of suffering from heart disease can be lowered through healthy habits, diet and exercise. Realistically, we can achieve this with a proactive changes in our lifestyles.

- High alcohol consumption: When taken in moderation, it has no negative effect but high level of alcohol taken on a regular basis can poison the heart as well as other internal organ as the liver and the brain. Despite the claims by some producers that red wine was particularly good at preventing heart attack, scientific evidence suggests that any form of alcohol has the same effect.

- Stress: Simply put, stress is a series of biochemical and physiological reaction in the body due to some external threat or stimuli. We all experience some degree of stress from time to time. And while there is still no direct evidence that stress can cause heart attack, individuals with other risk factors may be at a greater risk from stressful life.
The pressure to take on more than you can manage , to set unrealistic goals, has created the idea of the type A personality. This makes it difficult for relaxation and can double the risk of heart attack especially in individuals with existing heart problems like chest pain. To explain this better, a damaged or diseased heart can be unstable and the adrenaline surge produced by a stressful event could provoke a change in the normal rhythm of the heart. So BEWARE!

- Homocysteine: This is the amino acid produced in the body during metabolism. It’s simply the normal breakdown product of dietary protein. Raised level of homocysteine are associated with arteriosclerosis i.e. an arterial disease, by causing damage to the endothelial (internal tissue) lining of the arteries. It can also promote movement of bad cholesterol (LDL-C) particles into the arterial wall, thereby increasing the risk of plague formation and thrombosis. So know it today that raised level of homocysteine is associated with increase risk of heart disease especially coronary heart disease (CHD).
Homocysteine level are usually checked by vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid which breaks it down in the body. This means that when you lacks these vital vitamins, homocysteine levels rises along with the risk of heart diseases.

- Raised insulin level: High insulin level in the body have been found to cause direct damage to the fragile cells in the arterial lining. This makes them more susceptible to plague formation and thrombosis.

- Cocaine and Amphetamine: Cocaine can increase blood viscosity i.e. resistance to flow. This therefore promotes blood clot. It can also trigger the rise in blood level of a protein that helps blood to clot by causing platelets to stick together. When platelets sticks, they clot the arteries and we all know what that means. So a word is enough for the wise.
Amphetamine stimulates the release of neurotransmitters (a chemical that transmits message between different nerve sells and muscles) such as epinephrine,which increase blood pressure and raise blood sugar levels.

To learn more about contributory risks factors to heart diseases Call 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) or visit http://www.americanheart.org

Knowledge is power, so Learn and Live!

Do you know that in the United States and across the U.K, high blood pressure or otherwise known as HYPERTENSION is responsible for more heart attack than stroke.
Hypertension affects about 25% of people living in America today and one third are unaware of this condition until it’s fatal. This is significantly more common in Africa Americans of both sexes than in other racial group.

Hypertension or High blood pressure is a medical condition in which fatty deposits in the blood vessels block and increase the resistance of blood flow thereby causing an increase in blood pressure against vessel wall. The pressure stresses the vessels that supplies blood to the heart muscles. The heart works harder to pump blood that circulates to all parts of the body tissues. The more blood the heart pumps, the smaller the arteries, then the higher the blood pressure.

If this condition persists, damage to the vessels and the heart will likely increase to a high extent the risk of a heart failure. Unfortunately in most cases, high blood pressure show no symptoms at all. And for this reason, it will be sensible to have your blood pressure checked from time to time.
Blood pressure is usually measured in the upper arm with an instrument called SPHYGMOMANOMETER which you might have seen lying on your doctor’s desk. It consists of an inflatable cuff that is placed around your upper arm and a tube of mercury that measures the pressure. The readings is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and is written in two numbers with one number over the other, e.g. 120/80 mm Hg, both of which are important to your health.
The top number i.e. the 120 is called the Systolic blood pressure (SBP) which is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats or contracts, while the lower number i.e. 80 is called the diastolic blood pressure (DBP), being the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats.

An average normal blood pressure for adults according to scientific study is said to be around 139/89 mm Hg or below. A systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg is a borderline of stage 1 hypertension where as 150/100 mm Hg or higher is definitely high and it’s stage 2 hypertension. Of course blood pressure varies considerably throughout the day and night. During sleep, when our system is relatively inactive, blood pressure falls because of the low demand for oxygen. It begins to rise when our day begin with activities. But be reassured that the doctors know best when and how to read your blood pressure.
Since high blood pressure appears to accelerates the development of plagues in the arterial wall, damaging the arterial lining and places an additional strain on the heart’s capacity to pump blood, there’s much bigger chance of developing Angina (chest pain) or heart attack.

The kidney plays an important role in regulating blood pressure. It secrets the hormone called RENIN, which cause arteries to contract and raise blood pressure flow. The kidney also control the fluid volume of blood as they retain salt in the blood stream. This salt attracts water thereby increasing the volume of blood that passes through arteries, so also the pressure increases.
Hypertension may develop as a result of some other medical disorder such as kidney or liver diseases. A high diet in salt could also elevate blood pressure in some people. Hereditary , lack of exercise and alcoholism plays a big role in raising blood pressure too.

To learn more about blood pressure and heart diseases Call 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) or visit http://www.americanheart.org

Knowledge is power, so Learn and Live!