Coronary Heart disease Essays - RTT, Aging-associated Diseases

Coronary Heart disease Essays - RTT, Aging-associated Diseases Coronary Heart disease Coronary Heart Disease Coronary heart disease is one of the vast killer diseases in many countries, (up to 500,000 Americans die every year from coronary heart disease). It is a chronic illness involving the narrowing of the arteries and vessels that supply the heart with oxygen and glucose. As a result of insufficient amounts of oxygen reaching the heart, associated health risks such as chest pains known as Angina and heart attack can be produced. One of the major causes of coronary heart disease is the hardening of medium or large arteries (Arteriosclerosis) which is mainly caused by an unhealthy diet. However, this is not the only cause of Arteriosclerosis. Coronary disease refers to the failure of coronary circulation to supply adequate circulation to cardiac muscle and surrounding tissue. It is the most common form of disease affecting the heart and an important cause of premature death in North and South America. There are many other factors that could lead to coronary heart disease, such as smoking, stress, drinking and not exercising enough as well as the main underlying cause which is high blood cholesterol levels. Coronary heart disease can also be inherited. Many of these factors can be modified, including, smoking, drinking and exercise. Yet, some of the causes of coronary heart disease are beyond the control of humans. For instance, no one can control their age or the genes that they inherit. However, if a person tries to exercise more or stop smoking and drinking then they will have a lower chance of getting coronary heart disease. EXERCISE Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and cardiovascular system. Physical exercise is a potent primary and secondary preventer of cardiovascular illness, particularly that due to the coronary heart disease. It is thought that physical inactivity roughly doubles the risk of coronary heart disease and is a major risk factor for heart disease. Frequent and regular physical exercise helps prevent the ?disease of affluence? such as heart disease. SMOKING Furthermore, the effects of smoking are that it makes the blood vessels of the heart become sticky. It increases the chance of fat molecules to deposit on the inner lining of the arteries which can cause the lumen to narrow, thus restricting the blood flow through them. Chemicals in smoke also make the walls of the blood vessels become sticky. Obesity can prevail due to the lack of physical exercise for the reason that exercise helps to burn the fat in our bodies. Exercise also keeps the heart muscles active and strong, without exercise the muscles eventually become weak and can only support a slow blood flow. This again results in little oxygen reaching the heart in a given time. Moreover, high blood pressure can be due to a result of insensible drinking and too much salt it the diet. Nicotine also causes high blood pressure, by reducing the capability of the arteries to dilate. In addition to causing high blood pressure nicotine is also responsible for making the red blood sticky. A blockage in the arteries can occur not only as a consequent of fat deposit, but also from sticky red blood cells. DIET Lifestyle changes have been shown to be effective in reducing (and in the cases of diet, reversing) coronary disease. Healthy diet has been shown to be hugely effective as a treatment of coronary heart disease, and generalized atherosclerosis. However, the idea of what composes a ?healthy diet? is highly controversial. In some studies the progression of heart disease has been shown to halt, and in some cases, the disease process may be revered. Dieting and physical exercise are the mainstays of treatment for heart disease. Moreover, it is important to improve diet quality by reducing the consumption of energy ?dense foods such as those high in fat and cholesterol. Cholesterol lowering medications, such as stains, are useful to decrease the amount of ?bad? cholesterol. Regardless of all the above factors which cause coronary heart disease, the foremost cause is having an unbalanced diet, especially one that is reliant on the intake of excess saturated fats and refined carbohydrates. Excessive eating can lead to