Battling Heart and Stroke

By John Tahan

The heart is a muscular pump that needs a continuous supply of oxygen. It obtains oxygen from the blood, which flows to the heart muscle through arteries on the heart’s surface. These arteries are called the coronary arteries.

The underlying cause of heart attack is coronary heart disease (CHD) - the slow build-up of fatty deposits on the inner wall of the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood. These fatty deposits, called plaque, gradually clog and narrow the inside channel of the arteries. It is a process that begins early in life and continues over the years.

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By Thomas Parker

High blood pressure is a very serious disease. It can cause damage to your vital organs and in the worst cases can be fatal. Sufferers of high blood pressure often do not show any symptoms and when the symptoms do show, the damage has often already occurred. Therefore, the best way to determine whether you have high blood pressure or not is to go and see a trained doctor and get it checked out.

Blood pressure is said to be normal if it is 140 over 85. However, it can differ between different races and geographic locations. Generally speaking blood pressure above 140 over 85 is said to be high. A few degrees above normal may not cause any significant problems but a significant increase can be dangerous.

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By Eric Hartwell

Heart disease forms the leading cause of death in the United States – it is even more common than cancer. An estimated one fifth of all deaths in America come as a result of coronary heart disease. Over thirteen million individuals across the nation suffer from coronary heart disease. Every year, over a million people suffer from coronary heart attacks; four out of every ten individuals die from their attacks. Broken down in to temporal statistics, this means that every sixty five seconds, someone in America dies as the result of a coronary heart attack.

Heart attacks are a common form of ischemic heart disease. The World Health Organization estimated in the year 2002 that over twelve percent of all worldwide deaths arose as a result of ischemic heart disease. In developed countries, it is the leading cause of death. In developing countries, however it comes third behind AIDS and lower respiratory infections.

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By Michael Russell

A few years ago a woman started having a wide variety of medical issues. They ranged from a skin condition all the way to classic heart attack signs and symptoms. Her family doctor ran a complete array of tests over a period of months, but never considered the possibility of a heart attack. The doctor’s lack of concern with ruling out any heart problem worried the husband from the first appointment. The end result was all of her medical issues were allergies, lots of allergies to a host of different things. None of the ailments suggested allergies were the cause; either alone or collectively. Why would they?

The lady had been suffering from extremely dry skin with flaking and itching all over, but mostly on her back. She assumed it was from the brand of soap she was using in the shower. Later she began to notice unusual sensations around her mouth and in her throat, but it didn’t seem to last for any length of time. Still later she started to notice she was having stomach problems on a semi-regular basis. She still had no major concerns with her health in general, nor did she have any idea they might be somehow related to a common cause.

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By Eric Hartwell

Heart attacks are a common form of ischemic heart disease. The World Health Organization estimated in the year 2002 that over twelve percent of all worldwide deaths arose as a result of ischemic heart disease. In developed countries, it is the leading cause of death. In developing countries, however it comes third behind AIDS and lower respiratory infections.

Heart attacks, known by their medical name of acute myocardial infarction, is a state of disease that involves the interruption of the bloody supply to part of the heart. The result is a shortage of oxygen that can damage the heart tissue and potentially kill. Heart attacks are the leading cause of death all over the world. Major heart attack risk factors include a history of angina or vascular disease, a previous stroke or heart attack, old age, excessive alcohol, the abuse of illegal drugs, smoking, episodes of abnormal heart beat, obesity, high levels of stress, high or low cholesterol, high triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

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By Connie Limon

The best way to lower your risk of heart disease is to reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Increased risk of coronary artery disease is caused by the bad cholesterol buildup (LDL cholesterol) that forms plaques. These plaques make arteries hard and narrow, which contributes to coronary artery disease.

The good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) picks up excess cholesterol in your blood and takes it back to your liver for disposal. The higher your HDL cholesterol, the less bad cholesterol you will have in your blood.

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By Michael Haydon

You can play your part in reversing heart disease by simply making some adjustments to your lifestyle. It’s a simple concept but so many people fail to make the small changes that can have such a massive impact in avoiding heart disease. Avoiding key risks can help you not only maintain a healthy heart but also lengthen your life.

When you put it simply, your heart is a pump that feeds blood through your body and all you have to do is make sure the pathways are clear. This means keeping your arteries clear so the flow goes on unimpeded. Blocked arteries lead to heart problems, heart attacks and death. It’s as simple as that. We have all heard this so many times it can often go unheeded, and that is where the real problem lies. If you maintain unclogged arteries you are actually reversing heart disease and, therefore, healing your own heart.

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By Stephen Morgan

In the early days, Healthcare Professionals were reluctant to prescribe Drugs for patients with a High Blood Pressure reading of less than 160/100 Hg. Levels such as these were viewed at the time to be not necessarily dangerous and did not warrant the use of drugs.

The rationale behind this that Doctors felt that the side effects of the drugs used at the time would possibly be of more danger to the patient than the high blood pressure readings.

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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.

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By Jon Stout

Heart disease and stroke are our nation’s number one killers. As we become more sedentary and more obese, heart disease is occurring in more severe forms and at younger ages. But, there are ways to avoid heart disease, if you understand the associated health issues and how to control them. Here’s an overview of the contributors to heart disease and how to minimize your risk by managing your life.

High Cholesterol

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