Ischaemic Heart Disease

Heart Disease Prevention
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Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. .....

Ischaemic Heart Disease Occurs Silently

While the exact causes of hardening of the arteries are unknown, there are certain risk factors involved in ischaemic heart disease. Additionally, modifying behaviors associated with those risk factors have been shown to reduce the complications from ischaemic heart disease.

Ischaemic heart disease, the common name for which is coronary artery disease, occurs when fatty deposits build up along the walls of the two main arteries circling the heart. This build up may narrow or harden the arteries, often referred to atherosclerosis, reducing the ability of the blood flow to provide an adequate oxygen supply to the heart.

The lack of an adequate supply of oxygen can cause damage to the heart muscle and a complete blockage can lead to myocardial infarction. Ischaemic heart disease is one of many coronary problems that cause about 35 percent of the deaths in men between the age of 35 and 50. For women it is slightly less, but over the age of 55 the death rate lowers among men and increases for women.

In the early stages of ischaemic heart disease there are no known symptoms, but a common symptom in later stages is chest pain. Angina feels like a burning, tightening or pressure in the chest, usually following physical exertion, and goes away a few minutes after the exercise. This pain may extend to the left arm, jaw and neck. Weather has been known to affect angina, however not everyone with ischaemic heart disease experiences angina.

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Risk Factors Related to Coronary Artery Disease

Since a build up of plaque is blamed for ischaemic heart disease, lipid protein in the blood is seen as a main cause for hardening of the arteries. Either a high level of low-density lipoprotein or a low level of high-density lipoprotein has been established as one of the risk factors of ischaemic heart disease.

Heart Disease Risk
Avoid Heart Disease Risk Factors

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General measures to consider once a diagnosis has been made is to include not smoking, get treatment for high low-density lipoproteins either by diet, exercise or through cholesterol lowering medication and reducing stress. In the worst, last stage ischaemic heart disease may require surgery to bypass the blocked arteries.

Your diet to help treat ischaemic heart disease should include low cholesterol foods and if you' re overweight, finding a diet which will help you lose weight and maintain a correct weight for your age and height. Physical exercise should be monitored by your physician; but a moderate, daily program is usually recommended.

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