Heart disease

Introduction to heart disease?


The heart is like any other muscle, requiring blood
to supply oxygen and nutrients for it to function.

The heart's needs are provided by the coronary

arteries, which begin at the base of
 the aorta and spread across
 the surface of the heart, branching out to all
areas of the heart muscle.

The coronary arteries are at risk for narrowing as cholesterol deposits,

called plaques, build up inside the artery. If the
arteries narrow enough,
 blood supply to the heart muscle may be
compromised (slowed down),
 and this slowing of blood flow to the heart
causes pain, or angina.

A heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs when a plaque ruptures,
 allowing a blood clot to form. This completely
obstructs the artery
, stopping blood flow to part of the heart muscle,
and that portion of muscle dies.



What are the risk factors for heart disease

Risk factors for heart disease include:

Smoking





High blood pressure (hypertension)





High cholesterol





Diabetes





Family history





Peripheral artery disease





Obesity



What are the symptoms of heart disease?


The typical symptoms of coronary artery disease
are associated chest pain with shortness of breath.
Classically, the
pain of angina is described as a pressure or
heaviness behind the breast bone with radiation
to the jaw and down the arm accompanied by shortness
of breath and sweating. Unfortunately,
angina has a variety of presentations, and there may
not even be specific chest pain.
 There may be shoulder or back ache, nausea,
indigestion or upper abdominal pain.

Women, the elderly, and people with diabetes may have different perceptions
 of pain or have no discomfort at all. Instead,
they may complain of malaise or fatigue.

Healthcare providers and patients may have difficulty understanding each other
when
symptoms of angina are described. Patients may
experience pressure or tightness but may
deny any complaints of pain.

People with coronary artery disease usually have gradual progression of their
symptoms over
time. As an artery narrows over time, the symptoms
that it causes may increase in frequency
 and/or severity. Healthcare providers may
inquire about changes in exercise tolerance
(How far can you walk before getting symptoms? Is it
to the mailbox?
 Up a flight of stairs?) and whether there has
been an acute change in the symptoms.

Once again, patients may be asymptomatic until a heart attack occurs. Of course,
some
 patients also may be in denial as to their
symptoms and procrastinate in seeking care.