This is caused by atherosclerosis, which is an accumulation of fatty materials on the inner linings of arteries. Resulting in a blockage, that restricts the blood flow to the heart. A heart attack occurs when the blood flow is completely cut off from the heart. Therefore it is important to keep yourself healthy so you will not have a heart attack. Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S.
Smoking: * Causes the platelets in your blood to clump together easily by making your blood cells more "sticky" and more likely to form clots. Clumping platelets can then block your coronary arteries and cause a heart attack. * Can cause spasms in your coronary arteries, which can reduce the blood flow to your heart in a way similar to that of atherosclerosis. * Can trigger irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). * Lowers "good" cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL).
HEART FAILURE This is also referred to as Congestive heart failure. it is a clinical syndrome which occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficient amount of blood to meet the metabolic requirement of the tissue for oxygen. It can also result from structural cardiac abnormalities which impair the ability of the ventricle to fill or eject blood. The heart is weakened and cannot pump enough blood as strongly as before this implies that less oxygen is reaching the organs and muscles which can cause tiredness or shortness of breath. Etiology of cardiac failure: • Systemic hypertension-The most common cause in 75% of cases • Changes in the structure of the heart -changes in the valves causes volume and pressure overload • Disease conditions-valvular
As you get older, your age increases the risk of narrowed and damaged arteries, which of course leads to CAD. If you have a family history of heart disease, it is associated with a higher risk of CAD. Especially if a close relative such a brother developed a heart disease at a young age. Of course, smoking increases your risk because nicotine constricts your blood vessels and carbon monoxide can damage the
The resulting ischemia (restriction in blood supply) and ensuing oxygen shortage if left untreated for a sufficient period of time, can cause damage or death (infarction) of heart muscle tissue (myocardium). Cardiac Arrest is an “electrical“ problem while Heart Attack is a “circulation“ problem. Sudden cardiac arrest is not a (myocardial infarction) heart attack, but can occur during a heart attack. Heart attacks occur when there is a blockage in one or more of the arteries to the heart, preventing the heart from receiving enough oxygen-rich blood. If the oxygen in the blood cannot reach the heart muscle, the heart becomes damaged, or the part of the heart that does not receive oxygen and nutrients becomes
Atrial Fibrilation is described by Mayo Clinic as “an irregular and often rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow to the body.” “During atrial fibrillation, the heart's two upper chambers (the atria) beat chaotically and irregularly — out of coordination with the two lower chambers (the ventricles) of the heart. Atrial fibrillation symptoms often include heart palpitations, shortness of breath and weakness. Episodes of atrial fibrillation can come and go, or you may develop atrial fibrillation that doesn't go away and may require treatment. Although atrial fibrillation itself usually isn't life-threatening, it is a serious medical condition that sometimes requires emergency treatment. It can lead to complications.
An ischemic stroke is typically caused by excess buildup of plague on the blood vessel walls that narrows blood flow dramatically. A hemorrhagic stroke typically occurs when the blood vessel walls weaken over time, which leads to a bulge or rupture of the vessel. Aneurysm is the most common type of hemorrhagic strokes with a low survival rate. They also kill brain cells, which can never regenerate. The affect of strokes on the body can range between mild dizziness or slight numbness to impaired speech and loss of motor control.
The left ventricle is the left chamber of the four chambers of the heart. We have four heart chambers: two atria in the upper half of the heart and two ventricles in the lower half. The left chamber is the one that does the major work of sending the oxygenated blood from the heart, through the Aorta to the general circulation. Remember that this is a muscle and a muscle gets big with repetitive movement. This left ventricle contracts 80 times a minute during all your life and unfortunately with age the vessels walls get thick with deposits of fat, calcium and other fluids.
These substances can impair your lungs ability to function and interfere with the mechanisms that protect them from disease. Smoking can cause Respiratory Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Lung Cancer. Smoking can also cause decreased endurance, as well as respiratory infections. Thousands of people die on a yearly basis due to damaged lungs caused by cigarette smoke. The warning labels on cigarette packages don't mention anything about your bones, but they should.
Smoking causes severe damage to your health and physical appearance, therefore they should be illegal. Smoking cigarettes can cause harm not only to you, but others as well. Second hand smoke is a big problem for those that don’t smoke, it is virtually impossible to go anywhere and not be smelling or breathing in smoke from someone else’s bad decision. Second hand smoke, as well as first hand contact causes the buildup of plaque in arteries, causing heart attacks and heart diseases. Statistics say that just from second hand smoke 10-15% of non-smokers will die from lung cancer and 5.2% of non-smokers will die from throat cancer.