What Is Heart Disease?
Coronary heart disease is a long term disease that restricts the flow of blood to your heart, by blocking your blood vessels. This can lead to shortness of breath, chest pain and even heart attack.
When you have heart disease, your blood vessels get blocked because they become lined with cholesterol, which forms a lining on the plaque. This reduces the size of the blood vessel and thus the amount of blood it can supply to the heart. This is known as atherosclerosis.
When plaque forms inside the blood vessels, it sometimes is broken off, causing damage to your blood vessels. As your body tries to heal itself a blood clot may form, completely blocking blood flow to the heart and resulting in a heart attack.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Heart Disease?
Heart disease develops over time and it is possible to have it without any obvious symptoms, and only become aware of it as a result of a heart attack. Looking after your heart health throughout your life is essential to stay healthy. If you are concerned about your heart health please speak to your general practitioner.
It’s also relevant to mention that the symptoms of heart disease can differ in men and women and may vary between different age groups.
Women may experience
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Flu symptoms
- Discomfort or tightness in the arms
- Pain in the back
Men and women may experience
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Nausea
- Pain in the neck or left arm
- Clamminess
- Fatigue
What Causes Heart Disease?
There is no single leading cause of heart disease, but it is usually caused by a combination of factors that may include
- Exercise and activity levels: Living a sedentary life can contribute to heart disease
- Smoking: Smokers are at increased risk of developing heart disease
- Your weight: Being overweight or obese also increases your risk of developing heart disease.
Certain conditions and diseases are found to co-exist with heart disease and if not managed, can affect your heart health. These include
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Depression
Furthermore, heart disease is more likely to affect you if you
- Are male
- Have a family history of heart disease
As you get older your risk for developing heart disease increases.
Getting regular exercise, losing weight, quitting smoking and cutting down on your intake of processed foods can all contribute positively to your long term heart health. Keeping your cholesterol and sugar levels stable and managing high blood pressure can also make a significant difference.
To find out more about the signs and symptom of heart disease or to schedule a check-up, please give us a call: (03) 9699 9121
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