Heart disease is gaining more attention than ever. The rate of incidence is increasing and heart problems have become one of the largest strains on our medical system. Patients with heart problems require more medical attention, take more medications, and have more associated medical problems.
Heart disease may lead people to become unhealthy, and various heart diseases may be the by-product of an unhealthy lifestyle. Either way, people with heart problems require attention before the epidemic is out of control.
The term "heart disease" refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type in the United States is coronary artery disease, which can cause heart attack, angina, heart failure, and arrhythmias. It is currently the number #1 cause of death, accounting for ¼ of all deaths.
Heart disease is actually a more general term relating to all heart problems. Most of the heart diseases are avoidable. The following list are some common causes of heart disease.
- Diabetes is a strong risk factor for heart disease.
- High blood pressure increases your risks of coronary artery disease and heart failure.
- Smokers have a much higher risk of heart disease than nonsmokers.
- Elevated levels of your LDL ("bad") cholesterol increases your risk of CHD.
- Metabolic syndrome refers to high triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, excess body fat around the waist, and increased insulin levels.
- Chronic kidney disease can increase your risk.
- Excessive stress.
- Alcohol abuse.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Genetic (heredity) factors. You are more likely to have heart problems, if someone in your family had heart disease, especially before age 50.
Heart disease is one of the most avoidable causes of death. A healthy lifestyle can reduce these risks. Proper diet, and exercise is the number #1 defense against the #1 killer in America- heart problems.
Heart disease by the numbers-*
- 81,100,000 people in the United States have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- 1 of every 2.9 deaths, 831,272 Americans, were caused by CVD.
- Compared this to all forms of cancer- 559,888
- Coronary heart disease caused 425,425 deaths in 2006 and is the single leading cause of death in America today
- 73,600,000 people have high blood pressure.
- Coronary artery disease— 17,600,000.
- Myocardial infarction (mi"o-KAR'de-al in-FARK'shun) (acute heart attack) — 8,500,000.
- Angina pectoris (AN'jih-nah or an-JI'nah PEK'tor-is) (chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood supply to the heart muscle) — 10,200,000.
- 5,800,000 have heart failure
- 17,600,000 people alive today have a history of heart attack or angina pectoris
- 10 year death rate averages have declined close to 35%
*2006 figures
Sources: NCHS, NHLBI