The heart is the primary muscle the cardiovascular system. Its job is to pump blood throughout the entire body. This blood supply is carried by the coronary arteries, delivering oxygen and nutrients the body needs to function properly. Red blood cells or RBC’s carry oxygen while White blood cells or WBC’s fight off infections.
In the body of a healthy person, the artery walls are smooth and uniform in thickness. However, as time passes this can change. High levels of cholesterol can circulate causing fatty deposits or plaque to accumulate on the interior walls of the arteries.
As the plaque deposits onto the artery wall, it hardens making the artery narrower and not as flexible as it should be. This is called atherosclerosis. If atherosclerosis develops in the coronary arteries, it becomes a condition called coronary artery disease (CAD).
When these fatty deposits block blood flow to the heart, a heart attack becomes a risk. If the coronary artery is blocked 90% or more, the risk for a heart attack event becomes even greater. Finally, if the coronary artery is completely blocked, a heart attack is eminent.
Blood clots are another risk that can cause a heart attack. These clots form when a crack develops in the hardened plaque. Blood will accumulate in these cracks and begin to grow. As it grows, it will eventually shut off the blood supply, thus resulting in a heart attack.
The extent of damage the heart acquires during an attack depends largely on the location of the blockage and the speed of obtaining medical treatment. The longer it takes to get help the more extensive the heart damage. Fortunately, atherosclerosis can be prevented, thus lowering the risk of having a heart attack.
It is important to slow the progression of the disease process. This can be accomplished by medications, and reducing your risk factors. You can reduce risk factors by losing excess weight, starting a low fat ” low cholesterol ” low saturated fat diet, quitting smoking, control of diabetes and hypertension if present, and regular exercise.
Shorter hospital stays and declining medical insurance along with sky rocketing medical costs don’t make it easy to educate ourselves about the risk factors and methods of prevention for heart disease. However, we must take charge and learn these tools. They will benefit everyone.
Barb Hicks is an established writer who loves to write and share about her experience and knowledge about her nursing career days. She started an online classroom at Clivir.com where she provide more information about Women Heart Attack Symptoms and Healthy Heart Disease Diet.
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