In the body, the heart is the primary muscle of the cardiovascular system. Its job is to pump blood through the body. The blood supply is carried by the coronary arteries which deliver nutrients and oxygen to other vital areas in order to keep the body functioning properly. Red blood cells provide the oxygen while White blood cells fight against infections.
If someone is healthy, their artery walls are smooth and uniform in thickness. However, as the body ages, high levels of cholesterol can circulate resulting in the buildup of plaque deposits or fatty deposits on the interior of the artery walls.
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).
Due to the hardened plaque, blood flow can be blocked to the heart, resulting in a heart attack. If the blockage to the coronary artery is more than 90%, the risk for experiencing a heart attack is greater. Furthermore, if the coronary artery is completely blocked by plaque, 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 damage the heart will endure during a heart attack event is based largely on the location of the blockage as well as how long it takes to receive proper medical treatment. The longer the wait for assistance, the more extensive the damage to the heart. Luckily, atherosclerosis can be prevented and this in turn lowers the risk for 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 Heart Disease and Diet.