Facts on Heart Disease

Heart disease is a broad term that encompasses several diseases, caused due to problems in the heart and/or the blood vessels. The term 'cardiovascular disease' (CVD) is used for diseases of the heart and the circulatory system. One in every four Americans suffer from cardiovascular disease, which accounts to 57 million people. It is estimated that over 1 million people die every year due to heart disease in the United States. Facts on heart disease reveal that it is the leading cause of death, especially in people above 35 years of age.

Facts on Heart Disease

Different forms of heart disease are coronary heart disease, heart failure, angina and peripheral artery disease. Coronary heart disease (CHD), the most common type of heart disease, is caused due to narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart. Approximately in every 29 seconds, an American suffers from a coronary event and every 60 seconds, an individual die of coronary attack. It causes heart attack that accounts for over 500,000 deaths each year in the United States.

Cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) alone is responsible for about 6 million hospitalizations each year in the United States. The percentage of death due to CVD is more, even if the next seven causes of death are put together. The statistics does not end here; CVD causes disability to about 10 million Americans who are over 65 years old.

The common symptoms of heart disease are chest pain and discomfort, neck and shoulder pain, pain in the jaw and back, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, nausea, increased sweating, dizziness, indigestion (especially observed in women) and increased fatigue. Diagnosis of heart disease is based on the physical examination, medical history and family history of the patient. The physician may conduct chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests and other confirmation tests.

There are certain risk factors for developing heart disease, which can be divided into categories viz. controllable (changeable) and uncontrollable (unchangeable) risk factors. The controllable risk factors include high blood pressure, obesity, cholesterol levels, diabetes, excessive alcohol intake, cigarette smoking and physical inactivity. The uncontrollable risk factors include aging (age), sex (men are at a higher risk than women), race, family history and medical history of the individual.

As per the American Heart Association, there are several guidelines for a healthy lifestyle. To mention a few, the guidelines include consuming a wide variety of fruits, and vegetables daily, including grain products in the diet plan, limited fat consumption (2 gm or less saturated fat per serving), maintaining the balance of calorie intake and calorie loss and limited sodium intake (6 gm or less). One should increase the amount of monounsaturated fat and fiber in the diet.

It is often stated that men are at a greater risk of developing heart disease; but, it can also occur in women. Approximately one out of every three women dies of heart disease and 40 percent of the total deaths are due to CVD. The symptoms of heart disease in women are less certain and usually observed in the advanced stages. Women in their post menopause stage and those who use oral contraceptives are more susceptible to developing heart disease.

According to the survey conducted by the American Academy of Periodontology, it is found that people having gum diseases are twice likely to develop heart disease. As already discussed, the lifestyle of an individual can contribute a lot in developing heart disease. In order to minimize the risk of heart disease, it is always advisable to have a balanced, healthy diet, regular exercises and to stay away from the unhealthy habits like smoking and alcoholism. This is also beneficial for the sake of health and wellness.