Out of our country’s 1.3 billion population, it is reported the nearly 60 million people are suffering from diseases related to the heart. Heat aliments, which were previously confined only to the urban populace, have now crept into the rural areas of the country, and an increasing number of villages and small-town dwellers are being diagnosed with them. Recent trends also suggest that an alarming number of young people are now being attacked by these heart diseases.
The critical nature of heart disease can be gauged from the fact that the fatality rate is nearly 50% within the very first hour of the heart attack. Thus, prevention is as important as heart disease treatment. Heart health can be influenced by various factors. The factors which are under our control include.
Learn more about how you can control three risk factors for heart disease.
Smoking affects the blood vessels that supply blood different parts of your body. It reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood and damages blood vessel walls.
Smoking also contributes to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when narrowing and clogging of the arteries reduce blood supply and the amount of oxygen available throughout the body.
Due to the above reasons, smoking increases the risk of:
What are the benefits of quitting smoking?
According to WHO, the long-term benefits of quitting smoking reduce a person’s risk of heart disease and help in heart disease prevention.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is carried by your blood. While your body requires cholesterol to be healthy, a cholesterol imbalance in the blood can cause heart disease.
The body produces most cholesterol naturally, and it is also found in some foods. Lipoproteins carry cholesterol in the blood. Lipoproteins with lower density contain more fats and vice versa. Thus, lipoproteins can be classified as:
Total cholesterol is a reading of good and bad cholesterol.
Triglycerides are a form of fat in the blood that can also raise heart disease risk. High triglycerides associated with low HDL cholesterol increases the risk even if total cholesterol levels in the blood appear normal. High LDL-cholesterol levels cause the‘ hardening of the arteries’ or atherosclerosis. This is one of the risk factors for heart attack.
What can you do to lower your cholesterol levels?
Generally, lifestyle changes can help to lower cholesterol levels, aiding in heart disease prevention. You can improve your cholesterol by practicing the following habits:
Blood pressure is a vital part of how your heart and circulation works. If it is too high, it needs to be treated.
Your blood pressure naturally fluctuates as it adjusts to your heart’s needs depending on your activity. High blood pressure occurs when your blood pressure remains persistently higher than normal.
The medical name for high blood pressure over a long period of time is hypertension, and it is one of the heart disease causes. As you grow older, the chances of having hypertension increases.
It is very important to get your blood pressure checked regularly, and if it is persistently high, it needs to be controlled. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause a heart attack or stroke. It may also affect your kidneys.
How can you control high blood pressure?
Similar steps can be taken to control, lower, and reduce high blood pressure as those taken for lowering cholesterol. Lifestyle changes that can help to control blood pressure are:
If lifestyle changes are not enough to bring your risk factors under control, it is advisable to visit a cardiologist. A doctor’s guidance will help to improve your symptoms and risk factors through the provision of appropriate treatment.
About Author –
Dr. Pramod Kumar K, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Yashoda Hospital, Hyderabad
MD (Cardiology), DM, FACC, FESC
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