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Doctors are now accepting that inflammation may be a contributory factor in a number of types of heart diseases. A paradigm shift is occurring in scientific opinion. Cholesterol may not be the real cause of heart disease. Inflammation is the body’s automatic reaction to any injury on the skin, within your body and even inside your arteries.
Since the early 1940’s doctors were convinced that the waxy plaque build-up (Cholesterol) inside an arterial wall leading to the heart or brain, caused a heart attack or stroke. Over a period of time the artery would narrow or become closed completely by a blood clot. Starved of oxygenated blood this would instigate a heart attack. However, this type of blockage can only be attributed to only 3 out of 10 heart attacks.
Medical research is now finding heart attack victims without any severe narrowing or surface arterial plaque formation. Plaque may be hidden inside the artery wall and not bulge out and restrict blood flow as previously thought. They found that Inflammation causes soft plaque to break away from the wall inside of the artery.
Soft plaque contains cells of different types that help in blood clotting. Inflammation causes the covering layer to crack and bleed, spilling their contents into the bloodstream. Sticky cykotines on the artery wall engage these blood cells, that rush to aid the injury. When they join together, they can form a clot big enough to block an artery.
Over 75 million Americans suffer from various types of heart diseases. Despite low fat diets and 25 % taking expensive cholesterol lowering medication, the premature death rates go on increasing at an alarming rate. Heart disease is the world’s biggest health epidemic today.
Common Heart Diseases.
Angina is the most common type of heart disease and is a symptom of coronary artery disease. Plaque builds up in the coronary arteries (athersclerois) making them narrow and inflexible. Blood flow is reduced; which lowers the oxygen supply to the heart muscle.
Tachycardia is used to describe a heart that is pumping too fast (Above 100 beats per minute at rest). A normal adult has a resting heart rate between 60-100 beats a minute. Tachycardia is normal when doing exercise as the heart rate is speeded up during extra exertion.
Ischemic Heart Disease is a term used to describe problems resulting from narrowed arteries. When this occurs less oxygen and blood reach the heart., which can ultimately lead to a heart attack. Discomfort or chest pain (Angina Pectoris) is often experienced during physical exercise.
Arrhythmia’s (Abnormal Heartbeats) do not cause interference with the hearts capability to pump blood, and pose little or no risk. They can cause anxiety if a person becomes aware of them. Most people have experienced the sensation of their heart missing a beat once in a while. However, any arrhythmia that impairs the hearts ability to pump blood is cause for concern. It depends on where it originates from i.e. the hearts normal pacemaker, the atria or the ventricles.
Rheumatic Fever is a condition that is a complication of untreated strep throat before the use of antibiotics. A streptococcal infection in the throat used to cause valve disease. Rheumatic fever can damage tissue by making it swell, but the main danger comes the damage it can do to the heart. It can cause scarring of heart valves. This can narrow the valve and make it difficult to open and close completely. Your heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body.
Peripheral Vascular Disease is a heart condition similar to that of coronary heart disease. Fatty deposits build up mainly in the arteries leading to the stomach arms kidneys and limbs. Cramping or fatigue are early indicators, which subside when a person stands still.
Sudden Cardiac Death is death caused by abrupt loss of heart function without warning. The victim may have never been diagnosed with heart disease. It is the silent killer and the most unexpected mode of death. The most common reason for this type of sudden death is coronary heart disease.
There are numerous theories and ideas that relate to heart disease. Most attribute the increase in the types of heart diseases to our changing lifestyles. Eating processed foods and exercising less. People in the past, have been unwilling to spend time on selecting natural foods and cooking it themselves.
Nevertheless, more people are becoming more aware of the risk of heart disease and are making informed lifestyle choices. So the next time you look at a food label … think about your heart. |
