Understanding Cardiovascular Disease – World Heart Day on September 29. A well balanced, healthy diet, positive lifestyle changes, meditation, yoga, quitting smoking and alcohol may reduce the heart illness.
Cholesterol and heart:
The balance between good and bad cholesterol is significant for cardiovascular and stroke problems. Cholesterol is a very common problem due to genetic factors, lack of physical activity and bad diet. The probability of dying from heart ailment in young people increases with increase in cholesterol level. Indians usually have low HDL (good cholesterol) which increases risk of heart illness. People who live for more than 100 years of age, often have very high HDL.
Diabetes and heart:
Diabetes is one of the strongest contributors to heart disease. Type 2 diabetes, if not treated on time may cause heart attacks, stroke, blindness, and limb loss. Unhealthy diet like processed carbohydrates, fast foods, genetic factors are the leading cause of diabetes.
BP and heart:
Hypertension (high BP) is a silent killer and it is a strongest risk factor for heart ailments. Lifestyle changes may help to have control on BP. Exercise regularly, reduce salt intake, eat more fruits and vegetables, avoid processed food and alcohol for healthy life.
Stress /Depression and heart:
Both stress and depression are related to heart ailment. Increased stress and depression leads to almost three-fold increase in heart attacks, stroke, and sudden death. Stress, anger and depression increases inflammatory hormones (cortisol and epinephrine) in the blood. This may lead to blood clot (thrombosis)and thus create heart problems. Further, depression is linked with diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.
Women and Heart
Women who had repeated miscarriages are at high risk for heart illness. Metabolic syndrome (high lipids, abdominal obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure) is a indicator for heart disease. Standard risk factors include high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, diabetes, family history of heart disease, hypertension (BP), lack of physical activity, and tobacco smoking. In fact, smoking and diabetes has high risk for women than in men.
Crucial facts about heart disease
- As per demographic statistics Heart diseases percentage among Indians is twice to that of western world. This is due to genetic factors and other lifestyle practises like junk food, red meat, stress etc
- India has high percent of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension and smoking (major risk factors for Heart ailments).
- As per Public health estimates India accounts for nearly 60% of the world’s heart disease.
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death in India, approximately it claims three million lives every year.
- Indian women have high percent of death from heart ailments.
| Heart beats | 115,000 times in a day |
| Heart pumps blood (per day) | 2,000 gallons of blood |
| Heart pumps blood (per minute) | 1.5 gallons |
| Blood vessel system | Extend up to 60,000 miles |
| Weight of the human heart | 453.59 grams |
Nutritional factors play a significant role to control heart illness. Three special risk factors that are not commonly spoken about: Lipoprotein (a), Homocysteine, and C-reactive protein account for 40% of Indians risk factors for cardiac illness.
A well balanced, healthy diet, positive lifestyle changes (exercise, walking, stress reduction techniques, control of hypertension and diabetes), meditation, yoga, quitting smoking and alcohol may reduce the heart illness. Finally, everyone needs good and sound sleep – at least 8 hours of sleep at night which revitalizes the mind and body.
Dr Mahantesh R. Charantimath
Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist
Tathagat Heart Hospital at Mallige Medical Centre premises
No. 31/32, Crescent Road, Bengaluru – 01
Phone : 080- 2235 7777 | 99003 56000
E-mail: mahanteshrc67@gmail.com
http://tathagathearthospital.com/
