The Cardiovascular System
Atherosclerosis or Clogging of the Arteries
Heart and Vascular Risk Factors
Angina or Chest Pain
Heart Attack
Stroke
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Healthy Lifestyle
The Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system is one of the most important systems in the body. Made up of the heart and blood vessels, the cardiovascular system circulates blood throughout the body delivering nutrients and oxygen to all of the body’s tissues. The heart is a muscle that pumps the blood through the vessels.
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Atherosclerosis or Clogging of the Arteries
Atherosclerosis is a disease process of plaque formation that builds up inside of an artery that, in time, clogs the pathway and does not allow blood to flow through. This is similar to the clogging that can occur in the kitchen’s plumbing. If the clog, or blockage, occurs in an artery in the brain, it can cause a stroke. If the blockage is in a heart artery, it can cause a heart attack, and if the blockage is in the artery of the arms or legs, it is called peripheral arterial disease.
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Heart and Vascular Risk Factors
There are some factors that can increase the chance of developing atherosclerosis. Some risk factors can be controlled and some cannot. The three risk factors that cannot be controlled are age, gender, and genetics. The older we get, the more chance we have of developing atherosclerosis. Males are prone to this disease at a younger age than females due to the females hormones protecting the arteries. When menopause occurs the females loose this protection and at risk. Hereditary also plays a role in developing cardiovascular disease with the genes that are given to us from our parents. But, there is good news in that we can control, treat, or modify other risk factors by changing lifestyle and/or taking medicine. These controllable risk factors are as follows:
Smoking
Tobacco smoke increases the speed of plaque formation in the arteries and also acts with other risk factors to greatly increase the risk of disease. The nicotine and carbon monoxide from smoking gets into the blood and can damage the lining of the arteries, which can give cholesterol a place to attach. It can also cause the muscles in the artery to go into spasm, which can reduce blood flow. Smoking increases the blood pressure and can also reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood, having serious effects on the heart. Constant exposure to other people’s smoke raises the risk of vascular disease even for nonsmokers.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, has no symptoms. The constant high pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries can cause damage over time. The damage can give cholesterol a place to attach to the artery wall, causing the beginning of atherosclerosis. High blood pressure increases the heart’s workload, causing the heart to thicken and become stiff. The actual cause of high blood pressure is not known, but certain factors increase the chance of having high blood pressure. They are excess weight, increasing age, hereditary factors, alcohol consumption, diabetes, and excess sodium consumption that is in table salt.
Diabetes
Diabetes is the inability of the body to make or use insulin properly. Insulin allows the body’s cells to use the glucose, or sugar, for energy. Diabetes can occur in childhood but more often in the middle age and among overweight people. It can go undetected for many years because there are no symptoms for diabetes. Besides seriously increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes can also increase the risk of kidney disease, blindness, nerve and blood vessel damage. Diabetes increases the speed of atherosclerosis that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, but the risks are even greater if blood sugar is not well controlled. If you have diabetes, it is extremely important to work with your healthcare provider to manage it and control any other risk factors you can.
High Blood Cholesterol
High blood cholesterol increases the speed of atherosclerosis. Cholesterol is a fat that is used by the body. Cholesterol comes from two sources; our own bodies produce it and also by eating animal products such as red meat, eggs, and dairy products. If there is too much of cholesterol in the blood, it can build up on the walls of the arteries causing a blockage.
Physical Inactivity
Physical inactivity is a risk factor for vascular disease because exercise helps to reduce other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body weight. Regular physical activity is important to decrease the risk of disease. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30-60 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity at least 5 days per week.
Obesity
Obesity and overweight increases the risk of disease, especially if a lot of the excess body fat is at the waist. Excess weight increases the heart’s work. It also raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, and can make diabetes more likely to develop. Many obese and overweight people may have difficulty losing weight. But by losing even as few as 10 pounds, you can lower your risk for vascular disease.
Stress
Stress and consuming too much alcohol also contributes to vascular disease. During a stressful situation, the body produces hormones and natural chemicals that increase heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, and increase blood clot formation. Chronic stress on a day-to-day basis increases heart and vascular disease due to the body’s stress reaction. Consuming too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, cause heart failure, and lead to stroke. It can contribute to high cholesterol levels, cancer and other disease, and produce irregular heartbeats.
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Angina or Chest Pain
Angina is not a heart attack, but a distress signal that the heart is not getting enough oxygen. Atherosclerosis and/or spasms of the arteries can cause angina and it can happen with activity, at rest, or both. It can occur during emotional stress or after a meal. If angina is not treated promptly it can lead to a heart attack.
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Heart Attack
If an artery that feeds blood to the heart muscle becomes blocked due to atherosclerosis or artery spasm, blood containing nutrients and oxygen cannot get to the heart muscle. The heart muscle cells deprived of the oxygen deteriorate and die causing permanent damage to the heart muscle. Depending on how much of the heart muscle is damaged, will determine the amount of pumping action of the heart that is left.
Symptoms of a Heart Attack
Heart attack warning signs are uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. Pain can spread to the shoulders, neck or arms. There can also be lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath. Not all of these signals occur in every attack.
Call 911 if you see or have any of these symptoms. Treatment can be more effective if given quickly. Every minute counts!
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Stroke
If an artery that feeds blood to the brain tissue becomes blocked due to atherosclerosis or a blood clot, or if there is bleeding into the brain from a ruptured aneurysm (a weakened area in the blood vessel), blood containing nutrients and oxygen cannot get to that area of the brain. The brain cells that are deprived of the oxygen deteriorate and die causing permanent damage to that specific area. Depending on the size and location of the damaged area will determine the amount of disability and recovery rate.
Signs of a Stroke
Signs of a stroke are sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. There can be sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Call 911 if you see or have any of these symptoms. Treatment can be more effective if given quickly. Every minute counts!
Think F.A.S.T. for Stroke
When you see someone who could be having a stroke, think F.A.S.T.
Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
Arms: Ask the person to hold both arms up evenly. Does one arm drift
downward?
Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred or
mixed up?
Time: If the person shows any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Brain cells are dying!
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Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral Arterial Disease, also known as P.A.D., develops when the arteries in the legs or arms are clogged with plaque. Just like clogged arteries in the heart, clogged arteries in the legs or arms mean you are at risk for having a heart attack or stroke. Plaque buildup in the legs does not always cause symptoms until the arteries become so clogged. It is important to discuss your risk with your health care provider. People who do experience symptoms include leg cramps, tiredness or pain in the legs, thighs, or buttocks during walking that goes away with rest. This is called claudication. Unfortunately, many who do experience the symptoms think that it is “old age” setting in. However, timely detection and treatment of P.A.D. can improve quality of life, help to maintain independence and mobility, reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, leg amputation, and even death.
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Healthy Lifestyle
How we live our life in the choices that we make is key to heart and vascular health. Eating a healthy diet and exercising daily is important to decrease our risk and help to control blood pressure, body weight, cholesterol levels, and diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends 30-60 minutes of daily exercise, eating whole grain products such as brown rice and whole wheat bread, fruits and vegetables, lean meat, poultry, and fish, low fat and fat free dairy products, and to cut back on saturated fats that can be found in red meat and processed foods. Scheduling an annual visit to your health care provider is important for health maintenance and disease detection.
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