Women's Health Articles

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US. One in four people are afflicted with some form of the disease, which amounts to roughly 61 million Americans. CVD is attributed to 42% of all deaths, taking almost 1 million lives each year.

Common, yet serious, conditions that fall under the CVD umbrella are: atherosclerosis, angina, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, heart failure, stroke and arrhythmia. If cardiovascular conditions are detected early on, the odds of combating their effects and possibly reversing them altogether can be increased significantly.

Understanding Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular Disease encompasses all diseases related to the cardiovascular system, including dysfunctional conditions of the heart, arteries and veins that supply oxygen to vital life-sustaining areas of the body such as the brain, the heart itself and other vital organs.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the most common of the cardiovascular conditions and lies at the root of most of the major diseases affiliated with the heart. Atherosclerosis is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries caused by the slow buildup of plaque on the inside walls of the arteries.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), occurs when atherosclerosis results in a partial or total blockage to the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the muscles of the heart. CAD is the most common underlying cause of heart attack.

Angina is the medical term used to describe chest pain or discomfort that occurs when the heart muscle does not get enough blood. Usually the pain starts in the chest behind the breastbone but may also occur in the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, throat, stomach or back. Angina can be a sign of an impending heart attack.

Heart attacks occur when a clot in the coronary artery blocks the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle. Often, the blockage leads to cardiac arrhythmia, an abnormally high or abnormally low heart rate that causes a severe decrease in the pumping function of the heart and may bring about sudden death.

A Stroke is caused by an inadequate oxygen flow to the brain. Strokes that don?t result in death can be mild, known as Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA), or they can be severely damaging to the brain, causing paralysis and cognitive malfunction.

Heart Failure

Heart failure usually develops slowly, often over years. Some people may not become aware of their condition until symptoms appear years after their heart began its decline. Symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, swelling of the ankles and feet, and weight gain due to water retention.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

With so many people affected by cardiovascular disease, it is important to be familiar with the associated risk factors.

High Cholesterol- Cholesterol is an important factor in brain function, and is the structural material from which the hormones progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, DHEA and cortisol are made.

Proper ranges of cholesterol are important to the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Total blood cholesterol above 200, LDL cholesterol above 130, HDL cholesterol below 35 and lipoprotein levels greater than 30 are all indicators of problematic cholesterol.

High Blood Pressure- High blood pressure, or Hypertension, often results from excess fat or plaque buildup because of the extra effort it takes to circulate the blood.

Blood pressure levels at or below 120/80 are considered to be within the normal range. 140/90 or higher is considered to be within the high range. Blood pressure levels ranging from between 120-139/80-89 fall within the range of pre-hypertension, which means that you are more likely to develop high blood pressure unless you take action immediately to prevent it.

Diet- A healthy diet is essential. You should eat five to seven fruits and vegetables a day, whole grains, a handful of nuts, and low-fat meats, chicken and fish cooked in olive oil or other excellent tasty oils. Avoid sugars and processed foods.

Diabetes- Persons with diabetes lack the necessary hormone, insulin, to break down digested sugars, or are resistant to its effects. As a result, a person with diabetes is at the same level of risk for having a heart attack as a person who has had a prior heart attack.

Stress- When the body is consistently under a lot of stress, it releases too much of the hormone cortisol. This puts an extra strain on the heart as the blood pressure rises and the body retains too many excess fluids.

Lack of Exercise- Fall in love with exercise! The heart is like all other muscles in the body. In order to stay in good shape and function properly, it needs to be exercised. Exercise will help control other risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and stress management.

Diagnosing Cardiovascular Disease

Until recently, the ability to detect heart related conditions was limited and the ability to detect early onset was virtually impossible without the use of expensive and potentially dangerous procedures. Due to the advancement of technology and decades of valuable research, a new diagnostic machine, the CardioSpec, has recently been made available to physicians to detect cardiovascular disease with greater accuracy and specificity in less than 2 minutes and without the need for invasive procedures.

The CardioSpec is highly effective in diagnosing seven types of cardiovascular disease - coronary artery disease, heart attack, left ventricular dysfunction, left ventricular enlargement, conduction abnormalities, arrhythmia, and pulmonary heart disease - with more than a 90% accuracy rate. The diagnostic system works by evaluating the function of the heart directly, detecting subtle changes in the hearts function or injuries caused by obstruction of small coronary arteries, which cannot be detected by catheterization or angiography.

Early detection of cardiovascular disease could mean the difference between life and death. If you have any of the risk factors associated with CVD, see your physician as soon as possible. After a thorough evaluation, your physician can determine if you have CVD and begin to develop a treatment plan that works for you. CVD does not have to be a life sentence and with some significant lifestyle changes, you can be on the road to recovery. But the first step is ACTION. Call your doctor today.