Heart Disease

What is heart disease?

Heart Disease under its umbrella covers different types of medical conditions that include
blood vessel disease such as Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), arrhythmias, congenital heart
defects among others. The term heart disease is also popularly known as Cardiovascular
Disease that results narrowed or blocked blood vessels leading to heart attack, chest pain,
or stroke. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is responsible for the numerous deaths worldwide
with about one in six men and one in ten women dying from CHD every year. In the United
States, heart disease has emerged as the number one killer and is the major cause of
disability.

What are the symptoms of heart disease in men?

The symptoms of heart disease in men depend upon the type of heart disease a patient is
having. For instance in the case of atherosclerotic disease which is caused by narrowed,
blocked or stiffened blood vessels - the symptoms can include:

Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Pain that may occur in throat, upper abdomen, jaw, neck etc
Numbness in legs, arms where the blood vessels in those areas have
narrowed.

The heart disease symptoms in case of heart arrhythmias include

Slow heart beat

Dizziness
Fluttering of the chest
Syncope or near fainting
Tachycardia or racing heart beat

Serious congenital heart disease symptoms can become evident soon after the birth
especially among children and the symptoms of this heart disease include Swelling in the legs, abdomen or around the areas of the eyes.
The skin of the child may appear blue, pale gray
Shortness of breath in case of infants and poor weight gain
Heart disease symptoms caused by weak heart muscles also called dilated cardiomyopathy.
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a medical condition that results in the thickening and stiffening of
heart muscles and the symptoms of this disease include Fatigue
Breathlessness when at rest or due to exertion
Dizziness, fainting and lightheadedness
What are the causes of heart disease-?
The causes of heart disease vary according to the type of heart disease. In case of heart
arrhythmia the common causes include

High blood pressure

Diabetes
Smoking
Stress
Drug abuse
Excessive use of alcohol or caffeine etc

Cardiomyopathy that results in the enlargement of heart muscle may be due to the
following causes Reduced blood flow to the heart (ischemic heart disease)
Certain infections
Due to consuming certain drugs in the process of chemotherapy
treatment for cancer
Aging or high blood pressure

Why heart failure or heart attack occurs in men

In majority of cases, the heart failure in men occurs due to coronary artery disease that is
may be the result of blockage in hearts blood supply interrupted by a built up of fatty
substances in the coronary arteries. This process is known as atherosclerosis that is caused
by lifestyle factors and other causes such as:

Smoking
High Cholesterol due to dietary habits
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Sedentary life style etc.

What are the preventative steps that can be taken to reduce or avoid heart disease?
The risk of getting heart disease such as Coronary Heart Disease or CHD can be reduced by
making some simple lifestyle changes and these include

Eating a healthy and balanced diet

Quitting alcohol and smoking
Controlling blood cholesterol and sugar levels
Remaining physically active by doing or imbibing exercises, aerobics as a daily
routine.