Coronary Artery Disease, Heart failure, Heart Valve Disease, and Heart arrhythmias are some of the most common heart diseases found in people of all ages. It’s estimated that at least 17.9 million people succumb to heart disease in a year.
Around $228.7 billion is directly and indirectly used by people with heart disease. So what causes one to get heart disease? And how do you prevent heart disease? Please read on to find out the answer to this commonly asked questions.
What are the causes of heart disease?
#1. Smoking
According to statistics, 19% of adults globally smoke tobacco. According to the National Institute Of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDKK), smoking doubles the risk of getting heart disease.
The chemicals produced in cigarette smoke cause one’s blood to thicken, thus forming clots and plaque around the blood vessels, a process known as arteriosclerosis. This, in turn, causes one to develop heart disease, with coronary artery disease being the most common.
#2. Hypertension
People who have blood pressures of more than 140/90mmHg are considered to be hypertensive. Hypertension (high blood pressure) causes one’s heart muscles to weaken and arteries to become less elastic, thus decreasing the amount of blood and oxygen flowing into the heart. This, in turn, causes them to have heart failure, a common heart disease.
#3. Obesity
Medically obesity is defined as having a BMI (body mass index) of more than 30.0 in adults. Physical inactivity, poor diet, aging, and genetic predisposition are all causes of obesity in most people. Fat buildup and accumulation (a process known as atherosclerosis) in arteries is a common occurrence in obese people. This leads to arteries getting damaged and clogged, thus leading to the development of heart disease.
#4. Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which one’s blood glucose exceeds the normal range. That is above 7.8mmol/L in people who haven’t eaten for at least 8 hours and 11.0mmol/L after 2 hours of eating. Blood vessels and nerves controlling one’s heart get damaged in an individual with diabetes, causing them to have heart disease.
How do you prevent heart diseases?
Below are some of the ways to prevent heart disease
• Observing a healthy diet. Consider eating fruits and vegetables and cutting down on carbohydrates consumption
• Engage in exercise activities at least 5 times a week for sessions lasting more than 30 minutes
• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Have your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels regularly checked by a certified medical practitioner
• Avoid smoking and if you are already smoking, try and quit
