|
HowToPreventHeartDisease.com |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
What Are Emerging Risk Factors Of Heart Disease? Heart disease is the world’s number one killer for men and women. Classic risk factors include smoking; high LDL (bad cholesterol) and low HDL (good cholesterol); high blood pressure; physical inactivity; overweight and obesity; diabetes; poor diet; alcohol use. In recent years, researchers have revealed links between a number of health and lifestyle issues and elevated risk of heart disease. Sleep quality, emotional problems, pregnancy complications, gum disease and chronic inflammation conditions are some of the issues found. Apparently, the general public is not fully aware of these emerging issues. Sleep quality can affect the heart. In sleep apnea, the airway often collapses, and the airflow is blocked. The person awakens hundreds of times a night gasping for air. When one stop breathing, the oxygen level drops. The body will respond by releasing epinephrine (also called adrenaline), a stress hormone. When this happens over and over, adrenaline levels remain high. This can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure). According to a study published online October 15, 2018 in ‘BMJ’ Journal, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease, Type-2 diabetes and diabetic kidney disease. The effect is more pronounced in women. OSA is the most common form of sleep apnea.
Mental health problems, including depression,
anxiety, anger, loneliness, or ongoing stress, may raise the risk of getting
heart disease. A study published online August 28, 2018 in journal ‘Circulation:
Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes’ suggested that adults with mood disorders
like anxiety and depression may be more likely to have a heart attack or stroke
than people without mental illness. When one is in a poor state of mind, one may
be less likely to exercise regularly, adhere to a healthy diet, or take
prescribed medications. But it is also possible that the link between negative
emotions and an increased risk of heart disease is due to elevated levels of
stress hormones that could reduce flexibility in the blood vessels.
Pregnancy complications may increase the risk of hypertension and Type-2 diabetes. Women who have a history of gestational diabetes have a nearly threefold increased risk of developing ischemic heart disease, and higher risks of developing hypertension or Type-2 diabetes over time, as suggested by a study in a January 2018 issue of ‘PLoS Medicine’. Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth. Meanwhile, women who have preeclampsia may have a higher risk of developing hypertension and a twofold higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease by midlife. Preeclampsia is a condition that occurs only during pregnancy. Gum disease can lead to cardiovascular disease. People with gum disease (also known as periodontal disease) may have 2 to 3 times the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular event. According to a study published in March 2018 issue of the ‘Journal of Periodontology’, moderate to severe gum disease is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Gum disease also increases the body's burden of inflammation that is involved in heart disease. As part of the body's natural response to protect itself against harm, inflammation can be classified as acute and chronic. Acute type occurs when one has an injury or infection. This short-lived reaction rids the body of harmful intruders and repairs damaged cells. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, develops as a response to long-term exposure to unwanted substances in the body, like toxins from cigarette smoke or an excess of fat tissue, especially around the stomach.
Chronic inflammation plays an important role in
the development of atherosclerosis - the buildup of fatty, cholesterol-rich
plaque. The body perceives the plaque as abnormal and foreign, so it attempts to
wall off the plaque from the flowing blood. But if that wall breaks down, the
plaque may rupture, and clots may form to block blood flow. These clots are
responsible for the majority of heart attack and most stroke. Autoimmune
diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus involve systemic inflammation.
People with autoimmune diseases tend to have a high incidence of hypertension
and a higher rate of heart failure that might be due to untreated hypertension. Date: July 18, 2019
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright
2007-2012 © HowToPreventHeartDisease.com . All Rights Reserved.d........ |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
