Coronary Heart
Disease
More about Coronary Heart Disease:
Regular exercise, dietary changes, no-smoking and regular checkups can go
a long way in preventing
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), SAYS Dr. S.K. Gupta.
India is likely to
become the
Coronary Heart Disease
capital of the world within a decade or less. Most Indians do not take
preventive measures seriously .
CHD Now affects the
rich and the poor in almost equal numbers. When the
Coronary Arteries
became narrowed or clogged by fat and cholesterol deposit and cannot
supply enough blood to the heart, the result is
Coronary Heart Disease.
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you most probably have
CHD.
• Have you ever had a
Heart Attack
?
• Do you suffer from chest pain that has been diagnosed as Angina?
• Have you had heart surgery such as a bypass operation or a Ballon or
Angioplasty Procedure ?
• Have you ever had an Angiogram that showed a blockage in Coronary
Arteries?
Additional causes for CHD
• Lifestyle changes.
• Unhealthy diet.
• Lack of exercise.
• Rising obesity.
• Genetic predisposition and higher numbers of related risk factors such
as diabetes.
• Hypertension and smoking.
Preventive steps include
• Dietary changes ( low fat, low salt, plenty of fresh fruits and
vegetables).
• Exercise.
• Quitting cigarettes.
• Regular checkups.
Tests to diagnose and assess the extent of CHD:
• Coronary Angiography.
• ECG or EKG.
• Stress test ( a treadmill test ).
• Nuclear scanning.
Some Facts:
• Middle-aged smokers who have high
Cholesterol and BP
could reduce their lives by 10 years.
• Those who are overweight risk shaving off as much as 15 years from their
normal lifespan.
• Housewives run a higher risk of
Heart Disease.
o Equated to working women. This is primarily because of their sedentary
lifestyle and being prone to
Depression.
• Life style changes are imperative to reduce the risk by half.
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