Heart disease is a medical condition related to disorders of the cardiovascular and blood vessel systems. Common types of heart disease include coronary artery disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, and these are the leading causes of death worldwide. So what are the causes of heart disease, what are the early warning signs, and what should be done to ensure the most effective prevention and treatment?
1. What is heart disease?
Heart disease is a group of conditions that affect the health of the heart and the performance of the blood vessels responsible for supplying oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. Common types of cardiovascular disease include: arrhythmia, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, and many others. These are the leading causes of death.
According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), about 17.9 million people die from heart disease every year, of which 85% are caused by myocardial infarction and stroke. In Vietnam, nearly 200,000 people die from heart disease every year, a figure higher than the mortality rate from cancer. Notably, diseases such as cerebral artery, coronary artery and peripheral artery are becoming more common in young people, while previously, these diseases often appeared in the elderly. However, many young people are often subjective, thinking that they are not at risk of cardiovascular disease, so they do not take preventive measures or early screening. This leads to serious complications and affects labor productivity in society. Moreover, congenital cardiovascular disease is often not diagnosed and treated promptly in the first years after birth, causing the rate of cardiovascular disease in young people to increase dramatically.
2. What causes heart disease?
The cause of the disease depends on the specific disease. Here are some common causes:
- Coronary artery disease: This is caused by a buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries, called atherosclerosis. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, being overweight, and smoking can lead to atherosclerosis.
- Arrhythmia: Common causes of arrhythmia include smoking, coronary artery disease, drug abuse, diabetes, congenital heart defects, high blood pressure, heart valve disease, stress, excessive alcohol or caffeine use, as well as certain prescription and over-the-counter medications, herbs, and dietary supplements
- Congenital heart defects: Congenital heart defects usually develop in the mother’s womb, after the heart develops, usually about a month after conception. Causes include medical conditions, medications, and genetic factors. Some defects can develop in adults due to changes in the structure of the heart
- Dilated cardiomyopathy: caused by reduced blood flow after damage from a heart attack, infection, toxins, and certain drugs, including those used to treat cancer. It can also be inherited from a parent.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: usually inherited or developed due to high blood pressure or aging.
- Rigid cardiomyopathy: Can result from diseases such as connective tissue disorders or the buildup of abnormal proteins (amyloidosis).
- Infectious heart disease: infections such as endocarditis, often caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites that invade the heart.
- Valveolar heart disease: can result from congenital heart valve defects or damaged heart valves due to connective tissue disorders, infections (such as infective endocarditis), or rheumatic fever.
3. Some familiar symptoms of heart disease
The following signs can help you recognize the possibility of heart disease early, and when you encounter them, you should consider seeing a cardiologist:
Shortness of breath:
This is one of the common symptoms of heart disease. Patients may feel shortness of breath regularly, like a feeling of pressure on the chest, especially when lying down or when breathing deeply. If this symptom becomes more and more obvious, you should see a cardiologist soon.
Feeling of chest tightness:
This is the most common symptom of heart disease. Patients may feel heaviness in the chest, chest tightness, or pain in the lower part of the breastbone. Angina attacks can usually last about 10 minutes. If you experience these symptoms, you should rest and see a doctor because it can be a warning sign of a heart attack.
Angina is one of the common symptoms of heart disease.
Edema:
If you notice a swollen face, swollen eyelids, or swollen feet after waking up or at a specific time of day, it could be a sign that you have heart failure.
Fatigue and exhaustion:
During your daily activities or right after waking up, you may feel tired and exhausted. This can be due to a lack of blood flow to your heart, lungs, or brain.
Persistent cough:
When your heart doesn’t supply enough blood to your body, blood and fluid can build up in your lungs, leading to a persistent cough, shortness of breath, and coughing when lying down.
Loss of appetite and nausea:
Although there are many causes of loss of appetite and nausea, this is also a common symptom of heart disease. People with heart disease often feel full and have a loss of appetite due to fluid buildup in the liver and digestive system.
Frequent urination at night:
People with heart failure often have to urinate at night due to fluid accumulation causing swelling in many parts of the body, including the kidneys.
Rapid and irregular heartbeat:
When the body is not getting enough blood, the heart rate may increase to increase the ability to pump blood. This can make you feel anxious, have a feeling of rapid heartbeat, and even palpitations.
Dizziness and fainting:
When there is not enough blood reaching the brain or the heart rhythm is irregular, you may experience dizziness or fainting.
If you experience any of the above signs, go to a medical facility for early examination. Choose a reputable hospital specializing in diagnosing and treating heart disease to ensure that examination and treatment are carried out effectively.
4. People at high risk of heart disease
Risk factors that contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease include:
- Age: the elderly are at high risk.
- Gender: Men are generally at higher risk than women. However, by menopause, the rate of heart disease in women will increase.
- Family history: If someone in your family has had heart disease, especially a first-degree relative, you are at higher risk.
- Smoking: Nicotine in cigarettes can constrict blood vessels, and carbon monoxide can damage the lining of blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis. Smokers are at higher risk than nonsmokers.
- Unhealthy diet: A diet high in fat, salt, sugar, and cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.
- High blood pressure: Uncontrolled blood pressure can cause arteries to thicken and harden, restricting blood flow.
- High cholesterol: High blood pressure and cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup and atherosclerosis.
- Diabetes: Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease.
- Obesity: Being overweight and obese increases your risk of these risk factors.
- Lack of exercise: Lack of exercise is often linked to many forms of heart disease and other risk factors.
- Stress: Unmanaged stress can damage arteries and increase the risk of heart disease along with other risk
- factors. Poor oral health: If your teeth and gums are not healthy, bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to your heart, causing endocarditis
Obese people are at high risk of heart disease.
5. Some common heart diseases
5.1 Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is a term used to describe conditions related to the heartbeat or electrical conduction in the heart, with a rapid heartbeat being the most common symptom of arrhythmia. There are two main types of arrhythmia: benign and malignant.
Benign arrhythmias usually last for a long time without causing life-threatening conditions. However, this type of arrhythmia can cause inconvenience and increase the risk of other health problems.
Malignant arrhythmias are dangerous arrhythmias that can lead to death if not controlled or treated promptly. Types of arrhythmias include tachycardia, bradycardia, conduction disorders (conduction block) and abnormal heart rhythms (extrasystoles).
5.2 High blood pressure
High blood pressure (or hypertension) is a chronic condition in which the pressure of blood against the artery walls is increased. High blood pressure puts a lot of pressure on the heart (increases the burden on the heart) and is the cause of many serious complications such as: stroke, heart failure, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, …
5.3 Heart valve disease
Heart valve disease occurs when one or more heart valves do not function properly, not ensuring the function of opening and closing so that blood only flows in one direction. There are two common types of heart valve disease, which are heart valve regurgitation and heart valve stenosis.
5.3 Coronary artery disease
The coronary arteries are the arteries that supply nutrients and blood to the heart and organs. When there is any cause (such as the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque, the formation of blood clots, or spasm of the coronary arteries) that reduces blood flow to the heart muscle, this condition is called coronary artery disease.
5.4 Heart failure
Heart failure is a pathological condition that results from the weakening of the heart, reducing the ability to pump blood to nourish the body effectively, leading to a decrease in blood pumping efficiency and the ability to nourish organs in the body. People with heart failure often face cardiovascular-related events. The issue of how long people with heart failure can live depends on their age, gender, disease status (degree of heart failure…) and whether the treatment method responds well to the disease condition or not.
Heart failure is one of the most common heart diseases.
6. How is heart disease diagnosed?
Doctors will determine cardiovascular disease based on the following factors:
- Family medical history.
- Risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, obesity, stress, and many other factors.
- Blood tests and clinical examinations.
- Cardiac X-ray.
In addition to traditional diagnostic methods, there are some additional tests as follows:
- Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Electrocardiogram (ECG).
- Holter monitor.
- Echocardiogram – Doppler.
- Cardiac catheterization.
- Cardiac computed tomography (CT scan).
7. Heart disease treatments
Heart disease treatments are varied and depend on the specific condition. Below are common heart disease treatments:
Lifestyle changes: are the simplest method but require perseverance from the patient. People with heart disease should choose a diet low in fat and sodium, exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes a day), quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption.
Medication: In cases of infection, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. Which medication is used for treatment will depend on the specific type of heart disease each patient has.
Some cases may use medication to treat heart disease.
- Surgery: If medications are not effective in treating heart disease, your doctor may recommend heart surgery.
Surgical interventions used to treat heart disease include: - Angioplasty: Treating a blockage by inserting a balloon-like device into the narrowest part of the artery. A stent (a small stainless steel tube) may be inserted to keep the artery open and ensure blood flow.
- Arterectomy: Surgery to cut plaque from an artery, allowing blood to flow freely.
- Arterial bypass: Your doctor may take a piece of artery or vein from another part of your body (such as your arm or leg) and use it to create a blood path around the blocked artery.
- Pacemaker: Using a small electronic device placed inside your body to regulate your heart rate.
- Heart valve replacement: If your heart valve is damaged or not working properly, your doctor may recommend replacing the valve.
- Carotid endarterectomy: In this procedure, the doctor will remove plaque buildup in the carotid artery to prevent stroke.
8. What to do to prevent heart disease
8.2 What to pay attention to to prevent heart disease?
Cardiovascular disease can be improved or even prevented by changing bad habits and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- Control blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels
- Do not smoke, limit alcohol consumption and harmful stimulants.
- Choose a healthy diet.
- Maintain a stable weight to avoid the risk of obesity.
- Have a plan to exercise regularly to improve health.
- Get enough sleep and avoid stress.
- Have regular health check-ups to prevent and detect heart disease early (if any).
8.2 Change to a healthy diet
What should people with heart disease eat?
Heart disease is a condition that requires a healthy diet and careful food choices. Here are some heart-healthy foods:
- Fish: Fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower blood pressure and strengthen the heart.
- Green vegetables and fruits: Kale, spinach, and chard provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Brown rice and whole grains: These foods help control blood sugar and provide fiber.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fat, which is beneficial for heart health.
- Walnuts: Walnuts are rich in fiber, protein, and monounsaturated fat.
Eating lots of clean vegetables and fresh fruit can help prevent heart disease.
What should people with heart disease not eat?
Some foods should be limited to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Specifically:
- Avoid eating too much food containing saturated fat, sugar, and sodium because these are factors that can contribute to heart disease.
- Controlling the amount of cholesterol in food is also important, and foods high in cholesterol should be avoided, including animal fats and greasy foods.
- Caffeine and alcohol: large amounts of caffeine and alcohol can have negative effects on the cardiovascular system, so they should be consumed in moderation and in control.
- Fast food and high-calorie foods: Fast food often contains a lot of bad fat and sugar, so it should be limited.
8.3 How to build a health exercise regimen?
To prevent heart disease, you should do physical activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, or yoga for at least 150 minutes a week. This is the amount of exercise recommended by WHO to maintain cardiovascular health.
Divide your time into several short sessions throughout the week and always adjust the intensity of your exercise to suit your health condition.
Don’t forget to listen to your body and focus on a healthy menu and overall health control.
