Diseases related to your heart muscle are one of the most critical illnesses for a person. It’s because the heart pumps blood and oxygen to your body.
Any disruptions in this organ system can cause complete body system failure. Cardiovascular diseases, or heart-related diseases, are the primary cause of 17.9 million deaths worldwide yearly.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is on top of this list because it’s one of the most common heart illnesses in the United States.
Its primary cause is plaque buildup in the wall of your heart’s arteries responsible for blood supply to the heart. Moreover, plaque is a composition of cholesterol deposits from your body; over time, the buildup can result in the narrowing of your arteries.
The primary symptoms of CAD include chest pain and discomfort, or angina. The buildup can cause chest pain because it blocks the blood flow to your heart and the rest of your body. Thus, it disrupts the blood flow. Aside from that, a heart attack is also one of the primary symptoms that hint at people about their illness.
Heart Attack
Heart attack is one of the most common symptoms of people who have heart disease. It’s because it usually happens when your heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood it needs.
When left unattended, it can result in CAD that, mentioned above, then causes a heart attack. Other causes of a heart attack include a sudden contraction in the heart and a severe spasm of your coronary artery, which stops the blood flow to your heart muscle.
Heart attack is relatively dangerous because it can be severe enough to cause death. A few symptoms you need to look out for are breaking out into a cold sweat and others ending up fainting. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and neck, back, or jaw pain.
If you or your loved ones are experiencing the symptoms, you should immediately call 911 or any emergency hotline. As mentioned, it can be severe enough to kill you, and the sooner you receive emergency treatments, the better chances you have of surviving a heart attack.
Heart Arrhythmia
Heart arrhythmia is also a symptom of a serious heart condition that causes irregular heartbeat, a problem related to your heart’s rhythm.
Take note that a fast heartbeat is normal if you’re stimulated with physical activity and a slow one while sleeping or resting. However, it gets dangerous when you experience frequent irregular rhythms.
It may indicate that your heart is not pumping enough blood to your body. You might feel faint, dizzy, have chest pain, sweating, rapid heartbeat, or an alternating slow and fast heart rate.
Fortunately, heart arrhythmia is treatable. If you start to feel an irregular heart rhythm, ensure you visit your doctor to receive the right treatments. If left untreated for a long time, arrhythmias can eventually damage your heart, brain, and other organs. So, you might also be at risk of other life-threatening diseases, such as cardiac arrest and stroke.
Unstable Angina
Unstable angina is a type of heart disease that causes pain or discomfort in the chest due to insufficient blood and oxygen flow to the heart. This type of angina disease is more severe because its attacks can be unpredictable and may occur without a trigger, even when resting.
Moreover, angina can also be a result of psychological stress. Also, like the other heart diseases on this list, lifestyle is the main risk factor for unstable angina. This includes alcohol and drug abuse, smoking, and a lack of physical activity.
How to Prevent Heart Diseases?
One of the most common reasons for heart disease involves cholesterol, and you can be at higher risk of developing one if you have a sedentary lifestyle. A sedentary lifestyle is basically living your life by being inactive, which involves little to no exercise, with much sitting and lying down.
Your best shot at preventing any sort of heart disease is to change your lifestyle. This means eating healthy foods and drinks and ensuring you’re physically active. Lower your cholesterol intake, and maintain a healthy weight. It’s also best to keep tabs on your blood pressure.
Aside from that, you can consult your healthcare provider about medicines that you can take to help you prevent (or treat) heart failure. A good type of drug you can look into is lisinopril, but the generic can cost up to $34.60. Fortunately, lisinopril coupons are readily available from providers like BuzzRx online for people who need them.
Additionally, smoking is also one of the primary causes of most heart diseases. So, as a preventive measure and to live an even healthier life, is to quit smoking,
Final Thoughts
Other causes of some heart diseases can be genetics or a family history of heart illnesses. Fortunately, you can do several things to prevent them from precipitating. That’s why you must connect with your healthcare provider if you experience chest discomfort. Aside from that, it would be best to live a more active lifestyle.