Heart Disease Symptoms and Treatments

Lifestyle, stress and genetics continue to be factors in the increasing threat of heart disease in women and men over the age of 40. The way a person chooses to live their life determines the quality of that life. A sedentary lifestyle coupled with a high stress level has increased Coronary and Ischemic heart disease. Although congenital heart defects are created before birth, everyday life will determine how the flaws will influence the quality of life.

Coronary heart disease is created by a build up of fatty material called plague in the walls of the arteries. As the arteries narrow, the blood flow becomes restricted or blocked. This condition is called atherosclerosis. Blood clots usually form around the plague deposits, which further decreases the blood flow. When pieces of the plague or clotting breaks free, they move through the blood stream, eventually lodging in the lungs, heart or brain causing strokes, heart blockages or pulmonary embolisms. High risk include people with:

Diabetes

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

High-fat diet

Obesity

History of heart disease

Smoking

A lack of physical activity

Symptoms include both atypical and typical chest pain. Atypical pain is frequently a sharp twinge, which is in the left chest, abdomen, back, or arm. Women are more likely to suffer from atypical. Typical is a more compressing sensation; the feeling is more like someone was being hugged to tightly. The pain is more pronounced under the breast bone or sternum.

Often called the silent killer, Ischemic heart disease frequently doesn't present warning symptoms in the early stages. However, the later stages of the disease causes burning, heaviness or tightness in the chest that may radiate pain down the left arm. Since the symptoms can be easily over looked or explained away, the disease is frequently ignored until after the lack of blood has done permanent damage to the heart muscle