According to the Mayo Clinic (and every other authority for that matter), there has been an upswing in coronary disease over the last 20 years. In fact, a recent study found clogged arteries in young adults, age 16 on up ? suggesting heart disease doesn't only affect men and women in their 50s and 60s. The latest findings mark the first shift since the mid-1960s, when a decline in heart disease began.
In the study, researchers from the Mayo Clinic and University of British Columbia reported that of 515 people, ages 16-64, 82% (425 persons) had ?a degree of coronary artery atherosclerosis assessed at autopsy.
The researchers stated that 83% of that group had signs of coronary artery disease (CAD) and around 8% had a high level of the disease. Their 23-year analysis demonstrated three categories of decline: high level, any level, and average degree of CAD. Yet, the degree of these declines stopped after 1995 and may have actually headed upward? after the year 2000.
It is little surprise that there has also been a corresponding rise in obesity and diabetes rates during this same time frame. And the link between obesity, diabetes, and heart disease has already been established through relationships such as Syndrome X.
The introduction of computers and a more sedentary lifestyle, the growth of fast food chains and larger portion sizes, reduced physical education in schools and increased consumption of high-fructose corn syrup have massively contributed to the obesity explosion; which has now become an epidemic in North America.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that in 2003, just over a million American men died. Of these deaths, approximately 80% died of heart disease or one of the nine other leading causes of death among American men (cancer, unintentional injuries, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/COPD, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, suicide, kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease).
The American Heart Association revealed that over 410,000 men died of cardiovascular disease in 2004 and about one-fourth of all heart disease-related deaths occur in men, 35-65. Men typically develop heart disease 10-15 years earlier than women? consequently dying in their prime.
Surprisingly, heart patients rarely change their diet. You'd think they would considering they just suffered a heart attack but apparently old habits die hard. A February 11 Reuters article demonstrates this finding. Dr. Yunsheng Ma of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, conducted a follow-up study of 555 heart disease patients for a year. He and his colleagues discovered that few met ?recommendations for fruit, vegetable and fiber intake and were eating a ?disturbing? amount of trans fat.?
According to the article, researchers used the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), a measurement of heart-healthy eating, including ?fruit and vegetable consumption, amount of trans fat consumed, and ratio of white-to-red meat eaten.?
? The average score was 30.8'out of 80
? Only 12.4% at five or more vegetable servings daily
? Only 7.8% at four or more servings of fruit daily
? Less than 8% met cereal fiber recommendations
? Only 50% exercised for at least 20 minutes at least once in the past 3 months
One of the problems is only 20% had cardiac rehabilitation following an event; those that did, their programs typically focused on exercise, not nutrition.
Keeping Your Heart Healthy
Regardless of your age, you need to start making healthier lifestyle changes now. Here are a number of preventive steps you can take:
? Stop smoking or using tobacco products
? Eat a varied diet rich in living fruits and vegetables
? Minimize consumption of animal fats, trans-fat, and cooked plant fats.
? Minimize consumption of refined sugars.
? Maintain a healthy weight
? Exercise at least 30 minutes every day
? Have your cholesterol and blood pressure tested
? Diabetics should keep blood sugar under control through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and positive lifestyle habits.
Vitamins For Heart Health
The fact is, heart disease is responsible for the death of more American women under the age of 45 than any other single disease, including breast cancer. Whether someone has health insurance or not, more than half a million women a year die from heart disease. And more than 60% of those had no previous symptoms.
When a woman does find herself suffering from heart disease, she's less likely than a man to receive aggressive medical treatment, according to the American Heart Association. She's also more likely than a man to die from heart disease: 38% of women (compared with 25% of men) will die within one year following a heart attack.
While two risk factors -- the aging process itself and a family history of heart disease -- aren't something a woman can change, others can be changed.
Smoking is one area that can tip the scales in favor of a woman, as far as risk of heart disease is concerned. With numerous support programs available, in cities such as Houston, Dallas and Austin and throughout Texas, a woman wanting to quit smoking is well-equipped to do so, with the healthful benefits to follow.
And more and more people are deciding to quit, the overall number of adult smokers having decreased during the last 20 years.
Unfortunately, the number of teenage girls that are taking up the habit is actually increasing, which is a reason for concern. Smoking lowers levels of good cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. And cigarette smoking combined with the use of birth control pills has also been shown to increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Another factor that contributes to heart disease is high blood pressure or hypertension. Left untreated, the condition makes the heart work harder, speeds up hardening of the arteries (known as atherosclerosis) and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. While high blood pressure can sometimes occur during pregnancy, it usually goes away after childbirth. Although high blood pressure cannot be cured, doctors say it can be controlled with diet, exercise, and, if necessary, medicines.
Cholesterol levels are another risk factor when it comes to heart disease, and women in general have higher cholesterol levels than men due to the positive effect of estrogen on HDL, one of the most important predictors of cardiovascular health, according to a study in the American Journal of Cardiology. In short, the higher the level of HDL cholesterol, the less likely a woman is to have a heart attack or stroke. Once a woman goes through menopause, however, HDL levels tend to drop, increasing the risk of heart disease. HDL and LDL cholesterol levels can be improved by diet, exercise and, in some cases, cholesterol-lowering medicines.
Want more out of life? One way is to become less of a person, at least so far as your weight is concerned. Obesity is certainly a strong predictor for heart disease, but where the weight settles is also an important factor. The Texas Heart Institute, based at Houston's St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, says women who have a lot of fat around the waist are at greater risk than those who have fat around the hips. A plan of diet and exercise approved by a doctor is the best way to safely lose weight.
Yet another area of health concern in women at risk for heart disease is diabetes. A correlation between obesity, physical inactivity and high cholesterol levels may be part of the reason, but studies show that women with diabetes have a higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease than men with diabetes do. Proper management of diabetes is, therefore, even more important to women, throughout Texas and elsewhere.
Birth control pills may also pose an increased cardiovascular risk for women, especially those with other risk factors such as smoking. Researchers believe birth control pills raise blood pressure and blood sugar levels in some women and also increase the risk of blood clots, risks which increase as women get older. The advice of some: communicate with your doctor about any other cardiovascular risk factors that might exist, before taking birth control pills.
Drinking alcohol on an excessive basis is another risk factor when it comes to heart disease in women, notably in terms of its contribution to obesity and the raising of triglyceride and blood pressure levels, all factors which can cause heart failure and lead to stroke. While some studies have shown that the risk of heart disease in those who drink moderate amounts of alcohol can be lower than among those who do not drink alcohol, it doesn't mean those who do not drink should start or that those who do drink alcohol should increase the amount they drink. For women, a moderate amount of alcohol is considered to be one drink per day.
Hopefully, none of this is adding to your levels of stress, which is, itself, considered to be a contributing risk factor for both men and women. While researchers are as yet unclear about the relationship to heart disease, stress can lead to other risk factors such as smoking and overeating.
For women in particular, heart disease can be a significant health concern. Thankfully, there are things that anyone can do to reduce that risk. Yet even then, knowing that various options exist can be something of value.
Both Yuri Elkaim & Pat Carpenter are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Yuri Elkaim has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cardio Training, Fitness and Fat Loss. Nutrition Expert, Yuri Elkaim and his groundbreaking book have helped thousands of people in over 80 countries regain control of their health and we. Yuri Elkaim's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.
Pat Carpenter has sinced written about articles on various topics from Women, Marathon Tips and Insurance. Pat Carpenter writes for Precedent Insurance Company. Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at . Pat Carpenter's top article generates over 823000 views. to your Favourites.
