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Some preventive measures can lower the death rate from coronary heart disease. Apart from heredity, sex and age, the major cardiovascular risk factors are modifiable and are therefore those where prevention can do: cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and physical inactivity.

Cholesterol

Beware dangerous plaques

The executioners of the heart Cholesterol, a substance essential for our body, can become dangerous when their blood in the blood is in excess. The excess cholesterol is deposited on artery walls including the heart (coronary arteries), forming fatty plaques that thicken over the years (atherosclerosis).

Caution road narrowed

Consequences:

The caliber of the arteries is reduced;
Blood, many carrier ubstances s vital that oxygen flows from bad to worse;
Clots can form and block the artery completely.

Attack on all fronts

Atherosclerosis reached all arteries.

the coronary arteries that supply the heart (risk of angina, myocardial infarction, sudden death).

The carotid and vertebral arteries that supply blood to the brain.

The aorta (risk of aneurysm);
The renal arteries;
The leg arteries (arteritis).


Hypertension

Arterial pressure
The “Blood pressure” varies naturally to the rhythm of the heart:

When the heart contracts and pushes blood through the arteries, it is higher (systolic pressure);
When the heart relaxes and fills with blood from the veins, it is lower (diastolic).

That’s why your doctor expresses his position by two numbers: 12 / 8 for example (in inches of mercury). High blood pressure is too high a pressure of blood in the arteries: from 14 / 9.

A fight hard on the arteries and heart

Just as blood cholesterol, high blood pressure reached all arteries. It promotes the deposition of fat on their wall, with the same consequences.

In addition it forces the heart, subjected to the strong resistance of the arteries, an overload of work, tired and causes its premature failure (heart failure).

The Silent Killer

Some signs may raise the alarm (ringing in the ears, morning headaches, “floaters” before the eyes …). But often has no symptoms prevent hypertension.

Tobacco

Tobacco “you break my heart”

Tobacco is a major threat to the arteries:

The coronary artery (risk of myocardial infarction, sudden death);
The arteries of the legs: arteritis occurs almost exclusively in smokers;
Cerebral arteries (risk of paralysis).

Carbon monoxide takes the place of one of the oxygen carried in the blood and promotes cholesterol deposits on artery walls. Nicotine speeds up the heart, increases blood pressure, reduced the “on” cholesterol (HDL) cholesterol, increases blood platelet aggregation and promotes clot formation.

The target child and victim

The child often has to support the smoking of their parents, sometimes even before birth. As a teenager, it is highly solicited by an advertisement in search of new smokers. At 18, 2 of 3 teenagers smoke and girls as boys.

Women most at risk

In addition to effects common to those of men, a woman who smokes is at risk of its own: reduced fertility, more fragile child at birth, increased risk of stroke when taking oral contraceptives.

Inactivity

The era of sedentary man.

Physical inactivity in a country with strong technological development such as ours, is characterized by the progressive reduction of physical effort in most of our daily actions: professional or domestic travel, leisure, etc …

Physical inactivity weakens the heart.

Without regular physical exercise, the heart muscle loses its power of contraction. It receives and sends less blood in the body, so less oxygen to the muscles and organs. It recovers more slowly after exercise.

Exercise for a heart-shaped.

In developing the heart muscle, regular exercise gives a power reserve. A heart more muscular work longer without malfunction sends more blood in the body.