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Heart Disease

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Heart disease is accountable for more than 30% of all deaths; over 90% of the causes of this disease are preventable and controllable. The name heart disease is also known as coronary artery disease. The arteries are the blood vessels that supply blood to and from the heart. When the blood vessels are blocked, normal blood flow is lost to the heart. The blockage is caused by plaque, which contains large amounts of cholesterol. This plaque builds up on the inside of the coronary arteries and decreases the flow of blood that feeds the heart. Once the blood flow is impaired, it causes damage to the heart muscle. Even though the name heart attack sounds major, permanent damage only kills a portion of the heart. Death occurs, as a result of impaired blood flow, when the heart starts beating abnormally because it cannot effectively pump blood through the body. Many people today who have heart disease have lifelong disabilities like chest pains, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Living with these disabilities can certainly decrease the quality of life one may have.

Knowing ways to control heart disease will empower the choices to change the lifestyle. Some changes give the ability to modify the risks while other changes are impossible. For example, if heart disease attributes to family history and environmental factors, there is likely chance the generations to come will encounter the disease. Controllable changes include any current behaviors such as smoking, drinking, diet and exercise.

Major risk factors for heart disease are diabetes, cigarette smoking, elevated cholesterol, hypertension, and obesity. Diabetes is known to create fatty deposits over time inside the wall of the blood vessels. These deposits may affect blood flow creating an increase chance of clotting or the hardening of the blood vessels. A diabetic with type 2 diabetes is twice as

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