Heart Health
Atherosclerosis
 Atherosclerosis is a disease in which a deposit of cholesterol gradually
builds up inside the blood vessels,
making them
narrower. It
is a systemic
problem that is
a risk factor for
heart attack,
peripheral artery
disease and
stroke. Symptoms
of trouble
include chest pain, shortness of breath, abnormal heart rhythms, pain in
the legs
and
neurological symptoms that might indicate stroke.
Despite a lot of progress, heart
disease
is still the leading killer
in the United
States. We are in a
curious
situation. We are blessed with
many wonderful technologies for
treating heart disease, but we
are not very good at
preventive care. Risk factors
are increasing at an
unprecedented rate. Epidemics
of obesity, diabetes and high
blood pressure are all long-term
health-care issues that contribute to heart disease.
We have many
useful drugs that modify the disease and reduce
the chances of future events such as heart attack
or stroke. They include statins that
lower cholesterol, drugs that
keep blood sugar under control in people
with diabetes and drugs that control blood pressure.
In patients who already have symptoms, we have a
host of technologies to call on: balloon procedures to
widen the narrowed vessels, stents to hold them open
and, when necessary, bypass surgeries to get around
the blockage.
The new frontier in therapies for
treating heart disease
is
the use of stem cells to grow new blood vessels to bypass
blockages. For people with a lot of muscle damage already,
the latest technologies include innovations in pacemakers and
defibrillators. These devices are becoming very good at improving heart
function and can make a big
difference in how people feel.
People aren't
making the
lifestyle
changes they need
to make to
prevent disease.
People need to
be active
participants
in their health
care by taking
better care of
them.
Avoid obesity.
Exercise. Don’t Smoke! |
