...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...
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...lot of diseases which affect our communities. These diseases end up causing a lot of deaths. It is therefore important that nurses come up with a strategy of managing these deadly diseases. Examples of these deadly diseases are the heart diseases and stroke. Heart diseases are the leading causes of deaths in America. Stroke is ranked the third most cause of death in America. A combination of the two diseases poses a great threat to the communities of the United States. An advantage which people have over these diseases is that, these are also the most preventable diseases. They are caused by various factors which may include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, smoking cigarettes, obesity and overweight. These diseases are controllable by one managing their own lifestyles and living a healthy life. The issue being looked in this context is to reduce the community health problems. (Kvan, 2008) The goal of the nursing assessments is to improve the various health care systems in various communities and hence improve the quality of life. This is done through treatment of risk factors which cause heart diseases. The only hope about heart diseases and stroke is that, an early detection of any cardiovascular diseases can be easily treated. The community development programs prevent the reoccurrence of repeated cardiovascular diseases.(Lloyd, 2010) However, this is not an easy task. First, controlling the factors which majorly contribute to stroke and heart diseases...
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...Contributors to Heart Disease and Preventive Measures Contributors to Heart Disease and Preventive Measures Heart Disease is a condition in which blood to the heart is deficient because of narrowing or constricting of the cardiac vessels that supply it. Heart Disease is also one of the most common causes of death. There is several health and behavioral factors that can increase an individuals risk of heart disease. One factor is hypertension or high blood pressure. This can be caused by obesity, too much salt intake, high alcohol consumption, etc. Another factor that can increase the risk of heart disease is cigarette smoking. Smoking destroys the enzyme that prevents cholesterol buildup in the arteries, making the walls narrower causing blockage. Obesity can also increase an individuals risk to heart disease. As body weight increases, the volume of blood also increases forcing a high output of blood from the heart. All the changes in the structure and functioning of the heart and the number of metabolic abnormalities caused by obesity makes an individual more susceptible to this disease. Some other factors leading to heart disease are inactivity, stress, and family history of heart attack. An individual can take many preventive measures to reduce their risk of getting heart disease. Weight control is probably one of the most effective measures. By watching what one eats, controlling their salt intake, maintaining...
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...Heart disease kills more people in the UK than any other type of disease; almost 50% of hearts disease fatalities are from coronary heart disease or ‘CHD.’ It affects the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle with oxygen and glucose that it uses for respiration. Blood flow through these vessels becomes restricted by the build up of fatty deposits, caused be white blood cells combining with low-density lipoproteins which leads to plaque, this is know as atheroma. If blood flow to the heart is interrupted, it may lead to a myocardial infraction and in turn a heart attack. Thrombosis Thrombosis The stages of CHD start with the initial build up of atheroma, this is when athermanous plaques, formed from cholesterol, fibres and dead muscle cells, build up in the artery. It begins to budge into the lumen of the artery, causing blood flow to be restricted as the lumen narrows (as show in the diagram to the left). The presence of atheroma increases the risk of, Thrombosis; this is when atheroma breaks through the lining of the artery and forms a rough surface that interrupts the blood flow. The newly formed thrombus can block the artery reducing the blood flow to tissues beyond the blockage. The thrombus can also become dislodged and move to a different artery, again blocking and reducing blood flow. Atheroma also weakens the wall of the artery, at these weakened points the wall swells outwards like a balloon and fill with blood, this is called an aneurysm. These often...
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...ways of lowering the chances of developing heart disease. Regular exercise helps the heart to become stronger, so it can pump more blood around the body with less effort. Smoking avoidance not only reduces the risk of developing heart disease, but also the risk of many other serious illnesses, like cancer and emphysema. High blood pressure increases the chances of developing heart disease. There are usually no signs or symptoms of high blood pressure, so one may not be aware of having it. Therefore this needs to be checked with the doctor regularly. Alcohol avoidance is another preventive step to prevent heart diseases. People who drink heavily are more likely to die of heart disease than those who do not. Therefore, alcohol consumption should be in moderation. Eating habits are another important factor. Eating well can also help prevent heart disease. No one food can provide all the nutrition you need, so one must eat from a variety of foods every day from the following four food groups: 1. Bread, other cereals and potatoes 2.fruits and vegetables 3.low-fat milk and dairy foods 4. Meat, fish and alternatives such as beans and lentils. Although the heart is designed to last one well for one's whole life, but one must take care of it and follow the healthy life style measures and steps as discussed above. Types of Heart Diseases Summary: The main focus of this paper is to highlight the types of heart diseases Heart disease is a name given to a variety of conditions that...
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...1. Valvular Heart Disease Valvular heart disease is characterized by damage to or a defect in one of the four heart valves: the mitral, aortic, tricuspid or pulmonary. These conditions occur largely as a result of ageing. Most people are in their late 50s when diagnosed, and more than one in ten people over 75 have it. According to Professor Ben Bridgewater, consultant cardiac surgeon at University Hospital of South Manchester, ‘If the disease is picked up early, the outcomes from surgery are very good. Life expectancy goes back to match that of healthy people the same age. 2. The normal functions that would be affected by the disease. Normally functioning valves ensure that blood flows with proper force in the proper direction at the proper time. In valvular heart disease, the valves become too narrow and hardened to open fully, or are unable to close completely. Many of the symptoms are similar to those associated with congestive heart failure, such as shortness of breath and wheezing after limited physical exertion and swelling of the feet, ankles, hands or abdomen. Other symptoms include: * Palpitations, chest pain (may be mild). * Fatigue. * Dizziness or fainting (with aortic stenosis). * Fever (with bacterial endocarditis). * Rapid weight gain. 3. Changes in function caused by the disease There are many different types of valve disease; some types can be present at birth (congenital), while others may be acquired later in life. Congenital...
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...INTRODUCTION This poster presentation is about coronary heart disease and women. Along with the supporting paper I will attempt to identify women’s perception of CHD and some of the risk factors. The author will define coronary heart disease (CHD), and show its implication for women TOPIC AND RATIONALE Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the single largest killer of women in the United Kingdom (Hatchett and Thompson, 2002; Julian et al 2005; Mikhail, 2005). Women perceive breast cancer as a greater risk than CHD though 16% of all deaths in women in the United Kingdom (UK) were from CHD, in comparison to 4% for breast cancer (British Heart Foundation, 2005). It is suggested that these misperceptions may lead women to underestimate their risk for CHD and fail to seek early interventions to prevent unnecessary morbidity and mortality (Hart, 2005). I chose this topic for my poster presentation after reading an article in the newspaper regarding women’s perception of CHD. It sparked my interest as the article made me realize that breast and cervical cancer were at the forefront of my mind, with CHD rarely thought about. This perception I realized was due to the media; in women’s magazines where the campaign for breast awareness is highly visible and the general media where CHD is portrayed as the preserve of the white middle aged male. The BHF, which published the report on women and CHD, seem to perpetuate this view in their current campaign (BHF, 2006a). The campaign...
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...What is heart disease? Heart disease is a broad term used to describe diseases of the heart and the blood vessels around and through the heart. There are more than Eighty millions Americans that are affected by one or more types of heart disease. (Donatelle., 2011) This is a staggering number of Americans that have this disease. While this statistic does entail all of the different types of heart diseases we can get it still goes to show how much we are affect by problems with our hearts. While some people are born with defects or the disease may be hereditary, we can still avoid it. For some it may be a life change to avoid some risk of the disease. Having a heart attack will require a life change as well. Why not make the changes now before the disease hits us? It is important to be communicative with our doctors about our risk. It is good to research for information about how you as an individual can avoid certain risk factors. Knowing if there is family history of heart disease can help significantly with prevention. Even if some of us are diagnosed with heart disease there is help and treatment for the disease. Some may require surgery and some may not. There are usually some options a patient can take when being treated. Donatelle., R. J. (2011). Health: The Basics, Green Edition, Ninth Edition. Benjamin Cummings. Slide 2 It is highly important to be well aware of any risk factors that you may be susceptible too when it comes to heart disease. Since the heart is a vital...
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...TitleHeart Disease 1.What Is Heart Disease? The topic of heart disease usually centers on heart attacks but there are many other problems that can compromise heart functions, injure the heart tissues, or cause heart disease. Most of the major problems include coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy. The following slides will present these heart problems and their warning signs 2.Heart disease facts Heart disease refers to several conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. Arrhythmias, heart valve disease, congenital heart defects, and inflammation of the heart or its lining (the pericardium) are all diseases that affect the heart. However, this article will focus on the most common type of heart disease, coronary artery disease (CAD), also known as atherosclerotic heart disease (ASHD). Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death in the United States. Over a million people each year will have a heart attack and 25% will die before they get to the hospital while or in the Emergency Department. Prevention is the key to treatment of heart disease. Diagnosis of heart disease is often made by careful history taken by a health care practitioner. Some individuals may have atypical symptoms, including almost none at all. The testing strategy to confirm the diagnosis and plan appropriate treatment needs to be individualized for each patient diagnosed with heart disease. Treatment of heart disease depends...
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...Artery Disease The term heart disease is used to describe various types of heart conditions. Heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in the United States. It is also a leading cause in disability in the United States. More than 616,000 Americans die each year because of heart disease (National Center 2012). In 2010, all cardiovascular diseases together projected to cost $444.2 billion according to the American Heart Association (National Center 2012). In the United States, coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common heart disease. Coronary heart disease can cause heart attacks, angina, heart failure and arrhythmias (CDC 2009). The coronary arteries are the first blood vessels that branch off from the ascending aorta on the heart. They supply blood to the atria, ventricles and septum of the heart. These arteries supply oxygenated and nutrient filled blood to the heart muscle. They consist of a right and left artery that surround the heart anterior and posterior (Bailey 2012). Coronary artery disease occurs when there is a buildup of plaque in the arteries. The plaque that builds up is made up of cholesterol deposits (CDC 2009). With the buildup of the plaque, the lumen of the arteries narrows over time (CDC 2009). When this process happens, it is known as atherosclerosis (CDC 2009). Atherosclerosis is a serious condition because it can lead to angina or discomfort. The most common symptom a person can experience is chest pain or discomfort because the heart muscle...
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...Lifestyle Diseases Assessment Task : Report Health Unit 1A Contents 1. Introduction………………………………………………………………….Page 2 2. Risk Factors………………………………………………………………….Page 3. Personal Health Behaviours………………………………………………Page 4 4. Roles…………………………………………………………………………..Page 4 1. Roles of Family ……………………………………………………...Page 5 2. Roles of Friends………………………………………………………Page 5 3. Roles of Others……………………………………………………….Page 5 5. Future Implications…………………………………………………………Page 6 6. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………Page 6 Bibliography……………..………………………………………………………..Page 7 1. Introduction Lifestyle diseases are health problems that are brought about because of the lifestyle choices or the way a person lives. Lifestyle diseases can be prevented by altering the food you eat or the things you choose to do. Doing something as simple as walking to school instead of riding a car can influence your health. Heart disease is a disease that affects the function of the heart and impairs the normal functioning. It affects around 1.4 million Australians and kills 59 Australians each day; estimating one Australian every 24 minutes. Heart disease is caused by many risk factors that can be prevented. Shown by the graph below, in 2011 to 2012, the number of people who has heart disease increased with age. More than quarter of all Australians aged 75 years...
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...In the heart there is functions and malfunctions such as heart disease, and it could be caused by, diabetes, high blood pressure, past heart attacks, and they can lead to heart attacks if left untreated, and they also cause shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness, but there are still many more of heart attack/heart disease failures by these malfunctions too, by cardiomyopthies, coronary artery disease, diseases of the heart valves, heart defects present at birth and lung disease such as Emphysema. And their symptoms also may include, chest pain that also includes the neck, back and arm pain, sweating and irregular heart beating. It can also be passed down from generation to generation, but it’s also called, heredity. Besides if a family...
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...Heart disease, also known as the “silent killer” is one of the number one causes of death in both men and women in the United States, claiming approximately one million lives annually. More die of heart disease than AIDS and all cancers combined and by 2020, heart disease will be the leading cause of death worldwide. Types of heart disease include congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, angina, congestive heart failure just to name a few. The most common of all heart diseases is coronary heart disease also known as coronary artery disease. What is coronary artery disease? Coronary artery disease happens when the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become hardened and narrowed. This is due to the buildup of salt, fat, cholesterol and other material, called plaque, on the inner walls. This condition is known as atherosclerosis which leads to blockages. This process leaves the heart with a lack of oxygen and blood forcing it to work harder (high blood pressure/hypertension). As the heart continues to do this, the wall of the arteries weakens and becomes very fragile. At this stage, one of the arteries may rupture and form a blood clot that clogs up in the artery and block the pathways for blood to flow through to the heart muscle resulting to a heart attack. There are various factors that may cause the damage to the coronary artery such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or an inactive lifestyle. What is the normal homeostasis of...
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...Heart Disease and Stroke in Brookhaven Joanne Lauten Chamberlain College of Nursing NR443 Community Health Nursing Heart Disease and Stroke in Brookhaven Public health is a dynamic field of medicine that is concerned primarily with improving the health of populations rather than just the health of individuals. Nies defines public health nursing as; “preserving the health of the community and surrounding population by focusing on health promotion and maintenance” (Nies & Mcewen, 2007). Community Health Nurses are aware that stroke is one of the world’s leading preventable causes of death. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) every forty seconds someone in the United States has a stroke, making it the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (Centers for Disease Control , 2012). Community Brookhaven is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, and the largest town in New York State. Its south coastline is Great South Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean on the north. A large part of Fire Island and the Great South Bay are in the town. It has a large hill, known as "Bald Hill", in the hamlet of Farmingville, which marks where the glacier which formed Long Island stopped. At the top of Bald Hill is a Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Brookhaven National Laboratory is also located within the town. Demographic Data Epidemiologic Data According to the U. S. Census Bureau, Brookhaven’s total population is 490,016. The median age is 35 years, compared...
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...Cardiovascular disease also referred to as heart disease, is the narrowing or even blockage of the coronary arteries, which are blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. When the vessels are blocked, series of conditions may occur such as, heart attacks, strokes, chest pains, etc. However, coronary heart disease (CHD) happens slowly over time. Coronary heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of cholesterol (usually LDL, or triglycerides) and plaque deposits on the inner walls of the arteries. The buildup of the two can constrain blood flow to the heart muscle by substantially clogging the artery, or it may even cause abnormal artery functioning. Cardiovascular disease actually starts very young, as a child. Blood vessel walls begin to display strips of fat. Over time and with age, the fat builds up, causing small damage to your blood vessel walls. The fat turns eventually turns into plaque, as time goes by, the inside of the arteries develop plaques of different sizes. (Cleveland clinic). Being overweight or obese can lead to an accumulation of plaque in arteries. A plaque can rupture, causing a clot to form, and can dangerously lead to a stroke. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, if you are overweight or obese, you are at an increased risk of having abnormal levels of blood fats; including,...
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