An epidemic in India
Coronary atherosclerosis is an epidemic in India. What is alarming is that the disease begins at a younger age in the Indian population.
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Coronary atherosclerosis is a condition which affects the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. In this condition, plaque builds up on the inner artery walls and over time the arteries get clogged and harden. The hardened arteries are not able to dilate to their full capacity to let the blood flow through into the heart.
The coronary arteries or blood vessels carry oxygenated blood to the heart.
Over time, a combination of cholesterol, fat, calcium and other substances found in the blood accumulate in the walls of the arteries forming deposits called plaque. The plaque narrows the arteries and hardens them. The hardened arteries are unable to dilate to their fullest capacity, thereby reducing the flow of oxygen and blood supply to parts of the heart. At times, due to the plaque, the arteries can get completely blocked, which results in heart attack or heart failure. The plaque also tends to burst, forming blood clots, which block the blood flow to the heart. This can cause chest pain, also known as angina, or a heart attack.
The factors which can put people at a risk of developing coronary atherosclerosis include:
Tobacco consumption is a major concern, with almost 40% of the heart patients in India being chain-smokers. 38% of the heart patients suffer from high blood pressure/hypertension, while 30% of them also suffer from diabetes.
Patients with clogged arteries complain of :
Clogged arteries can be diagnosed using several methods such as:
The complications of coronary atherosclerosis include:
If medicines are not able to restore normal blood flow through your arteries, your cardiologist may suggest the following procedures:
The plaque build-up in the arteries is caused largely by, LDL or bad cholesterol. There is also good cholesterol or HDL which acts more or less like a scavenger, hunting for bad cholesterol through the arteries and pushing it all down to the liver, where they are broken down and eliminated from the body as waste. Exercising regularly promotes blood circulation, and helps the good cholesterol or HDL to grow, which automatically brings down the level of bad cholesterol, thereby bringing down the risk of any heart disease. Exercising strengthens the muscles and few people are aware that the heart too is a muscle. In addition, exercising also promotes the growth of new blood vessels, which can bypass the blocked blood vessels making blood circulation easier and smoother throughout the body.
It is advisable to consult with your cardiologist, regarding which kind of exercises will suit you the most before starting an exercise regimen.
Coronary atherosclerosis is an epidemic in India. What is alarming is that the disease begins at a younger age in the Indian population.
Men are more affected by this disease than women, however, this disease is the leading cause of death among women.
The age range of the patients in India with coronary atherosclerosis is 31 to 81 years old with the average age being 55 years. The risk of coronary atherosclerosis increases with age.
Balloon angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure to open narrowed coronary arteries to restore proper blood flow to the heart. Know more about balloon angioplasty, side effects, cost, recovery, other useful facts and links on Procedure-Wiki | Practo
Rhinoplasty is known as nose job. It is a plastic surgery which helps in reconstructing and correcting the shape of the nose. Reconstructive surgery and Cosmetic surgery are the two types. Nose job helps in improving the appearance of the nose.
Angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure, which opens blocked coronary arteries and restores blood flow to the heart. Know more about angioplasty, side effects, complications, cost, recovery, other useful facts, links and videos on Procedure-Wiki | Practo
High levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of heart disease. Your cholesterol levels tend to rise as you get older. There are usually no signs or symptoms that you have high blood cholesterol, but it can be detected with a blood test. You are likely to have high cholesterol if members of your family have it, if you are overweight or if you eat a lot of fatty foods.
You can lower your cholesterol by exercising more and eating more fruits and vegetables. You also may need to take medicine to lower your cholesterol.
high LDL high cholesterol put you on a higher risk of atherosclerotic diseases and heart attacks especially if you have other is factors including hypertension diabetes or a history of smoking so I would advise you to continue / start taking statins which are cholesterol medications the dose of which depends upon your cholesterol levels also you need to start changing your dietary habits and include a regular physical exercise at least 45 minutes a day 5 days a week into your schedule nonetheless you have to stop taking fatty and junk food
good luck
Watch these simple explanatory videos for understanding the problem. Copy the link address to your browser
1) Chest pain - must know
https://youtu.be/xZunqXM3G1Y
2) Heart failure
https://youtu.be/rgN3ez7CkHc
https://youtu.be/j2LlMRwoX94
3) Three things to do in chest pain -
https://youtu.be/v7glVnwnLDg
4) Difference between heart attack and heart blocks vs heart failure
https://youtu.be/X5FDPT2bY3I
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Regards
Dr. PARAMJEET SINGH
MBBS, DIP. CARDIOLOGY (LONDON), FICC.
CONSULTANT CARDIOLOGIST
YASHODA SUPERSPECIALITY HOSPITAL