Your heart is a muscle that gets energy with oxygen and nutrients carried by blood. An uninterrupted blood supply allows the heart to function properly. Most people believe that heart disease are only one type of health problem. But in reality, heart disease involve a group of health problems that affect the structure and functioning of the heart and the causes are multiple. Coronary artery disease, for example, develops when a mixture of body fat, calcium and scar tissue (called "plaque") build up inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle (coronary arteries) . The plaque buildup narrows the arteries and prevents the heart from getting enough blood.
For more information, see our site on the anatomy of the heart and the various cardiovascular diseases .
What can you do
Heart disease is preventable and treatable.
Your best defense is to control risk factors that could cause heart disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and being overweight.
If you have been diagnosed with a heart problem, there are treatments that help control your disease. You can further reduce your risk by taking these steps heart healthy:
- Smokefree
- Be physically active
- Know and control your blood pressure
- Eat a healthy diet lower in fat, especially trans fat and saturated fat
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Manage Your Diabetes
- Limit your alcohol consumption
- Reduce your stress level
- Consult your doctor regularly and follow his advice
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