Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease with approximately 450,000 deaths reported annually. So it comes as no surprise that learning more about the causes and treatment of coronary heart disease is a topic of great interest to many.
The primary causes of CHD is a narrowing of the large arteries by plaque. Plaques form when the inner lining of the artery has been damaged or roughed up causing accumulation of cholesterol laden foam, calcium, fibrous proteins, and smooth muscle cells. Over time this accumulation leads to hardening of the arteries, decreased blood flow, and ultimately arterial blockage resulting in a heart attack.
This process may continue for years, with no warning signs that something might be going on inside your body that could be life threatening. But as the blood flow to the heart starts to slow symptoms such as chest pain, back pain, shortness of breath, swelling in the feet or hands, circulatory problems in the extremities, fatigue, and excessive sweating may start to be noticed. Additionally, a blood clot can form on the exterior of the plaque that may block the artery completely and cause a heart attack. Blood clots can also break loose and lodge within a smaller blood vessel. Arterial plaque deposits are not necessarily isolated to one deposit. In fact multiple deposits can, and often do, form simultaneously.
Causes and treatment of coronary heart disease - Treatment
Generally the first step in treatment is to make lifestyle changes designed to control high blood pressure and high blood lipid levels. The four most often mentioned are saying no to cigarette and tobacco smoke; diet modification, by limiting saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of calories while decreasing sodium intake and increasing the amount of dietary fiber, fruits, and vegetables; and embracing regular physical activity 5 or more days a week, for a minimum of 30 minutes. Additionally, weight management, stress management, and supplementing your new diet with 700 to 900 milligrams of the essential fatty acids DHA/EPA found in abundance in cold water fatty fish/fish oil are also natural treatment ideas worth considering.
While the chances are pretty good the lifestyle modification will work, in some cases it simply is not enough. In these instances your doctor will likely prescribe a prescription medication. There are four categories; HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), bile-acid sequestrants, prescription strength niacin, or fibrates
What else? In our article about causes and treatment of coronary heart disease we have covered a lot of ground but there are two additional points worth mentioning. The first is to favor foods containing plant stanols and sterols, which have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol by up to 14 percent when combined with diet and exercise for a year or longer.
Our second point to consider is a natural cholesterol reduction supplement. Some people need a little help in when attempting to make a sweeping change in their lifestyle and natural cholesterol reduction supplements are a helpful addition that can pay real dividends over time.
Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality alternative health products and natural living, with over 10 years experience in the field. Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com
By Rob D. Hawkins
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