Heart disease or cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term used to describe a number of different conditions which affect the heart. The most common heart diseases are:

  • Coronary heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Peripheral vascular disease

Symptoms:

No single symptom unmistakably indicates a heart disorder, but certain symptoms suggest the possibility, and several symptoms together may make a diagnosis almost certain. A doctor needs to confirm your diagnosis by assessing your medical history, a physical examination and certain diagnostic procedures. Some common symptoms of heart disease:

  • Chest pain. This is usually felt in the chest but can be anywhere between the upper abdomen and the jaw, including the arms or shoulders.
  • Pain in the limbs. Pain occurs because the tissues do not get enough blood and are therefore depleted of oxygen and waste products accumulate.
  • Shortness of breath is the sensation of difficult or laboured breathing
  • Fatigue and reduction of physical activity due to inadequate blood flow
  • Palpitations are the awareness of heart activity. The sensation may feel like pounding, fluttering, racing, or skipping beats
  • Light-headedness and fainting.
  • Swelling, numbness, and changes in skin colour

Some symptoms for heart attacks are discomfort, pressure, heaviness or pain in the chest, arm or below the breastbone, fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn), sweating, nausea, vomiting or dizziness, extreme weakness, anxiety or shortness of breath, rapid or irregular heartbeats.

Remember, it is important to get a proper diagnosis as some symptoms are common with other diseases.

Major Risk Factors that can’t be changed:

  • Increasing age
  • Male sex (gender)—men are at greater risk of heart attack than women, and they have attacks earlier in life
  • Heredity (including race)—Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves. Afro-Caribbean and Asian people have a higher risk of heart disease than caucasian.

Major Risk Factors, you can control:

  • Smoking
  • Having high blood cholesterol
  • Having high blood pressure
  • Being physically inactive
  • Being overweight
  • Having diabetes mellitus
  • Being under too much stress
  • Drinking too much alcohol

Diet:

Three of the major risk factors of heart disease can be controlled by diet: blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and keeping a healthy body weight, as well as alcohol consumption.

Eating a diet low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help manage blood cholesterol levels, and is important for everyone, not just those diagnosed with heart disease. High blood pressure can be controlled by limiting salt intake and a healthy body weight can be maintained by following a healthy eating plan with an active lifestyle.

Many scientific studies have shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet can help maintain a healthy heart. This diet is:

  • low in processed foods and saturated fat, using mainly monounsaturated fats
  • high in oily fish which provide essential omega-3 fatty acids
  • high in fresh fruit and vegetables
  • high in pulses and nuts
  • low in salt
  • includes a low/moderate intake of alcohol

Lifestyle:

  • Regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity helps prevent heart disease. The more vigorous the activity, the greater your benefits. However, even moderate-intensity activities help if done regularly and over the long term. Physical activity can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes and obesity, as well as help lower blood pressure in some people.
  • Smokers’ risk of developing coronary heart disease is 2–4 timesthat of non-smokers. Exposure to other people’s smoke increases the risk of heart disease even for non-smokers.
  • Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, cause heart failure and lead to stroke. It can contribute to high triglycerides, cancer and other diseases, and produce irregular heartbeats. It contributes to obesity, alcoholism and stress.
  • Try to keep your stress levels at a minimum. Take time out to relax and wind down by taking up a yoga or pilates class or take up a new hobby.