| Heart Attack | | | | called a sphygmomanometer. This is a digital |
| | | | box attached to a tube with a cuff on the |
| Heart disease affects your heart's muscle, | | | | end. The cuff is placed around the upper arm |
| blood vessels, and electrical system and is | | | | and inflated to a certain level, then |
| the leading cause of death among women. The | | | | deflated slowly. A sensor in the cuff |
| most common form of heart disease is coronary | | | | provides information about the blood pressure |
| artery disease in which plaque (a fat-like | | | | or a doctor or nurse will listen to the blood |
| substance) deposits on artery walls. Plaque | | | | flow using a stethoscope. |
| build-up is called atherosclerosis. This is a | | | | |
| chronic condition that occurs in people with | | | | Hypertensive Heart disease |
| risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, | | | | |
| smoking, abnormal levels of blood fats, high | | | | Hypertensive heart disease is any of a number |
| blood pressure, a family history of heart | | | | of complications of arterial hypertension |
| disease and older age. When a plaque | | | | that affect the heart. It is one of the most |
| ruptures, it causes a blood clot to form and | | | | common causes of death in western societies. |
| suddenly block an artery. If this happens in | | | | Hypertensive heart disease is the No. 1 cause |
| a heart artery, it results in a heart attack. | | | | of death associated with hypertension and is |
| | | | actually a group of disorders that include |
| | | | heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and |
| | | | left ventricular hypertrophy |
| Don't smoke | | | | |
| | | | Treatment |
| Control your blood pressure | | | | |
| | | | Common medications include diuretics, beta |
| Control your cholesterol level. | | | | blockers, calcium channel blockers, |
| | | | angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) |
| Maintain a healthy weight. | | | | inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor |
| | | | antagonists, and direct vasodilators. |
| Exercise regularly. | | | | intravenous diazoxide or nitroprusside may be |
| | | | prescribed if hypertension is extremely |
| Eat a low-fat diet. | | | | severe and intensive care is necessary. |
| | | | Preventive measures against hypertensive |
| Take care of diabetes. | | | | heart disease emphasize control over weight, |
| | | | healthy diet (rich in fiber and vitamins), |
| Be aware of chest pain. | | | | and abstinence from drugs and alcohol. In |
| | | | cases of a severe heart problem, surgery may |
| High Blood Pressure | | | | be required to restore the normal blood flow |
| | | | in the heart and/or blood vessels. |
| High blood pressure (also called | | | | |
| hypertension) occurs when your blood moves | | | | In addition to medications, recommended |
| through your arteries at a higher pressure | | | | lifestyle changes include weight loss, |
| than normal. The heart is a pump designed to | | | | exercise, and dietary adjustments. Dietary |
| force blood through our body. Blood is pumped | | | | recommendations include increasing fruits, |
| from the heart through the arteries out to | | | | vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Whole |
| our muscles and organs. | | | | grains, poultry, and fish are also generally |
| | | | recommended. Tran's fats and saturated fats |
| Pumps work by generating pressure. Put | | | | should be avoided. Patients may benefit from |
| simply, too much pressure puts a strain on | | | | reducing salt intake. If you smoke, stop |
| the arteries and on the heart itself. This | | | | smoking -- cigarettes are a major cause of |
| can cause an artery to rupture or the heart | | | | hypertension and related heart disease. |
| to fail under the strain - in the worst case | | | | Reducing excessive alcohol consumption may |
| stopping altogether. | | | | also help. |
| | | | |
| Treatment | | | | Read about Acne Cure and Treatments and |
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| Blood pressure is measured with a monitor | | | | |