Cardiovascular Disease, Major Causes of This Risky Health Condition

The heart is one of the essential organs of the body. Quite often people talk about the heart being broken when referring to emotional pain caused by a failed relationship or the loss of a loved one.

But what if the heart is broken, unable to perform its core function of efficiently pumping blood to the rest of the body? Cardiovascular disease ranks among the highest causes of deaths in adults. Some people are born with inherent heart problems while others develop heart disease because of environmental factors.

 

Causes of Cardiovascular Disease

The cardiovascular disease starts with the damage to the inner layers and lining of the heart arteries. There are many factors that contribute to this damage.

Smoking

Smoking increases the rate at which the heart pumps blood, in effect tightening major arteries, giving the heart an irregular pumping rhythm and making it work faster.

This habit also causes damage to the lining of arteries leading to an accumulation of fatty material which makes them narrow.

This can then lead to heart attack or stroke. Smoking also reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood system because of the carbon monoxide that is inhaled. You should take note that this also includes secondhand smoke.

High Amount of Cholesterol in The Blood

You’ve probably heard from different quarters that eating a lot of junk food like fries and burger are bad for your health. This is because of the high amount of fat that is contained in such foods.

When there is a high amount of cholesterol in the blood, it accumulates on the artery walls and causes what is known as atherosclerosis that is a type of heart disease.

The arteries narrow and the flow of blood to the muscles of the heart becomes impeded or blocked. This causes cardiovascular disease and other heart diseases.

High Blood Pressure

A heart attack normally occurs when the supply of blood to the muscle tissues of the heart is blocked. This is usually caused by the arteries to the heart becoming thicker and harder due to a buildup of plaque.

High blood pressure results in arteries that are filled up with the plaque and are more susceptible to blood clots. Coronary arteries disease, cause arteries to narrow and this does not allow the free flow of blood through them.

Lack of Physical Exercise

Lack of physical exercise makes one a potential candidate for the cardiovascular disease. It does not necessarily mean that one should hit the gym for rigorous exercise routines, but a little physical activity like jogging or walking goes a long way.

Physical exercise improves the circulation of blood in the body, increases burning of excess fat and lowers blood pressure. It also increases the transportation of fat away from the heart arteries and to the liver for breaking down.

Final Words

Most people that suffer from heart disease do not realize that it is because of the small things that they choose to ignore. Unhealthy diets rich in cholesterol play a great role in causing cardiovascular disease, yet some people make it a habit of indulging in them.

Apart from those who are born with conditions that make them vulnerable to heart disease, most of the causes are things that we expose ourselves to willingly.