According to the World Health Organization (WHO), heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.
Cardiovascular disease is estimated to have killed 17.9 million people in 2019, with 85 percent of the deaths due to heart attacks and strokes. Heart attacks and cardiac arrest are some of the common types of cardiovascular disease that can be serious and even life-threatening.
Cardiovascular disease causes blockage in the arteries which stops the flow of blood to the heart. Without blood, the heart cannot get enough oxygen, which can damage the heart muscle. Lately, even young people are at risk of heart attack, which is worrying.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), chest pain, discomfort, difficulty breathing, pain in the upper body, including one or both hands, back, neck, chin or abdomen, sweating, and heavy head are warning signs of a heart attack.
If such symptoms appear, it is advisable to contact the nearest hospital immediately. The risk of heart attack can be increased by various conditions. Some of them are as follows:
High blood pressure
In people with high blood pressure, the heart forces them to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body, which can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cardiac arrest. Blood pressure above 140/90 is considered high blood pressure. If the pressure goes above 180/120, it is considered serious. Since it comes with no symptoms, high blood pressure is often referred to as a silent killer.
Cholesterol
Bad cholesterol in the blood causes plaque build-up in the arteries, which is dangerous for the heart. As the amount of bad cholesterol in the arteries increases, the blood vessels become narrower and blood flow to the heart, brain, kidneys and other parts of the body may decrease. As a result, the risk of heart attack increases.
High blood sugar levels or diabetes
High blood sugar can cause long-term narrowing and narrowing of the arteries. Even though blood sugar builds up in a person with diabetes, the body cannot use all the sugar present, so the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart are blocked and damaged. Which increases the risk of heart disease.
Overweight
Problems with being overweight or obese can increase the risk of heart attack and other heart diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity raises bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as heart disease.
