A Human heart is a four chambered muscular organ, approximately the size of a clenched fist. It is 14 cms long and 9 cms wide, weighing about 230-340 grams. It is the strongest muscle in the human body and the main function of it is to pump blood through the cardiovascular system (comprising of heart and blood vessels).
Our body tissues require continuous beating of the heart as they need freshly oxygenated blood supply for their survival. And this entire system which works relentlessly all day and night is vulnerable to breakdown due to variety risk factors eventually prompting cardiovascular diseases.
There are several types of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, stroke, congenital heart disease. According to WHO, coronary heart disease alone kills about 7 million people each year and most of these deaths are in developing countries.
An attack happens when blood supply to heart is either severely cut off or reduced due to a blocked artery. It is a circulation problem due to which the heart may be damaged due to lack of quick medical attention.
The risk factors responsible for the cardiovascular diseases such are:
• Age
• Gender
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking or Tobacco use
• Hypertension
• Previous Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Irregular heart beat
• Obesity
• High cholesterol
• Heavy alcohol use
The warning signs or symptoms of heart attack vary in men and women. Yet the classic symptoms such as pressure, fullness, pain in the centre of chest radiating to neck and shoulder, shortness o f breath, unexplained anxiety, palpitation are more or less same. The first few hours of attack are very critical to survive an attack. So a prompt action and medical attention is the need of the hour!
0 comments:
Post a Comment