When you're overweight or obese, your heart has to work harder to pump blood through your body. But all that extra effort puts strain on your arteries. Your arteries, in turn, resist this flow of blood, causing your blood pressure to rise.
Obesity leads to heart failure in several ways. More body fat leads to higher blood volume, which in turn makes your heart work harder to pump all the extra liquid. Over the years, this causes harmful changes in the heart's structure and function that can eventually lead to heart failure.
How does obesity increase the risk of heart and circulatory diseases? Being overweight can lead to fatty material building up in your arteries (the blood vessels that carry blood to your organs). If the arteries that carry blood to your heart get damaged and clogged, it can lead to a heart attack.
A study by Johns Hopkins researchers of more than 13,000 people has found that even after accounting for such risk factors as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, so-called morbid obesity appears to stand alone as a standout risk for heart failure, but not for other major types of heart disease.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of heart attacks. CHD is a condition in which the coronary arteries (the major blood vessels that supply the heart with blood) become clogged with deposits of cholesterol. These deposits are called plaques.
Smoking increases the formation of plaque in blood vessels. Coronary Heart Diseaseoccurs when arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle are narrowed by plaque or blocked by clots. Chemicals in cigarette smoke cause the blood to thicken and form clots inside veins and arteries.
Heart failureRapid weight gain or swelling in particular areas of the body can be due to fluid retention and may be a sign of heart failure. According to the American Heart Association, a weight gain of more than 2–3 pounds (lb) over 24 hours or 5 lb in a week could be a sign of heart failure.
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is treatable, but there is no cure. This means that once diagnosed with CAD, you have to learn to live with it for the rest of your life. By lowering your risk factors and losing your fears, you can live a full life despite CAD.
Heart failure signs and symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you exert yourself or when you lie down.
- Fatigue and weakness.
- Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet.
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat.
- Reduced ability to exercise.
- Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm.
Survival rates were 48%, 28%, 18%, and 9% for patients with single-, double-, triple-, and left main artery disease, respectively. Abnormalities documented by ventriculography were related to survival.
Coronary artery disease develops when the major blood vessels that supply your heart become damaged or diseased. Cholesterol-containing deposits (plaques) in your coronary arteries and inflammation are usually to blame for coronary artery disease. The coronary arteries supply blood, oxygen and nutrients to your heart.
Exercising regularly reduces your risk of having a heart attack. The heart is a muscle and, like any other muscle, benefits from exercise. A strong heart can pump more blood around your body with less effort. Any aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming and dancing, makes your heart work harder and keeps it healthy.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that you can unclog the arteries with vinegar. Some people even use apple cider vinegar for peripheral artery disease, a common complication of atherosclerosis. Unfortunately, no single food can prevent or cure these disorders. It's your overall diet that matters.
Coronary Artery Disease Symptoms
- Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body including the arms, left shoulder, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
- Sweating or "cold sweat"
- Fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like "heartburn")
- Nausea or vomiting.
The number of people affected by heart disease increases with age in both men and women. About four out of five people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 or older. Because heart disease becomes more common as you age, it's important to have regular checkups and watch your heart disease risk factors.
Do clogged arteries cause any symptoms?
- Chest pain.
- Shortness of breath.
- Heart palpitations.
- Weakness or dizziness.
- Nausea.
- Sweating.
Raised blood pressure is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The global prevalence of raised blood pressure (defined as systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure more than or equal to 140/90 mmHg) in adults aged 18 years and over was around 24.1% in men and 20.1% in women in 2015.
Major Risk Factors
- High Blood Pressure (Hypertension). High blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
- High Blood Cholesterol. One of the major risk factors for heart disease is high blood cholesterol.
- Diabetes.
- Obesity and Overweight.
- Smoking.
- Physical Inactivity.
- Gender.
- Heredity.
Studies suggest that the high levels of cortisol from long-term stress can increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure. These are common risk factors for heart disease. This stress can also cause changes that promote the buildup of plaque deposits in the arteries.
Types of Cardiovascular Disease
- Coronary artery disease is the build-up of plaque in the arteries supplying blood to the heart.
- Peripheral artery disease is the build-up of plaque in the arteries supplying blood to the arms and legs.
- Carotid artery disease is the build-up of plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the brain.
Exercise also increases your levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol that lowers heart disease risk by flushing the artery-clogging LDL or "bad" cholesterol out of your system. Along with lowering your risk for heart disease, exercise: Keeps your weight down. Improves your mood.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to reduce your chances of getting heart disease:
- Control your blood pressure.
- Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control.
- Stay at a healthy weight.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Get regular exercise.
- Limit alcohol.
- Don't smoke.
- Manage stress.
These screenings include blood tests for cholesterol, lipid, and triglyceride levels that help detect conditions that may lead to a heart attack or stroke.
A buildup of fatty plaques in your arteries (atherosclerosis) is the most common cause of coronary artery disease. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as a poor diet, lack of exercise, being overweight and smoking, can lead to atherosclerosis.
What is a cardiac risk assessment? This is a group of tests and health factors that have been proven to indicate your chance of having a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke. They have been refined to indicate the degree of risk: borderline, intermediate, or high risk.
