About Health
The Hidden Killer - Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of early death in the UK and many developed countries across the world. It can strike at any time and without warning. Research suggests that there are 2.6 million sufferers of the condition in Britain alone, many of whom receive no treatment at all because they have never been diagnosed.
The condition develops when the artery supplying blood throughout the body, becomes partially or wholly blocked, often through fatty deposits building up on the inside lining of the arteries. This can sometimes be treated, but if not diagnosed it could result in angina or a heart attack.
Heart disease doesn’t discriminate and can affect anyone at any time of their life. But as with other diseases, there are some groups of society who are at greater risk. For example:
- Aged 60 and over
- Dyslipidemia
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Obesity
What is important to know is that heart disease is largely preventable. By making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle and keeping your heart healthy, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Maintaining healthy arteries can also help to reduce the risk of other conditions, such as stroke, blindness and dementia.
Lifestyle changes, such as giving up smoking, controlling high blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol, maintaining regular physical activity and a healthy weight, controlling blood glucose levels and eating a healthy balanced diet – can all help reduce the risk of heart disease..