HEART DISEASES FACTS

World heart day: Sep 29

One in every two people thinks that the time to start worrying about heart diseases is after turning 30 years or later. However the risk of heart disease begins developing even before you are born. But healthy and active lifestyle eliminates the risk almost completely.Some heart diseases facts are given in this article.

Currently stroke and heart diseases are the world’s leading cause of deaths, killing 17.3 million each year. Also one in three deaths in India is due to heart disease.
Heart diseases strike children only when they are born with an inherited heart or blood vessel defect. Although heart diseases are typically diagnosed in adults its roots begin in childhood. The plaque fatty deposits inside the artery walls clog it and overwork the heart, begins building up in life very early, even in children as young as 5 yrs old.some of heart diseases facts are listed below.

BIRTH WEIGHT

The first factor that affects your heart is your birth weight. The children born with low birth weight (less than 2.5 kg) who rapidly gain weight after two years of age are at risk of hypertension, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Foetal undernourishment is more common than believed, not because of malnourishment but also because mothers-to-be may be eating food deficient in nutrients, or they are thin or overweight. In India two or three babies are born underweight. It can be prevented by mothers eating healthy and ensuring their toddlers, irrespective of their birth weight, stay lean and active.

Trouble starts if the baby puts on weight. Two or three babies obese two to 18 years old have at least one risk factor for heart diseases, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure. Excess weight makes them three to five times more likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes before they reach 65 years of age than children with healthy Weight.

YOUNG ONES ARE AT RISK TOO

• Its poor lifestyles more often that cause children-usually the ones who are overweight-to have high blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Stress and erratic sleep patterns also give rise to heart risks in young ones.
• Smoking worsens matters. So it’s time to begin annual screening for heart diseases.

Nearly half of India’s 250 million adolescents are obese. The reason, says experts, is because children are not active enough. Children need to stay fit, exercise and eat healthy to avoid risks of developing heart problems. The following measures can be taken to prevent these troubles:

• Eat home food as far as possible.
• Avoid packaged food, sugary juices and sodas.
• At least an hour of physical activity each day is must
• Each day, the combined time spent online, watching TV and playing video games should not exceed two hours.
• Ban on the sale of sugary drinks and junk food at schools.
• Focus on personal fitness from adolescence.

RISK AFTER 40

Once you hit 40, everyone needs an annual health check up with an emphasis on blood sugar levels, lipids and blood pressure. Though the female hormone estrogen protects young women against heart trouble but higher levels of hypertension and diabetes make them lose this advantage from the age of 40 years. Women get a burning sensation in the upper abdomen and may experience lightheaded, an upset stomach and sweating.Everyone should be aware of these heart diseases facts.

VITAL PARAMETERS TO RATE YOUR HEARTBEAT

It’s time to pause and listen to your heart. If the signs of heart trouble are caught early, a clutch of lifestyle changes are all you need to have it beating effortlessly.

• Keep your blood pressure below 130/80 hg/mm.
• Low density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) should be under 100 mg/dl.
•  Keep your high density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) over 45 mg/dl for men and 55 mg/dl for women.
• Keep triglycerides below 150 mg/dl.
• Quit smoking to halve your risk of heart disease (heart attack).
• Eat a high fiber diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, low fat and fat free products, fish, pulses, legumes, unsaturated oils as mustard, olive, and sunflower.
• Get active. Exercise for at least 30-40 minutes each day.
• Lose weight. Extra weight means that the heart has to work harder to supply blood to the body.
• Always take prescription medicines for risk factors such as high blood pressures and high cholesterols.