Heart Disease: What It Is, How to Treat, and Prevent Attacks

by taylorevance@gmail.com | August 16, 2024 6:04 pm

Heart disease, or cardiovascular disease (CVD), is a range of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. It is the leading cause of death in the USA and is also one of the most preventable chronic diseases. Heart disease primarily results from damage to the blood vessels, the heart muscle, or the electrical system that regulates the heart’s rhythm. This damage can be due to various factors, including lifestyle choices, parasites, and other underlying health conditions.

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There are several types of heart disease, each with its causes, symptoms, and treatments. Here are some of the most common ones:

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): This is the most common type of heart disease. It occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become narrowed or blocked due to plaque buildup (atherosclerosis). This can lead to chest pain (angina), heart attacks, and other complications.
Heart Arrhythmias: Problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. Arrhythmias can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. Common types include atrial fibrillation, bradycardia, and tachycardia.
Heart Failure: Also known as congestive heart failure, occurs when the heart cannot pump blood efficiently to meet the body’s needs. It can be caused by CAD, high blood pressure, or other underlying conditions.
Heart Valve Disease: Occurs when one or more of the heart’s valves do not work properly. The valves may be narrowed (stenosis), leaky (regurgitation), or prolapsed, leading to disrupted blood flow through the heart.
Cardiomyopathy: Refers to diseases of the heart muscle that make it harder for the heart to pump blood. Types of cardiomyopathy include dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Congenital Heart Defects: These are structural problems with the heart that are present at birth. They can range from mild to severe and may require surgical intervention.
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): While not directly a heart disease, PAD is closely related. It occurs when the arteries in the limbs, usually the legs, become narrowed or blocked, leading to reduced blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Endocarditis: Infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium). It typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in your heart.
Myocarditis: Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). Viral infections often cause it, but it can also result from bacterial infections, fungal infections, or autoimmune diseases.
Pericarditis: Inflammation of the pericardium, the thin sac-like membrane surrounding the heart. It can occur due to infections, autoimmune diseases, or as a complication following a heart attack.
Rheumatic Heart Disease: A complication of rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that can develop after an untreated or poorly treated streptococcal throat infection (strep throat). It can cause permanent damage to the heart valves and the heart muscle.
Hypertensive Heart Disease: Caused by high blood pressure (hypertension). Over time, high blood pressure can lead to thickening of the heart muscle, coronary artery disease, and heart failure.
Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD): Also known as coronary heart disease (CHD) or coronary artery disease (CAD), it occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood due to narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. This is often caused by atherosclerosis.
Broken Heart Syndrome (Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy): A temporary heart condition that is often triggered by extreme emotional or physical stress, such as the loss of a loved one. A sudden weakening of the heart muscle characterizes it.
Pulmonary Hypertension: A type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. Over time, it can cause the right side of the heart to weaken and fail.
Cardiac Amyloidosis: A rare disease that occurs when amyloid, an abnormal protein, builds up in the heart tissue, making it difficult for the heart to work properly. This condition is often associated with multiple myeloma or other conditions that cause protein deposits.
Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection: A bulge in the wall of the aorta, the main artery carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If the aneurysm ruptures or tears (dissection), it can cause life-threatening bleeding.
Cardiac Sarcoidosis: A form of sarcoidosis that affects the heart. Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that causes granulomas (clusters of immune cells) to form in various organs, including the heart.

The above is not a complete list by any means; regardless of what type of cancer one faces, some specific contributors can be addressed to help one become more knowledgeable and potentially evade further risk of declining heart condition or another episode.

Lifestyle Choices & Genetic Disposition

How one conducts one’s lifestyle and genetic disposition are primary indicators of being a likely candidate for heart disease. Lifestyle choices that are contributing factors include,

1. Poor Diet: Diets high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium can contribute to heart disease. Conversely, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can reduce risk.
2. Lack of Physical Activity: Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, lowers blood pressure, and improves cholesterol levels
3. Smoking: Increases the risk of heart disease by damaging the lining of arteries, leading to a buildup of fatty material (atherosclerosis), which narrows the arteries.
4. Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart disease.
5. Obesity: Being overweight increases the risk of heart disease by contributing to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes2.

Genetic dispositions that are purported to contribute to heart disease are,

6. Family History: If heart disease runs in your family, your risk is higher. Certain genetic mutations can predispose individuals to conditions like high cholesterol and hypertension.
7. Inherited Conditions: Conditions such as familial hypercholesterolemia, which causes high cholesterol levels, can significantly increase the risk of heart disease.

Parasites

Far less popularized and underreported than other causes of heart disease are parasites, their parasitic infections, and waste materials accompanying parasitic invasion, such as,

Certain parasites, parasitic worms, and parasitic infections from waste materials can lead to heart disease. Here are some notable examples:

1. Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted by the triatomine bug, can cause chronic Chagas disease. This disease leads to myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle), which can result in heart failure.
2. Toxoplasma gondii is transmitted through contact with cat feces or undercooked meat and can form tissue cysts in the heart muscle. Chronic infection can lead to myocarditis and other heart-related issues.
3. Entamoeba histolytica causes intestinal issues and can lead to amoebic pericarditis, an infection of the pericardium (the sac surrounding the heart) that causes abscesses and severe complications.
4. Trichinella spiralis, acquired through undercooked meat, can invade muscle tissues, including the myocardium, leading to myocarditis.
5. Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete is responsible for Lyme disease, which leads to a condition known as Lyme carditis. These pathogenic spirochetes invade heart tissues, causing inflammation and damage. The most common complication is heart block, followed by myocarditis and pericarditis.
6. Free-living Amoebae can invade the myocardium, causing myocarditis and cardiomyopathy.
7. Plasmodium species are the culprits behind malaria, which causes complications such as myocarditis and pericarditis, leading to heart failure.
8. Schistosoma species cause schistosomiasis, and chronic infection can lead to pulmonary hypertension, which puts strain on the heart and can result in heart failure.
9. Echinococcus causes Echinococcosis (Hydatid Disease), which forms cysts in various organs, including the heart. This can lead to complications such as pericarditis and myocardial cysts.
10. Leishmania causes Leishmaniasis, which can result in myocarditis and other heart-related issues, especially in individuals with a compromised immune system.
11. Trypanosoma brucei causes African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness), which leads to myocarditis and other cardiac complications.
12. Dirofilaria immitis is the leading cause of heartworm disease in dogs, which can pass to humans, resulting in pulmonary and cardiac issues.
13. Strongyloides stercoralis cause strongyloidiasis that can create hyperinfection syndrome, which leads to myocarditis.
14. Taenia solium causes cysticercosis, which affects the brain and muscles. It can also form cysts in the heart, leading to cardiac complications.
15. Filarial worms cause filariasis, a chronic infection that leads to lymphatic filariasis, which causes secondary heart complications due to chronic inflammation.

These parasitic infections can lead to significant heart complications, highlighting the importance of preventive measures such as proper food handling, avoiding contact with contaminated water, animals, and insects, and maintaining good hygiene.

What Can Be Done If You Survive a Heart Disease Episode?

Suppose you survive a heart disease episode, such as a heart attack. In that case, there are several medical interventions and lifestyle changes that can help you recover and reduce the risk of future episodes:

Medically Prescribed Medications

Doctors often prescribe medications to manage heart disease, such as

1. Blood thinners
2. Beta-blockers
3. ACE inhibitors
4. Statins

These pharmaceutical medications can help lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and prevent blood clots.

Surgical Procedures

1. Angioplasty and Stent Placement: This procedure involves inflating a balloon to open a blocked artery and inserting a stent to keep it open.
2. Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG): This surgery involves taking a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body and using it to bypass a blocked coronary artery.
3. Valve Repair or Replacement: In cases of heart valve disease, doctors may repair or replace the faulty valve.
4. Pacemaker or Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD): These devices help regulate heart rhythms and prevent dangerous arrhythmias.
5. Cardiac Rehabilitation: This medically supervised program is designed to improve cardiovascular health after a heart attack, heart surgery, or other heart-related conditions. It includes exercise training, education on heart-healthy living, and counseling to reduce stress.

Reducing Your Risk of Heart Disease

Preventing heart disease involves making healthy lifestyle choices and managing risk factors. Here are some steps you can take:

1. Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet: Focus on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats (like those found in fish, nuts, and olive oil). Limit your intake of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.
2. Exercise Regularly: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week. Include muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week.
3. Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease. If necessary, work with your doctor or a nutritionist to develop a weight loss plan.
4. Parasite Cleanse and Deworming: A comprehensive parasite cleanse and deworming can significantly reduce or eliminate the risk of heart disease due to parasites and parasitic worms.
5. Quit Smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. Seek support to quit smoking, such as counseling, medications, or nicotine replacement therapy.
6. Limit Alcohol Consumption: Excessive alcohol intake can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart disease. If you drink, do so in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
7. Manage Stress: Chronic stress can harm your heart. Practice stress-reducing techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy.
8. Monitor and Control

1. Blood Pressure
2. Cholesterol
3. Blood Sugar Levels

Regular check-ups with your doctor are essential to keep these key health markers within a healthy range.
9. Get Enough Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Poor sleep can contribute to heart disease by increasing stress, raising blood pressure, and affecting weight.

Heart disease is a serious but preventable condition. Understanding the different types of heart disease, recognizing the symptoms, and knowing what actions to take can save lives. Whether through medical intervention, parasite cleansing, deworming, or lifestyle changes, there are many ways to manage heart disease and reduce the risk of future episodes. By making heart-healthy daily choices, you can protect your heart and enjoy a longer, healthier life.

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