The heart is the primary muscle the cardiovascular system. Its job is to pump blood throughout the entire body. This blood supply is carried by the coronary arteries, delivering oxygen and nutrients the body needs to function properly. Red blood cells or RBC’s carry oxygen while White blood cells or WBC’s fight off infections.
If someone is healthy, their artery walls are smooth and uniform in thickness. However, as the body ages, high levels of cholesterol can circulate resulting in the buildup of plaque deposits or fatty deposits on the interior of the artery walls.
As this plaque forms on the arterial wall, the artery becomes narrow and less able to be as flexible as it should be to function properly. When this build up occurs in the coronary arteries it is referred to as Coronary Artery Disease or CAD. Coronary artery disease is caused by atherosclerosis which is the narrowing and inflexibility of the arteries as mentioned earlier.
When blood flow to the heart is blocked, a heart attack (myocardial infarction, MI) can result. If blockage of a coronary artery extends past 90%, there is an increased risk for a heart attack. When plaque completely blocks or occludes a coronary artery, the risk for heart attack is certain.
The development of a blood clot can also increase the risk for a heart attack. It is common for a crack to develop at the site of the plaque buildup. Blood can coagulate, or clump, at the site of the crack forming a blood clot. This blood clot, or thrombus, can grow to totally block blood flow and cause a myocardial infarction.
The location of the blockage and the amount of time it takes to receive treatment determine how much damage the heart will sustain during an attack. The longer it takes to receive proper medical care, the more damage the heart will endure. The good news is that atherosclerosis can be prevented, thus lowering the risk for enduring a heart attack event.
Lowering your risk factors for this disease as well as slowing its progression can be achieved. Losing excess weight, exercise, quitting smoking and adopting a low fat, low cholesterol diet are excellent starts.
Taking the time to educate yourself on the risk factors and methods of prevention for heart disease is imperative. However, this is sometimes difficult in today’s fast paced world. Therefore, our bodies are our responsibility, so we must make the effort to protect our greatest gift.
Barb Hicks is a licensed registered nurse who loves to share her knowledge about Heart Disease in Women. She has an online classroom at Clivir.com where you can find more of her articles about Heart Disease Atherosclerosis Treatment.
