Skip to main content

Causes of coronary artery disease

 

Causes of coronary artery disease

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.

Causes of heart arrhythmia

Common causes of arrhythmias or conditions that can lead to arrhythmias include:

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Diabetes
  • Drug abuse
  • Excessive use of alcohol or caffeine
  • Heart defects you're born with (congenital heart defects)
  • High blood pressure
  • Smoking
  • Some over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, dietary supplements and herbal remedies
  • Stress
  • Valvular heart disease

In a healthy person with a normal, healthy heart, it's unlikely for a deadly arrhythmia to develop without some outside trigger, such as an electrical shock or the use of illegal drugs. However, in a heart that's diseased or deformed, the heart's electrical signals may not properly start or travel through the heart, making arrhythmias more likely to develop.

Causes of congenital heart defects

Congenital heart defects usually develop while a baby is in the womb. Heart defects can develop as the heart develops, about a month after conception, changing the flow of blood in the heart. Some medical conditions, medications and genes may play a role in causing heart defects.

Heart defects can also develop in adults. As you age, your heart's structure can change, causing a heart defect.

Causes of cardiomyopathy

The cause of cardiomyopathy, a thickening or enlarging of the heart muscle, may depend on the type:

  • Dilated cardiomyopathy. The cause of this most common type of cardiomyopathy often is unknown. The condition usually causes the left ventricle to widen. Dilated cardiomyopathy may be caused by reduced blood flow to the heart (ischemic heart disease) resulting from damage after a heart attack, infections, toxins and certain drugs, including those used to treat cancer. It may also be inherited from a parent.
  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This type usually is passed down through families (inherited). It can also develop over time because of high blood pressure or aging.
  • Restrictive cardiomyopathy. This least common type of cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart muscle to become rigid and less elastic, can occur for no known reason. Or it may be caused by diseases, such as connective tissue disorders or the buildup of abnormal proteins (amyloidosis).

Causes of heart infection

A heart infection, such as endocarditis, is caused when germs reach your heart muscle. The most common causes of heart infection include:

  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Parasites

Causes of valvular heart disease

Many things can cause diseases of your heart valves. You may be born with valvular disease, or the valves may be damaged by conditions such as:

  • Rheumatic fever
  • Infections (infectious endocarditis)
  • Connective tissue disorders

More Information

Risk factors

Risk factors for developing heart disease include:

  • Age. Growing older increases your risk of damaged and narrowed arteries and a weakened or thickened heart muscle.
  • Sex. Men are generally at greater risk of heart disease. The risk for women increases after menopause.
  • Family history. A family history of heart disease increases your risk of coronary artery disease, especially if a parent developed it at an early age (before age 55 for a male relative, such as your brother or father, and 65 for a female relative, such as your mother or sister).
  • Smoking. Nicotine tightens your blood vessels, and carbon monoxide can damage their inner lining, making them more susceptible to atherosclerosis. Heart attacks are more common in smokers than in nonsmokers.
  • Poor diet. A diet that's high in fat, salt, sugar and cholesterol can contribute to the development of heart disease.
  • High blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can result in hardening and thickening of your arteries, narrowing the vessels through which blood flows.
  • High blood cholesterol levels. High levels of cholesterol in your blood can increase the risk of plaque formation and atherosclerosis.
  • Diabetes. Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease. Both conditions share similar risk factors, such as obesity and high blood pressure.
  • Obesity. Excess weight typically worsens other heart disease risk factors.
  • Physical inactivity. Lack of exercise also is associated with many forms of heart disease and some of its other risk factors as well.
  • Stress. Unrelieved stress may damage your arteries and worsen other risk factors for heart disease.
  • Poor dental health. It's important to brush and floss your teeth and gums often, and have regular dental checkups. If your teeth and gums aren't healthy, germs can enter
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Increase Height in 15 Days

Pelvic Shift How many hours of the day you generally sit? Did you know that sitting for very long hours affects your height? The changing shape of the spine and the associated muscle imbalances are caused by prolonged periods of sitting which affects the growth of your body. The pelvic shift is one of the best exercises to increase height to sway away from the negative results of sitting. It increases the curvature of the lower spine, and that of the upper back; boosts your height. ‍  Steps To Follow: Lie on the mat with the shoulders flat on the floor. Keep your arms stretched out on the sides with palms down. Bend your knees and draw your feet close to the buttocks. Arch your back so that the pelvis is lifted. Tuck the buttocks and let the legs and shoulders support your weight. Hold the position for at least 30 seconds and repeat. ‍ ‍ Hanging Hanging your body with the support of your hands does help you stretch out your muscles. Generally, people hang down a bar. To take this e...
Post a Comment
Read more

10 Foods That Will Boost Your Liver Function

  1. Ginger Ginger has powerful antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, which help nourish your liver, aid detoxification, enhance circulation and unclogs arteries that have been blocked. It has countless health and medicinal benefits, and it can reduce your blood cholesterol levels to a striking 30%. Isn’t that incredible?  2.Eggs Eggs are one of the richest sources of protein, along with being packed with vital nutrient choline, cholesterol and all of the eight vital amino acids. You must add eggs to your daily diet in order to provide your liver the essential amino acids that it needs to carry out the detoxification process. Egg yolk is rich in choline, which is basically a coenzyme that is essential for metabolism and shielding your liver against harmful toxins and heavy metals. 3. Chia Seeds For thousands of years, Chia seeds are the healthiest and nutrient-rich ingredient in Mayan and Central American Aztec diets and they are truly powerful...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fenugreek Seeds

  Benefits of Fenugreek Seeds  for Hair Fenugreek seeds have certain minerals and vitamins that help treat dandruff. Dandruff is caused by a dry, flaky scalp and fenugreek seeds have moisturizing and anti-fungal properties. Usage will help moisturize the scalp and fight off any future fungal infections that cause dandruff. You can make a hair pack that will help treat your flaky scalp. Crush the fenugreek seeds and soak the seeds overnight in hot water. Strain the mixture, and use the water to rinse your hair in the morning then shampoo your hair with a mild shampoo. 100 Calories Of Nuts A DIY hair mask using fenugreek seeds helps your hair look shiny and glossy.  How you make the hair mask. Soak a handful of fenugreek seeds in some warm water overnight. Grind the seeds into a paste and apply to your roots and hair and keep it on for 30 minutes Fenugreek seeds help prevent greying of hair. The seeds have certain properties that help the hair m...
Post a Comment
Read more