- Currently, all conditions related to the heart are the first cause of death in Mexico and in the rest of the world.
- Myocardial infarctions and strokes claim more than 17 million lives a year.
- The trend continues to rise and the figure is expected to reach 23.6 million by 2030.
Within all the organs of the body the heart is one of the most important although it is also exposed to various diseases of which several are quite common. To begin with, it is in charge of supplying blood to the rest of the tissues and its work never ends. He starts beating around the fifth week of pregnancy and never stops until the moment of death.
Quite a dangerous problem.
In this regard, the cardiologist Ernesto Lozano of Angeles Mocel Hospital points out that diseases that affect the heart are extremely frequent. In fact, they constitute the first cause of death in Mexico and in the rest of the world. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), myocardial infarctions and strokes claim more than 17 million lives a year. While the figure could reach 23.6 million by 2030.
There are different types of heart disease although they can be classified into 6 large groups:
- coronary artery disease
- heart valve problems
- arrhythmias
- Heart failure and heart muscle problems
- Peripheral vascular disease
- congenital heart problems
The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease, also known as ischemic heart disease. This condition puts the patient at risk for a heart attack and other forms of heart disease. In people who have coronary artery disease, the arteries that supply blood to the heart are blocked by fatty deposits.
The symptoms of this disease can be very subtle or may not even be present in many people.
In the case of those who do have them, the most common symptoms usually occur during physical activity and are the following:
- Chest pain, tightness, or discomfort
- Pain, tightness, or discomfort in the jaw, back, left shoulder/arm, neck, or in the pit of the stomach
- Shortness of breath
Within coronary artery disease we also find a heart attack, which in most cases occurs when one of the arteries of the heart’s circulation is completely covered. Symptoms of a heart attack can be:
- Chest pain, tightness, or discomfort
- Pain, tightness, or discomfort in the jaw, back, left shoulder/arm, neck, or in the pit of the stomach.
- Shortness of breath
- nausea or vomiting
- cold sweat
It is important to note that the symptoms of a heart attack can appear regardless of the activity we are doing, including being asleep. It is not uncommon for chest pain to interrupt sleep.
Many factors are related to the onset of heart disease. The most important factors that can be modified to reduce our risk are the following: smoking, high blood pressure, being overweight, sedentary lifestyle, diet, alcohol consumption, high cholesterol, high glucose. Of these factors, the ones that raise the most questions are high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Cholesterol is an essential substance for the body, found in the blood of all of us. The problem occurs when we have too much cholesterol. Compared to people with normal cholesterol, people with high cholesterol are at higher risk for heart attacks, strokes, artery problems, and even heart valve problems.
There are different types of cholesterol and they can be seen in blood tests generally like this:
- Total cholesterol
- LDL cholesterol – also classified as “bad” cholesterol, since it is the main one involved in the risk of heart attacks, cerebrovascular accidents (embolisms), among other problems.
- HDL cholesterol – also called “good” cholesterol, as high levels of it provide some protection against heart disease.
The cholesterol total should never be above 200; however, optimal cholesterol goals depend on our age, family history, and whether we have other heart conditions. The need or not to take medicines also depends on this.
Finally, high blood pressure is one of the most common diseases in our country, and it is also a precipitating factor for developing other heart diseases.
One in four Mexicans suffers arterial hypertension, of which about 80% receive treatment to control pressure. Of the people who have hypertension, the vast majority do not show any symptoms. Sometimes you may have a headache, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations and nosebleeds, but not always.
Normal blood pressure is below 120/80mmHg. There are normal situations in which the pressure can rise, such as when doing physical activity or when there is emotional stress. However, if our base pressure is above these figures, it is no longer normal.