Coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease. Significant numbers of individuals suffer heart attacks and an even larger proportion die as a result of heart complications. Heart disease is not only the most common cause of premature deaths but it is also a major factor in disability and illness around the world.

Heart disease is caused by the narrowing or hardening of the arteries which supply blood to our heart muscle. The narrower the coronary arteries in your system, the less effective the blood flow and as a consequence the harder your heart has to work.

When exercising, our hearts are required to work much harder and demands more oxygen. Individuals classed as healthy will simply increase the requirement of blood supply to the muscle however, if you are suffering from coronary heart disease, the narrowed arteries cannot maintain this process. The resultant symptoms of pain and shortness of breath is classified as angina. Should any of the arteries become fully blocked and no blood can pass to that section of the heart you may suffer a heart attack which could lead to cardiac arrest.

There are many aspects to our lives which influence our risk of developing coronary heart disease and here we look at some of these risks you can influence, and some of them you cannot;

Risks you cannot influence

1. Being a man or a female following menopause.
2. The ageing process
3. Family history of disease

Risks you can influence

1. Excessive weight gain
2. Smoking
3. High blood pressure
4. High cholesterol levels
5. Stress
6. Insufficient exercise

The fitter your physical general well-being the less likely you will be to develop heart problems. It is also widely acknowledged that individuals who undertake regular exercise are additionally far more likely to survive a heart attack if they had one. The most beneficial form of exercise to help strengthen our hearts is aerobic exercise. This can be any repetitive exercise activity which involves the large muscles of the legs and arms. Simply walking briskly or jogging or cycling on a regular basis can be sufficient to ensure your heart works much more efficiently.




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