A Heart attack is accompanied by a sudden pain in the chest accompanied with breathing difficulty. While most of the patients recover from appropriate treatment, some heart attacks can be suddenly fatal. There are various symptoms that precede a heart attack. Some of them are as follows:

* Discomfort following meals

* Fainting

* Confusion

* Irregular heart beat

* Cold sweat

* Vomiting

* Nausea

* Severe anxiety

You should recognize the early symptoms of a heart attack for treating it and bringing it under control. An early treatment prevents chances of bodily damage or death from a heart attack.

Many heart attacks begin with mild pain or discomfort. You should be aware of the symptoms of a heart attack to undergo timely treatment. Shortness of breath, a feeling of weight in one's chest etc are other common heart attack symptoms. Some may experience a pain that spreads to the shoulder, neck, jaw and/or arms. This pain can sometimes be in the form of a burning sensation.

Some factors which cause heart attack are:

Heredity- If the family has a history of heart disease; you are prone to get a heart attack.

Stress- Stress and heart attacks are correlated. Interpersonal relationships and financial worries may cause stress leading to heart attacks.

Smoking- Research has proved that heavy cigarette smokers have a 50 to 150% higher heart risk than nonsmokers.

Lack of physical exercise- Those who prefer sedentary lifestyles are also prone to heart attacks.
Obesity- Obesity is the root cause for heart attacks even among children these days.
Diet- If you consume a high cholesterol diet you will be more prone to heart attacks.

More than 50% of patients having heart disease have poor knowledge of the symptoms of a heart attack. If patients are not well informed about the early symptoms of heart attack they will not be successful in getting the right treatment. Frequent medical tests after the age of 50 is advised for men and women to rule out the risk of heart attack. Relaxation techniques should also be followed to rule out stress that may trigger a heart attack. You can also know about heart attack symptoms, tips for a healthy heart etc by going through health sites available online. It is always better to prevent heart attacks than cure them. People having symptoms must have a low cholesterol and well-balanced diet. Regular exercise and stress management techniques also hold the key to reducing the incidence of heart attack.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Chuong

A stroke takes place when blood supply is interrupted to a certain portion of the brain. There are two types of stroke. One kind of stroke is when a clot blocks the blood supply to a certain part of the brain; this is called and ischemic stroke. The other type of stroke is caused by a blood vessel in the brain rupturing and causing a hemorrhage. Symptoms of strokes are a sever headache, unsteadiness, confusion, dizziness, loss of vision or blurred vision, speech problems like slurring or not being able to understand the speech or even difficulty in being to say the right words and paralysis, weakness or numbness on one side of the body. The extent of damage and period of recovery would depend on the severity of the stroke. Sometimes the recovery is quite fast where as sometimes the damage is permanent.

Though strokes can happen to people at any age, most strokes affect men over the age of 55. Causes of strokes can be a family history of risks of strokes, heavy drinking, a TIA, arterial fibrillation, diabetes, smoking and high blood pressure. Strokes can be fatal very often and are the most frequent cause of disability which is severe.

The best way to ensure avoiding a stroke is to take the medication which has been prescribed regularly, maintain a healthy life style and exercise regularly, drink only limited amount of alcohol, control ones weight, diabetes and high blood pressure and do not smoke.

Once a stroke has occurred the person should ensure a change in their lifestyle and if any of the factors which lead to a stroke exist, do away with them. They should be strict in their fitness regime and ensure that their food is fat free, should loose weight and should control the other factors which have lead to this mishap. In case the person is a smoker and consumes alcohol, this should be stopped immediately.

Medication prevents clotting of the blood and aspirin maybe prescribed by the doctor. Rehabilitation of a person who has had a paralytic problem after a stroke will require extensive physiotherapy along with counseling, speech therapy if required, and occupational therapy. In case there are clots still persisting in the arteries in the neck region, these can be removed with an operation. The person has to be reassured and motivated into activating his muscle power once again with constant exercises as recommended by the physiotherapist.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. We aim to be as accurate as possible, but there may be some unintentional omission of information. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on within this article.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Chuong

Cholesterol is an unsaturated waxy solid that is manufactured in the body. Cholesterol helps to produce bile and metabolize fat soluble vitamins. It also has important function with respect to cell membrane management. Cholesterol can be got from diet or made in the tissue membranes. High density lipoprotein (HDL) that helps to deliver cholesterol to the liver also helps remove cholesterol from the arteries and hence helps in protecting against heart disease. Dietary cholesterol is otherwise called low density lipoprotein (LDL) that carries cholesterol from the liver to the tissue membranes.

Increased cholesterol amounts in the arteries can lead to plaques that gradually damage arteries over time. This can lead to heart attack, stroke, or other heart ailments. Hence for all issues regarding cholesterol management for heart and vascular health, the underlying remedy lies in lowering LDL cholesterol. Increasing the HDL cholesterol levels is mostly overlooked but the main advantage of this approach is that it can improve removal of cholesterol from dangerous locations in the arteries.

Cholesterol balance can be brought about by making some diet changes. Macro nutrients that affect cholesterol include protein, fiber, and fats. Vitamins and minerals that comprise micro nutrients can affect lipid peroxidation. Fiber is very helpful in lowering total and LDL cholesterol levels while raising HDL levels according to the American Heart association (AHA). Protein especially whey protein has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Another great cholesterol managing protein is soy.

A number of natural products and the key nutrients in them can also help with cholesterol management. Most notable among them are DHA, Omega-3s and 6s, EPA, Vitamin E, Vitamin B, and Niacin. There are other flavonoids that can help with cholesterol care. These include cocoa, tea, and fruit.

Citrus bioflavonoids when combined with vitamin E can also help with antioxidant management. These include fruits such as pomegranate and grape seed extract which help to limit LDL oxidation. Garlic, is also a great cholesterol managing botanical as it contains antioxidant constituents that help to lower total and LDL cholesterol while still maintaining HDL levels. Some other types of algae and pine bark extract also help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Apart from the above there are other well researched methods also to lower the bad and increase the good cholesterol levels in the body.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. We aim to be as accurate as possible, but there may be some unintentional omission of information. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on within this article.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Chuong