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| A group of Heart Health Specialist led by Dr. Kamal Adeleke at the Tristate Heart & Vascular Center, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State |
Today we bring you all the story of the
seven deadly agents of Heart Attack. Meet them and be familiar with their
antecedents in your life or that of your loved ones. Enjoy!
seven deadly agents of Heart Attack. Meet them and be familiar with their
antecedents in your life or that of your loved ones. Enjoy!
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Stress…
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| A first civilian Governor of Bayelsa State in Southern Nigeria Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha died of cardiac arrest in 2015 |
The
issue of stress as a contributory factor to hypertension has already been
discussed in our last posts. However,
studies have found that stress also plays an important part in precipitating
heart attack in people with existing narrowing of heart arteries. Stress in this case is not just a situation
in which the individual experiences continuous worry, but also when the person
is subjected to an acute and intense emotional condition, whether painful
(distress) or enjoyable (eustress).
issue of stress as a contributory factor to hypertension has already been
discussed in our last posts. However,
studies have found that stress also plays an important part in precipitating
heart attack in people with existing narrowing of heart arteries. Stress in this case is not just a situation
in which the individual experiences continuous worry, but also when the person
is subjected to an acute and intense emotional condition, whether painful
(distress) or enjoyable (eustress).
I
am sure that the reader can easily recall one or more cases where someone in
intense anguish from the loss of a dear one, a highly valued object or loss of
a very important course like a court case, died suddenly following the
incident. Many people have also been known to have died suddenly on hearing
very happy news or during a very pleasant experience, such as intense sexual
encounter. Chances are very good that
such deaths must have been as a result of a heart attack in people who were
previously disposed. Sometimes, the
stress precipitating a heart attack is of extended physical nature, such as
working long hours without adequate sleep or rest.
am sure that the reader can easily recall one or more cases where someone in
intense anguish from the loss of a dear one, a highly valued object or loss of
a very important course like a court case, died suddenly following the
incident. Many people have also been known to have died suddenly on hearing
very happy news or during a very pleasant experience, such as intense sexual
encounter. Chances are very good that
such deaths must have been as a result of a heart attack in people who were
previously disposed. Sometimes, the
stress precipitating a heart attack is of extended physical nature, such as
working long hours without adequate sleep or rest.
Hypertension…
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| Mr. Kunle Onigbanjo, a Lagos business man died of Heart related disease (He is the late husband of MAUFECHI Couture boss) |
Studies
have shown that someone with hypertension has about three times the chances of
heart arteries (coronary arteries) becoming narrow and possibly suffering heart
attack compared to someone that does not suffer hypertension. The connection between hypertension and heart
attack via deposition of fat inside blood vessels has already been discussed.
However, if the person’s hypertension is properly controlled with medication,
healthy eating habit and routine exercise, his/her extra danger of Coronary
Artery Disease (CAD) and subsequent heart attack is substantially reduced.
have shown that someone with hypertension has about three times the chances of
heart arteries (coronary arteries) becoming narrow and possibly suffering heart
attack compared to someone that does not suffer hypertension. The connection between hypertension and heart
attack via deposition of fat inside blood vessels has already been discussed.
However, if the person’s hypertension is properly controlled with medication,
healthy eating habit and routine exercise, his/her extra danger of Coronary
Artery Disease (CAD) and subsequent heart attack is substantially reduced.
Diabetes…
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| Mr. Hakeem Shodeinde, a veteran club owner died of kidney failure as a result of advanced diabetes |
Diabetes
is a disease that is marked by the body’s inability to utilize glucose or body
sugar properly. You may recall that
glucose is a form of sugar in which carbohydrates are used for generating
energy in the body. Almost every process
in the body involves the use of energy from glucose. Those who suffer from
diabetes loose a lot of glucose in urine; they feel weak and are highly
predisposed to very many diseases, especially when the condition is not
properly managed.
is a disease that is marked by the body’s inability to utilize glucose or body
sugar properly. You may recall that
glucose is a form of sugar in which carbohydrates are used for generating
energy in the body. Almost every process
in the body involves the use of energy from glucose. Those who suffer from
diabetes loose a lot of glucose in urine; they feel weak and are highly
predisposed to very many diseases, especially when the condition is not
properly managed.
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| A diabetic Check |
Under
the same conditions, someone with diabetes is as much as four times likely to
develop CAD and possible heart attack as a non-diabetic. The main cause of the commonest type of
diabetes (type II diabetes) is obesity.
Diabetes increases the deposition of fat in the interior of arteries,
especially coronary arteries. Diabetes
also increases the amount of bad cholesterol and the chances of blood clotting
as a result of the deposited fatty material in coronary arteries.
the same conditions, someone with diabetes is as much as four times likely to
develop CAD and possible heart attack as a non-diabetic. The main cause of the commonest type of
diabetes (type II diabetes) is obesity.
Diabetes increases the deposition of fat in the interior of arteries,
especially coronary arteries. Diabetes
also increases the amount of bad cholesterol and the chances of blood clotting
as a result of the deposited fatty material in coronary arteries.
Smoking…
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| A Smoker is a habitual killer of his own good life |
People
who smoke have a much higher chance of suffering a heart attack than those who
do not. In fact, one out of five deaths
from heart attack and other circulatory diseases are associated with tobacco
use. Cigarette smoking poses most
problem but other methods of tobacco use, such as cigars, tobacco snuffing or
chewing are also dangerous. In fact, second hand smoking or non-smokers
breathing in smoke from those who smoke has been shown by studies to be almost
as dangerous as being a smoker. The
magnitude of risk of tobacco use depends on the amount used, irrespective of
the method. Once a smoker stops smoking,
the risk of associated diseases, including heart attack, reduces drastically.
who smoke have a much higher chance of suffering a heart attack than those who
do not. In fact, one out of five deaths
from heart attack and other circulatory diseases are associated with tobacco
use. Cigarette smoking poses most
problem but other methods of tobacco use, such as cigars, tobacco snuffing or
chewing are also dangerous. In fact, second hand smoking or non-smokers
breathing in smoke from those who smoke has been shown by studies to be almost
as dangerous as being a smoker. The
magnitude of risk of tobacco use depends on the amount used, irrespective of
the method. Once a smoker stops smoking,
the risk of associated diseases, including heart attack, reduces drastically.
Family History of
Heart Attack…
Heart Attack…
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| Mr. Bunmi Adedayo a Nigerian Entrepreneur & only son of owner of Tasty Fried Chicken died of hear related matters |
Although
heart attack is not a condition that is passed from parent to children, people
with close relatives who have suffered heart attack have a much higher chance
of suffering a heart attack themselves.
This means that anyone whose parent, grandparent, sibling or other close
relatives have had a heart attack is at a high risk for heart attack himself
and should therefore make particular efforts to avoid the condition.
heart attack is not a condition that is passed from parent to children, people
with close relatives who have suffered heart attack have a much higher chance
of suffering a heart attack themselves.
This means that anyone whose parent, grandparent, sibling or other close
relatives have had a heart attack is at a high risk for heart attack himself
and should therefore make particular efforts to avoid the condition.
Gender…
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| An obese lady |
Men
are generally at greater risk of a heart attack than women. However, with increasing equal socio-economic
opportunities and attendant side effects for women, their chances for heart attack
tend to increase as well. A particular
risk of heart attack for women is that there is a tendency for their
susceptibility to the condition to be undermined. Even when a woman has a pending condition of
heart attack, it is often undermined because it is not usually expected. It should be noted that any woman who has any
of the conditions associated with development of heart attack is as susceptible
to the condition as any man.
are generally at greater risk of a heart attack than women. However, with increasing equal socio-economic
opportunities and attendant side effects for women, their chances for heart attack
tend to increase as well. A particular
risk of heart attack for women is that there is a tendency for their
susceptibility to the condition to be undermined. Even when a woman has a pending condition of
heart attack, it is often undermined because it is not usually expected. It should be noted that any woman who has any
of the conditions associated with development of heart attack is as susceptible
to the condition as any man.
Lack of Routine
Medical Check-Up…
Medical Check-Up…
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| A Heart Patient on Medical Check Up session |
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While
it is not implied here that failure to undergo routine medical check-up causes
heart attack, it creates a situation in which the existence of conditions that
lead to heart attack are not spotted earlier to enable preventive actions to be
taken. Incidentally, most conditions
that lead to heart attack or impending heart
attack can easily be picked up in routine medical check-up. Once any of these is detected, there are very
simple measures that can be taken to avoid heart attack and other possible
complications.
it is not implied here that failure to undergo routine medical check-up causes
heart attack, it creates a situation in which the existence of conditions that
lead to heart attack are not spotted earlier to enable preventive actions to be
taken. Incidentally, most conditions
that lead to heart attack or impending heart
attack can easily be picked up in routine medical check-up. Once any of these is detected, there are very
simple measures that can be taken to avoid heart attack and other possible
complications.
For
example, how could anyone succeed in convincing the youthful D.I.G. of Police, referred to earlier in
an earlier post on this blog, that he needed to see a doctor when he felt so
invincible that he proudly referred to himself as built to last because of his
athletic physic?
example, how could anyone succeed in convincing the youthful D.I.G. of Police, referred to earlier in
an earlier post on this blog, that he needed to see a doctor when he felt so
invincible that he proudly referred to himself as built to last because of his
athletic physic?
Even
when diagnosed to be hypertensive, many Nigerians would not really comply with
medical appointments and medication regimen, probably because they do not
consider themselves as at risk when they feel no pain and can perform their
normal functions. It must be a lot more difficult to convince Nigerians who
have made it, with or without the so-called evidence of good living, to go for
routine medical check-up because they are at high risk for heart attack. The painful truth is that for many of them,
the danger is real!
when diagnosed to be hypertensive, many Nigerians would not really comply with
medical appointments and medication regimen, probably because they do not
consider themselves as at risk when they feel no pain and can perform their
normal functions. It must be a lot more difficult to convince Nigerians who
have made it, with or without the so-called evidence of good living, to go for
routine medical check-up because they are at high risk for heart attack. The painful truth is that for many of them,
the danger is real!
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| A former Nigerian Head of State died of Heart Attack inside Aso Rock in 1998 |
(From the Book; “Early and Sudden Death; the Price of Affluence among Nigerians”. Read “How Nigerian elites buy Premature Death with
status symbol” tomorrow on Asabeafrika)
status symbol” tomorrow on Asabeafrika)
