What Is a Cardiac Disease?
Conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels are collectively referred to as cardiac or cardiovascular disease (CVD). Atherosclerosis, a build-up of lipids (fatty) deposits within the blood vessels carrying oxygen-rich blood, and thrombus formation are closely associated with cardiac diseases. A person may exhibit symptoms of the disease (physical manifestations) or have no symptoms. Although it is one of the biggest causes of death and disability worldwide, cardiac diseases are often significantly avoidable by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
How Common Are Cardiac Diseases?
Cardiac disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women of all races. According to several studies, one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiac or heart disease in the United States. Studies also reveal that coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease.
What Are the Different Types of Cardiac Diseases?
There are a variety of cardiac diseases, and they can be classified in the following manner:
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Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) - A disease that affects the blood vessels supplying the heart.
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Cerebrovascular Disease - A disease that affects the blood vessels supplying the brain.
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Peripheral Artery Disease - A disease that affects the blood vessels supplying the upper and lower limbs (arms and legs).
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Congenital Heart Disease - A group of diseases present since birth, characterized by malformation of the heart and its associated structures, impairing normal development and function of the organ.
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Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism - Diseases characterized by the formation and dislodgment of blood clots in the blood vessels of the lower extremities, which travel to the heart and lungs, impairing normal function.
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Arrhythmia - A condition associated with irregular heart rhythms due to malfunction in the electrical conduction of the heart and its associated structures.
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Heat Valve Disease - A group of diseases associated with malfunctioning of the heart valves. The heart comprises four heart valves, ensuring blood flow in the proper direction.
What Are the Common Causes of Cardiac Diseases?
Based on the type of disease, cardiovascular disease can have a variety of causes. Some of the causes are as follows:
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Atherosclerosis (a condition which is associated with the build-up of fats in the blood vessels).
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Muscle scarring (a condition in which a muscle develops a tear due to overuse, resulting in collagen clumps on the weakened muscle, creating a knot or scar tissue.)
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Bacterial, viral, or parasitic Infections to the heart.
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Genetic conditions.
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Birth deformities.
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Side effects of medication.
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Inflammation of the heart.
What Are the Risk Factors That Make a Person Susceptible to Cardiac Disease?
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Hypertension (high blood pressure).
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Hyperlipidemia (abnormally high levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, etc.).
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Tobacco abuse.
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Family history of cardiac diseases.
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Obesity (a condition associated with an excessive amount of body fat).
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Alcohol abuse.
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Diabetes (excess blood sugar levels).
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Gestational diabetes (high blood sugar associated with pregnancy).
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Chronic kidney disorders.
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Unhealthy diet (high levels of salt or sodium, fats, and sugar in the diet).
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Drug abuse.
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Lack of exercise.
What Are the Warning Signs of Heart Disease?
If exhibiting any of the following signs, a person should rush to the hospital for a thorough evaluation:
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Dyspnea (shortness of breath).
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Angina (chest pain).
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Swelling in the lower extremities or legs (especially at ankles and feet).
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Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats).
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Exertional dyspnea (shortness of breath with increased physical activity).
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Cyanosis (Bluish discoloration of the skin).
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Syncope (loss of consciousness).
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Numbness in hand and legs.
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Chest discomfort radiating to the shoulder, arms, jaws, and back.
How Is Early Morning Physical Activity Associated With Heart Health?
Exercise can be just as effective as some drugs for certain heart diseases. Being physically active is a critical component of having a healthy heart. It is one of the best methods to protect blood vessels from damage. It helps prevent damage from excessive cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure that can cause a heart attack or stroke. It also helps in strengthening muscles and managing weight. Morning physical activity is associated with the lowest risk of heart disease and stroke, according to a study of more than 850,000 people without a history of heart disease. Women tend to benefit more from early morning exercise than men.
What Are the Benefits of Early Morning Physical Fitness?
Early morning physical fitness has numerous benefits, as it helps lower the risks associated with cardiovascular diseases. The benefits are:
1. Helps Regulate Blood Pressure - High blood pressure is associated with irreversible damage to the arteries as it reduces their elasticity, eventually leading to decreased blood flow to the heart. Chest pain, heart attacks, and heart failure can also result from poor blood supply to the heart. The heart becomes stronger with exercise and efficiently pumps more blood. This helps regulate arterial blood pressure. Exercise can help decrease blood pressure and moderate heart rate, similar to beta-blockers (a class of drugs used to control blood pressure).
2. Helps Regulate Weight - Obesity or excess fat strains the heart and increases the risk of stroke and cardiac diseases. Fatty material can accumulate within the blood vessels due to excess weight. These fatty deposits can block or clog the blood vessels, damaging the heart function due to inefficient blood and oxygen supply. Being physically active is for weight loss and regulation of weight. The process is much more efficient when combined with a healthy diet.
3. Helps Strengthen Muscles - For optimal heart health, it is advisable to combine aerobic exercises, walking, running, swimming, and other activities with strength training (which involves heavy weights and resistance training). This combination has proven to enhance the muscles' capacity to absorb oxygen from the circulating blood. Strength training helps cut fat and create lean muscle mass. These exercises strengthen muscles and make the heart pump harder, delivering more oxygen to the entire body.
4. Can Help Quit Smoking - Smoking is bad, but giving it up can be challenging. People addicted to nicotine frequently report withdrawal symptoms such as irritation, difficulty sleeping, depression, etc. Exercise has been shown to lessen withdrawal symptoms from nicotine. Studies have shown that even a brief 10-minute workout or moderate exercise reduces cravings for nicotine. Smokers usually stop smoking as they get fitter. Furthermore, physically fit individuals are less likely to start smoking, which is one of the significant risk factors for cardiac disease.
5. Helps in the Regulation of Stress and Anxiety - Stress is known to increase the load on the heart and is also associated with inflammation. Chronic stress is also associated with sleep disturbance, poor diet, high blood pressure, and mental health conditions, which can lead to various diseases and cardiac diseases. Exercise, of any form, helps release stress by elevating endorphins or happy hormones.
6. Prevents and Slows the Development of Diabetes - Regular exercise, such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, etc., lowers the risk of developing diabetes by over 50 percent when combined with strength training. This happens because exercise improves the muscles' ability to process glycogen. Glycogen is fuel for energy and, when impaired, results in elevation of the blood sugar levels, causing diabetes. Additionally, exercise increases insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients. Increased insulin sensitivity aids in the management of diabetes as it allows the cells of the body to use blood sugar for energy. Furthermore, managing diabetes not only helps prevent cardiac diseases but also helps prevent nerve damage associated with diabetes.
Conclusion
Conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels are called cardiac or cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although several diseases can cause cardiac diseases, atherosclerosis is a significant cause. Studies show that a person dies every 34 seconds from cardiac disease in the United States. Having a healthy heart depends heavily on physical activity. It is among the best ways to safeguard blood vessels from harm. It helps regulate blood pressure, diabetes, weight, cholesterol, and stress levels. Combined with early morning physical fitness, it is also essential to have a healthy balanced diet and get routine health check-ups. Regular health check-ups are crucial to identify the risk factors which may present with nontypical symptoms. The sooner the risk factors are identified, the more necessary interventions can be made, and heart diseases can be prevented.
