What causes heart disease?

There are several factors that may cause heart disease. Here are few of them.

Hypertension
The first on the list is Hypertension or popularly referred to as high blood pressure. This silent killer can cause a heart attack or stroke and can also lead to other undesirable consequences. This is caused by the thickening or the arteries constricting blood flow and the reasons are generally high cholesterol levels, obesity and bad habits like smoking. The ideal pressure is a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic of 80.

Blood Cholesterol
As mentioned above, cholesterol levels within the body can clog the arteries and lead to restricted blood flow. This is similar to fat and is manufactured in the body to form hormones. The problem arises when excess cholesterol due to our eating habits accumulates. The main culprits are saturated fat found in red meat, coconut oil and butter.

Within cholesterol, it is the LDL (low density lipoprotein) that is the culprit which leads to this protein adhering itself to the blood vessels and constricting the blood flow. When this happens in the arteries carrying blood to the heart, the risk of an attack increases.

Diabetes
The condition of Type II diabetes or more commonly referred to as non-insulin related diabetes is a major reason for heart related problems. Some human groups like the Hispanics, Asians and even Native Americans are at grave risk of contracting this malady. Studies indicate that over 65% of patients with this kind of diabetes suffer death from a cardiac arrest. It is therefore important to take sufficient care if you perceive any threat of diabetes and keep the blood sugar under control.

Obesity
Additional body weight often causes the accumulation of cholesteroal and greater chances of hypertension. Being heavy also leads to other diseases like diabetes and joint related issues. Being overweight is defined as somebody having a body mass index of over 25 and being obese is somebody with a body mass index of over 30.

Smoking
Despite many persons being aware that tobacco is harmful and can cause cancer of the lungs, few know that it is also the cause for cardiac problems and can also cause constriction of blood supply to parts of the body like the arms and legs. Smoking leads to the heart rate increasing, constricting arteries and inhibits the heart from functioning normally. It also leads to hypertension due to the other hazardous chemicals constituting a cigarette apart from nicotine. These chemicals form plaque and slow down the formation of fibrinogen leading to clotting, which in turn can lead to cardiac arrest.

Lethargy and Lack of Exercise
It has been found that persons engaged in regular physical activity are at far lesser risk of a heart problem. This is because they burn excess fat and this does not allow cholesterol deposits. Regular exercise also strengthens the various muscles of the body including the heart and it is recommended to shed between 600 to 3000 calories every week.

Age
This is a natural cause due to the heart not able to function as efficiently as when you are young. Persons above 65 face a greater threat. Usually women are insulated from heart related problems till menopause and once they cross 65, are at similar risk like men.