Diet and Lifestyle
Diet and Lifestyle
Diet and lifestyle have a significant effect on the risk of heart disease; a poor diet and lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease whilst a healthy diet and lifestyle decreases the risk.
A poor diet increases the risk of coronary heart disease, for instance, a diet that is high in saturated fat is associated with high blood cholesterol levels. If blood cholesterol levels are high (240mg per 100cm3) then the risk of coronary heart disease is increased. This is due to the fact that cholesterol is one of the primary components of the fatty deposits that form atheroma. This leads to increased blood pressure which in turn, leads to risk of damage to the artery walls. This is because damaged artery walls have an increased risk of atheroma formation, which, as a result, causes a further increase in blood pressure. Atheroma leads to an increase in the formation of aneurysms. As a result of high blood pressure, aneurysms plaques damage and weaken arteries, which means that blood flow pushes the inner layers of the artery through the outer elastic layer to form a balloon-like swelling. Eventually, the aneurysm may burst, resulting in a haemorrhage. Thereafter, due to the rough surface that aneurysms leave behind on the endothelium of an artery, platelets accumulate at the area and form a blood clot. This can lead to a complete blockage of the artery and could even block blood flowing to the heart muscle. Therefore, this will lead to a myocardial infarction. This substantiates that anything that increases blood pressure, also increases the risk of coronary heart disease e.g. being overweight and having an unhealthy diet.
Embracing an unhealthy lifestyle can also lead to heart disease, for instance, cigarette smoking. This is because carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are present in cigarette smoke. Carbon monoxide combines with haemoglobin and therefore reduces the amount of oxygen transported in the blood resulting in a shortage of blood for the
Diet and lifestyle have a significant effect on the risk of heart disease; a poor diet and lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease whilst a healthy diet and lifestyle decreases the risk.
A poor diet increases the risk of coronary heart disease, for instance, a diet that is high in saturated fat is associated with high blood cholesterol levels. If blood cholesterol levels are high (240mg per 100cm3) then the risk of coronary heart disease is increased. This is due to the fact that cholesterol is one of the primary components of the fatty deposits that form atheroma. This leads to increased blood pressure which in turn, leads to risk of damage to the artery walls. This is because damaged artery walls have an increased risk of atheroma formation, which, as a result, causes a further increase in blood pressure. Atheroma leads to an increase in the formation of aneurysms. As a result of high blood pressure, aneurysms plaques damage and weaken arteries, which means that blood flow pushes the inner layers of the artery through the outer elastic layer to form a balloon-like swelling. Eventually, the aneurysm may burst, resulting in a haemorrhage. Thereafter, due to the rough surface that aneurysms leave behind on the endothelium of an artery, platelets accumulate at the area and form a blood clot. This can lead to a complete blockage of the artery and could even block blood flowing to the heart muscle. Therefore, this will lead to a myocardial infarction. This substantiates that anything that increases blood pressure, also increases the risk of coronary heart disease e.g. being overweight and having an unhealthy diet.
Embracing an unhealthy lifestyle can also lead to heart disease, for instance, cigarette smoking. This is because carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are present in cigarette smoke. Carbon monoxide combines with haemoglobin and therefore reduces the amount of oxygen transported in the blood resulting in a shortage of blood for the