Cardiovascular disease - Restore Wellness Center

What is cardiovascular disease?

Cardiovascular disease refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart's muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.

Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is the most common cause of cardiovascular disease. It occurs when plaque builds up in your arteries. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin. When plaque builds up, your arteries become narrow, which restricts blood flow to your heart muscle. Reduced blood flow can cause chest pain or heart damage. Ruptured plaque also can cause blood clots that can block blood flow to your heart muscle, causing a heart attack.

The plaque buildup and inflammation that harm your arteries also affect the rest of your body. Damaged arteries in your brain can lead to a stroke. Peripheral artery disease refers to narrowing of arteries other than those that supply blood to your heart and brain. This condition most commonly affects arteries that supply blood to your legs.

Some key risk factors for cardiovascular disease that you can control and improve include:

• High blood pressure. This increases the workload of the heart and arteries. Untreated high blood pressure damages arteries and causes them to harden and narrow.
• High cholesterol. Excess cholesterol builds up on artery walls, increasing risk of blood clots and atherosclerosis.
• Smoking. Chemicals in tobacco smoke harm blood cells and damage artery walls, making them more susceptible to fatty buildups.
• Diabetes. High blood sugar levels damage arteries and make them more prone to atherosclerosis.
• Obesity and being overweight. Excess weight strains your heart and increases your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Losing even 5% to 10% of your body weight can help reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
• Physical inactivity. Lack of exercise decreases HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and increases LDL ("bad") and total cholesterol levels. Even moderately intense physical activity helps reduce risk of heart disease.
• Unhealthy diet. Foods high in trans fats, saturated fats, sodium and sugar can worsen cardiovascular risk factors.

The good news? You can help prevent and treat coronary artery disease and heart attack through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication. Steps like quitting smoking, exercising regularly, reducing stress, and eating a heart-healthy diet all make a huge difference. If needed, medication such as aspirin, statins, beta blockers and ACE inhibitors can help manage heart disease.

At Restore Wellness Center, our experienced physicians provide cutting-edge testing and treatments to optimize your heart health. Our customized programs help you reduce cardiovascular disease risk by balancing key hormones using bioidentical hormone therapy. Contact us today to learn more - your heart will thank you!