Causes of a Heart attack

Causes of a Heart attack

What are the causes of a heart attack?

·         Age - the largest risk factor. When a man is over 45 years, and a woman is over 55 years of age, their risk of having a heart attack starts to rise significantly.

·         Angina - angina is an illness where not enough oxygen is reaching the patient's heart. This raises the risk of a heart attack.

·         Blood cholesterol levels - if a person's blood cholesterol levels are high, he/she runs a higher risk of developing blood clots in the arteries. Blood clots can block the supply of blood to the heart muscle, causing a heart attack.

·         Diabetes - people with diabetes have a higher risk of developing several diseases and conditions, many of them contribute to a higher risk of heart attack.

·         Diet - a person who consumes large quantities of, for example, animal fats, or saturated fats, will eventually have a higher risk of having a heart attack.

·         Genes - you can inherit a higher risk of heart attack from your parents, and/or their parents. A person whose sibling died of a heart attack has a higher risk of suffering a fatal heart attack, a report published in the Journal of the American Heart Association informed.

·         Heart surgery - patients who have had heart surgery have a higher risk of having a heart attack.

·         Hypertension (high blood pressure) - this could be due to lack of physical activity, overweight/obesity, diabetes, genes, and some other factors.

·         Obesity, overweight - as more and more people are overweight, especially children, experts believe heart attacks will become more common in future.

·         Physical inactivity - people who do not exercise have a much higher risk of having a heart attack, compared to people who exercise regularly.

·         Previous heart attack - anybody who has already had a heart attack is more likely to have another one, compared to other people.

·         Smoking - people who smoke heavily or regularly run a much higher risk of heart attack, compared to people who never smoked and those who gave up. Smoking regularly means smoking every day.

Heart attack

Heart attack

Heart attack is the death of a segment of heart muscle caused by the loss of blood supply.

The blood supply is usually lost because a coronary artery, one that supplies blood to the heart muscle, has a blood clot, a blockage .

 If some of the heart muscle dies, the patient experiences chest pain and electrical instability of the heart muscle tissue.

Another name for a heart attack is myocardial infarction, cardiac infarction and coronary thrombosis.

Blood supply to the heart can also be undermined if the artery suddenly narrows, as in a spasm.

·         Plaque build-up, or

·         A coronary artery spasm

It can eventually lead to a heart attack, and a heart attack can occur when blood flow in a coronary artery is blocked.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack?

·         Chest discomfort, mild pain

·         Coughing

·         Nausea

·         Vomiting

·         Crushing chest pain

·         Dizziness

·         Dyspnea

·         Face seems gray

·         A feeling of terror that your life is coming to its end

·         Feeling really awful (general feeling)

·         Restlessness

·         The patient is clammy and sweaty

When somebody has a heart attack, they usually feel pain in their chest first.

The pain then spreads to the neck, jaw, ears, arms, and wrists.

The pain may also make its way into the shoulder blades, the back, and the abdomen. 

Changing position, resting or lying down does not alleviate the pain.

It is typically a constant pain, but it may sometimes come and go. Patients describe the pain as one of pressure, like a clamp squeezing inside your chest.

The pain can last from a few minutes to many hours. 

Silent heart attack - people with diabetes, and/or those over the age of 75 may experience a "silent heart attack", one with no pain at all. Painless heart attacks are more common among women than men.

Health and Fitness

Health and Fitness

• Health and Fitness is now one of the major concern areas across the world.
• Easy lifestyle is what we are moving towards.
• Very less of effort spent on most activities like, travel by motor vehicles, air-conditioned environment, ready-made food stuff, etc.
• Earlier humans used to hunt for their living, due to which their body had to undergo a lot of physical exercise.
• Every part of the body was exercised and the intake was more of natural substances.

• Even a simple 30 minutes per day of workouts and one good nutritious meal a day can help improve our health.
• This easy life has restricted humans to do that bit of physical exercise which is required to keep the body fit and healthy.
• We need a fit and healthy body.
• Becoming healthier and fitter though not very difficult needs dedicated efforts.
• Nutrition and Health Diet
• The basic foundation for a healthy individual starts from his foetal stage with proper and healthy nutrition derived from his or her mother.
• Hence, a pregnant woman's diet stands atop all diets.
• The body is like a machine that will repair and rebuild itself if proper nutrition is provided by way of food.
• Sumptuous nutrition is available in fruits and vegetables.

Exercise and Fitness

• Simple fitness exercises can help to have a fitter and healthy life. Stretching exercises can help in many ways in maintaining a fitter bodyweight can be achieved by following simple effortless regular exercises.
• Medical breakthroughs can happen by regular meditation and exercising.
• Yoga and other workouts which can be performed easily are available in this website to keep you fit and healthy.
• Health and Fitness can make all that difference in one's life. Healthy living is all that one needs, and to achieve that we picked up the best of the articles from reliable sources and have presented here in an organized manner.

Ayurveda

• It is a science in vogue practiced since centuries, uses a wide variety of plants, animal origin substances, mineral and metallic substances to rebalance the diseased condition in the sick.
• It  can  be help reduce or control diseases like diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.

Length of a Human DNA Molecule

The chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell contain all the information a cell needs to carry on its life processes. They are made up of a complex chemical (a nucleic acid) called deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA for short. Scientist's decoding of the chemical structure of DNA has led to a simple conceptual understanding of genetic processes. DNA is the hereditary material of all cells. It is a double-stranded helical macromolecule consisting of nucleotide monomers with deoxyribose sugar and the nitrogenous bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). In the chromosomes of a cell, DNA occurs as fine, spirally coiled threads that in turn coils around another, like a twisted ladder.

The DNA molecule is threaded so fine that it is only possible to see it under high powerful electron microscopes. To get a sense of exactly how long an uncoiled DNA molecule is compared to a typical cell, a cell is magnified 1000 times. At this scale, the total length of all the DNA in the cell's nucleus would be 3 km -- the equivalent distance of the Lincoln Memorial to the capital in Washington, DC.

The human genome comprises the information contained in one set of human chromosomes which themselves contain about 3 billion base pairs (bp) of DNA in 46 chromosomes (22 autosome pairs + 2 sex chromosomes). The total length of DNA present in one adult human is calculated by the multiplication of

(length of 1 bp)(number of bp per cell)(number of cells in the body)

(0.34 × 10-9 m)(6 × 109)(1013)

2.0 × 1013 meters

That is the equivalent of nearly 70 trips from the earth to the sun and back.

2.0 × 1013 meters = 133.691627 astronomical units
133.691627 / 2 = 66.8458135 round trips to the sun

On the average, a single human chromosome consists of DNA Molecule that is almost 5 centimeters.

Stop Smoking Recovery Timetable

Stop Smoking Recovery  •  20 minutes	Your blood pressure, pulse rate and the temperature of your hands and feet have returned to normal.
•  8 hours	Remaining nicotine in your bloodstream will have fallen to 6.25% of normal peak daily levels, a 93.75% reduction.
•  12 hours	Your blood oxygen level will have increased to normal and carbon monoxide levels will have dropped to normal.
•  24 hours	Anxieties have peaked in intensity and within two weeks should return to near pre-cessation levels.
•  48 hours	Damaged nerve endings have started to regrow and your sense of smell and taste are beginning to return to normal. Cessation anger and irritability will have peaked.
•  72 hours	Your entire body will test 100% nicotine-free and over 90% of all nicotine metabolites (the chemicals it breaks down into) will now have passed from your body via your urine.  Symptoms of chemical withdrawal have peaked in intensity, including restlessness. The number of cue induced crave episodes experienced during any quitting day will peak for the "average" ex-user. Lung bronchial tubes leading to air sacs (alveoli) are beginning to relax in recovering smokers. Breathing is becoming easier and the lung's functional abilities are starting to increase.
•  5 - 8 days	The "average" ex-smoker will encounter an "average" of three cue induced crave episodes per day. Although we may not be "average" and although serious cessation time distortion can make minutes feel like hours, it is unlikely that any single episode will last longer than 3 minutes. Keep a clock handy and time them.
•  10 days	10 days - The "average" ex-user is down to encountering less than two crave episodes per day, each less than 3 minutes.
•  10 days to 2 weeks	Recovery has likely progressed to the point where your addiction is no longer doing the talking. Blood circulation in your gums and teeth are now similar to that of a non-user.
•  2 to 4 weeks	Cessation related anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, impatience, insomnia, restlessness and depression have ended. If still experiencing any of these symptoms get seen and evaluated by your physician.
•  21 days	Brain acetylcholine receptor counts that were up-regulated in response to nicotine's presence have now down-regulated and receptor binding has returned to levels seen in the brains of non-smokers.
•  2 weeks to 3 months	Your heart attack risk has started to drop. Your lung function is beginning to improve.
•  3 weeks to 3 months	Your circulation has substantially improved. Walking has become easier. Your chronic cough, if any, has likely disappeared. If not, get seen by a doctor, and sooner if at all concerned, as a chronic cough can be a sign of lung cancer.
•  8 weeks	Insulin resistance in smokers has normalized despite average weight gain of 2.7 kg.
•  1 to 9 months	Any smoking related sinus congestion, fatigue or shortness of breath have decreased. Cilia have regrown in your lungs, thereby increasing their ability to handle mucus, keep your lungs clean and reduce infections. Your body's overall energy has increased.
•  1 year	Your excess risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke have dropped to less than half that of a smoker.
•  5 years	Your risk of a subarachnoid haemorrhage has declined to 59% of your risk while still smoking . If a female ex-smoker, your risk of developing diabetes is now that of a non-smoker
•  5 to 15 years	Your risk of stroke has declined to that of a non-smoker.
•  10 years	Your risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer is between 30% and 50% of that for a continuing smoker .Risk of death from lung cancer has declined by almost half if you were an average smoker (one pack per day).  Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and pancreas have declined. Risk of developing diabetes for both men and women is now similar to that of a never-smoker.
•  13 years	The average smoker able to live to age 75 has 5.8 fewer teeth than a non-smoker. But by year 13 after quitting, your risk of smoking induced tooth loss has declined to that of a never-smoker.
•  15 years	Your risk of coronary heart disease is now that of a person who has never smoked. Your risk of pancreatic cancer has declined to that of a never-smoker - but note 2nd pancreatic making identical finding at 20 years).
•  20 years	Female excess risk of death from all smoking related causes, including lung disease and cancer, has now reduced to that of a never-smoker. Risk of pancreatic cancer reduced to that of a never-smoker

Smoking - effects on your body

Smoking - effects on your body

Nicotine is the addictive drug in tobacco smoke that causes smokers to continue to smoke. Addicted smokers need enough nicotine over a day to ‘feel normal’ – to satisfy cravings or control their mood. How much nicotine a smoker needs determines how much smoke they are likely to inhale, no matter what type of cigarette they smoke.

Along with nicotine, smokers also inhale about 7,000 other chemicals in cigarette smoke. Many of these chemicals come from burning tobacco leaf. Some of these compounds are chemically active and trigger profound and damaging changes in the body.

There are over 60 known cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, causing many diseases and reducing health in general.

In Victoria, it is illegal to smoke in cars carrying children under 18 years of age.

Tobacco smoke contains dangerous chemicals

The most damaging compounds in tobacco smoke include:

Tar – this is the collective term for all the various particles suspended in tobacco smoke. The particles contain chemicals including several cancer-causing substances. Tar is sticky and brown, and stains teeth, fingernails and lung tissue. Tar contains the carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene that is known to trigger tumour development (cancer).

Carbon monoxide – this odourless gas is fatal in large doses because it takes the place of oxygen in the blood. Each red blood cell contains a protein called haemoglobin – oxygen molecules are transported around the body by binding to, or hanging onto, this protein. However, carbon monoxide binds to haemoglobin better than oxygen. This means that less oxygen reaches the brain, heart, muscles and other organs.

Hydrogen cyanide – the lungs contain tiny hairs (cilia) that help to clean the lungs by moving foreign substances out. Hydrogen cyanide stops this lung clearance system from working properly, which means the poisonous chemicals in tobacco smoke can build up inside the lungs. Other chemicals in smoke that damage the lungs include hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides, organic acids, phenols and oxidising agents.

Free radicals – these highly reactive chemicals can damage the heart muscles and blood vessels. They react with cholesterol, leading to the build-up of fatty material on artery walls. Their actions lead to heart disease, stroke and blood vessel disease.

Metals – tobacco smoke contains dangerous metals including arsenic, cadmium and lead. Several of these metals are carcinogenic.

Effects of smoking on the respiratory system

Effects of smoking on the respiratory system

                 
The effects of tobacco smoke on the respiratory system include:

• Irritation of the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (voice box)
• Reduced lung function and breathlessness due to swelling and narrowing of the lung airways and excess mucus in the lung passages
• Impairment of the lungs’ clearance system, leading to the build-up of poisonous substances, which results in lung irritation and damage
• Increased risk of lung infection and symptoms such as coughing and wheezing
• Permanent damage to the air sacs of the lungs.
• Effects of smoking on the circulatory system

The effects of tobacco smoke on the circulatory system include:

• Raised blood pressure and heart rate
• Constriction (tightening) of blood vessels in the skin, resulting in a drop in skin temperature
• Less oxygen carried by the blood
• Stickier blood, which is more prone to clotting
• Damage to the lining of the arteries, which is thought to be a contributing factor to atherosclerosis (the build-up of fatty deposits on the artery walls)
• Reduced blood flow to extremities like fingers and toes
• Increased risk of stroke and heart attack due to blockages of the blood supply.
• Effects of smoking on the immune system

The effects of tobacco smoke on the immune system include:

• The immune system doesn’t work as well
• The person is more prone to infections such as pneumonia and influenza
• Illnesses are more severe and it takes longer to get over them.
• Lower levels of protective antioxidants (such as Vitamin C), in the blood.
• Effects of smoking on the musculoskeletal system

The effects of tobacco smoke on the musculoskeletal system include:

• Tightening of certain muscles
• Reduced bone density.
• Other effects of smoking on the body

Other effects of tobacco smoke on the body include:

• Irritation and inflammation of the stomach and intestines
• Increased risk of painful ulcers along the digestive tract
• Reduced ability to smell and taste
• Premature wrinkling of the skin
• Higher risk of blindness
• Gum disease (periodontitis).
• Effects of smoking on the male body

The specific effects of tobacco smoke on the male body include:

• Lower sperm count
• Higher percentage of deformed sperm
• Genetic damage to sperm
• Impotence, which may be due to the effects of smoking on blood flow and damage to the blood vessels of the penis.
• Effects of smoking on the female body

The specific effects of tobacco smoke on the female body include:

• Reduced fertility
• Menstrual cycle irregularities or absence of menstruation
• Menopause reached one or two years earlier
• Increased risk of cancer of the cervix
• Greatly increased risk of stroke and heart attack if the smoker is aged over 35 years and taking the oral contraceptive pill.
• Effects of smoking on the unborn baby

The effects of maternal smoking on an unborn baby include:

• Increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth
• Low birth weight, which may have a lasting effect of the growth and development of children. Low birth weight is associated with an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, being overweight and diabetes in adulthood
• Increased risk of cleft palate and cleft lip
• Paternal smoking can also harm the fetus if the non-smoking mother is exposed to second-hand smoke.
• If the mother or father continues to smoke during their baby’s first year of life, the child has an increased risk of ear infections, respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and meningococcal disease.

Diseases caused by long-term smoking

• A lifetime smoker is at high risk of developing a range of potentially lethal diseases, including:
• Cancer of the lung, mouth, nose, voice box, tongue, nasal sinus, oesophagus, throat, pancreas, bone marrow (myeloid leukaemia), kidney, cervix, ovary, ureter, liver, bladder, bowel and stomach
• Lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema
• Coronary artery disease, heart disease, heart attack and stroke
• Ulcers of the digestive system
• Osteoporosis and hip fracture
• Poor blood circulation in feet and hands, which can lead to pain and, in severe cases, gangrene and amputation.