HealthTip: Cardiac Care

Researchers in Finland conducted a study which found coronary artery disease to not be the only cause of sudden heart death. Coronary artery disease (CAD), also known as coronary heart disease (CHD),  is when the walls of the main blood vessels leading to the heart become narrow and/or clogged with plaque. As mentioned in previous posts, plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. It can build up over many years and can slowly prevent the flow of oxygen and blood to the heart. Once blood and oxygen flow are blocked, the heart stops beating and rapid death can occur. 78% of participants in the study died due to coronary artery disease. The interesting finding was that in those between 40-59 years old, alcohol consumption was the most common cause of death for 5.7% of participants, and obesity was the common cause of death for 5% of participants who were 60 years or older.
This study suggests that heart health can be affected by other lifestyle choices such as alcohol consumption (and not only food and exercise). So the next time you think about your heart, try to look at the big picture and consider what you're doing well and where you could maybe make some small improvements.

Information Sources
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_117168.html
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cad/