Heart disease and stroke account for almost 40% of deaths in Ireland, killing almost 10,000 people here in 2005 (Central Statistics Office).
Lifestyle plays a major role in the development of heart disease and stroke. An unhealthy diet can place you at risk as it can lead to obesity and can cause high cholesterol levels. Obesity currently accounts for at least 2,500 deaths in Ireland each year (http://www.healthpromotion.ie).
Smoking is also a major cause of heart disease and smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack as non-smokers (http://www.irishheart.ie). The risk of heart disease also increases for people who get little or no physical exercise.
The heart is a muscular pump that constantly pumps blood around your body. Because it works very hard, the heart itself needs a good blood supply to its muscles. Small tubes called the coronary arteries carry blood containing oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. Narrowing of the coronary arteries makes it difficult for blood to reach the heart muscle and can lead to heart disease. A person with heart disease may experience chest pain called angina, especially after exercising.
If an artery leading to the heart muscle becomes completely blocked, it is called a heart attack. During a heart attack cells in the heart muscle may die because they are starved of vital oxygen and nutrients.
Like the heart, the brain is also supplied with arteries to feed it with oxygen and nutrients. If an artery leading to the brain is completely blocked, brain cells may die and brain damage may occur-this is known as a stroke.
A number of factors which cause heart disease and stoke have been identified. Some of these are factors you have no control over, e.g. your age, family history, or gender. These are known as 'non-modifiable' risk factors.
However there are also many 'modifiable' risk factors which you do have control over, e.g. high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity (being overweight), and lack of exercise. By controlling your modifiable risk factors you can reduce your overall risk of developing heart disease or stroke.
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A healthier lifestyle is your best defence against developing heart disease and stroke. There are many things you can do to protect yourself:
A balanced diet which is low in fat can help you to protect your heart by lowering the amount of LDL ('bad') cholesterol. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is known as the 'bad form' of cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol in the blood tends to stick to the walls of arteries and this can build up over time causing a 'plaque' to form. This plaque hardens the walls of the arteries and makes it more difficult for blood to get through.
A reasonable level of regular exercise is good for your heart, and also helps you to look and feel better. When combined with a balanced diet is helps to keep your weight at a healthy level. Taking the first steps to being more active can be as simple as taking the stairs rather than the lift, doing some gardening or walking to your local shop instead of driving there. Before undertaking any exercise plan, please discuss it with your doctor.
If you're overweight, a sensible diet coupled with regular exercise will help get your BMI (Body Mass Index) to a healthier level. Your BMI is a number which is based on your height-weight ratio and gives an indication of whether you are overweight or not. Your BMI should be less than 25.
If you're a smoker, giving up will reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke and improve all aspects of your general health. The good news is that within five years of quitting, the risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker. Within 10 years, you will have about the same risk of heart disease as someone who has never smoked (http://www.irishhealth.ie).
An estimated 230 million people suffer from diabetes worldwide (International Diabetes Federation. Diabetes Atlas 2nd edition. Unite for Diabetes Campaign Media Kit. Available at http://www.unitefordiabetes.org/assets/files/About_diabetes.pdf), a figure the World Health Organisation expects to rise to 366 million by 2030 (World Health Organization. Country and Regional Data. 2005. Available at:
http://www.who.int/diabetes/facts/world_figures/en/).
In Ireland it is estimated that there are between 140,000 – 200,000 people with diabetes and a further 100,000-200,000 have diabetes but are unaware that they have the condition (Making Diabetes Count. First Report of the Irish Diabetes Prevalence Working Group, Ireland and Northern Ireland’s Population Health Observatory (INIsPHO), Institute of Public Health in Ireland. April 2006 and Diabetes Federation of Ireland). Available at:
http://www.diabetesireland.ie/Website/content/default.aspx.
There are two main types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes which generally occurs at a younger age (<35 years) and in which a person produces no insulin and must administer insulin regularly to regulate glucose levels and to remain healthy.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by both a shortage of insulin (insulin deficiency) and a fault in the way the body uses the insulin it produces (insulin resistance). It is the more common form, generally seen in people over the age of forty, and is progressive. Its causes are varied but may include obesity, increasing age, and sedentary lifestyle. An individual’s ethnicity may also predispose them to diabetes.
Acute symptoms in both types are similar and include: frequent urination, excessive thirst, weight loss, fatigue and blurred vision.
For people with type 1 and many people with type 2 diabetes, administering insulin is the cornerstone for treating the condition. In 2006, Pfizer Healthcare Ireland was, alongside Germany, the first country in the world to offer Inhaled Insulin to persons with diabetes. It is the first viable alternative to injecting insulin since insulin was discovered in 1921 and so offers a valuable choice to patients with diabetes.
For further information and support for those with diabetes, please visit the Diabetes Federation of Ireland website http://www.diabetesireland.ie
Many other medicines are also used in the treatment of diabetes, its complications and in the prevention of future complications. Pfizer has many medicines in this area such as a blood-pressure reducing agent cholesterol-lowering agent and a treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is also known as high blood pressure of the lungs. It is a disease that affects the heart and lungs.
The heart pumps blood throughout the body. Here’s how it works:
1. Blood from the body enters the right side of the heart.
2. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs through the pulmonary (lung) artery.
3. In the lungs, the blood picks up oxygen that you breathe in and travels to the left side of the heart. The left side of the heart then pumps this blood to the rest of the body.
4. Blood then returns to the right side of the heart, and the process starts over.
When someone has PAH, the pulmonary arteries become narrow or blocked. This means the heart has to work harder to push the blood through the lungs. Over time, the heart cannot keep up. Less blood flows through the lungs to pick up oxygen. This results in PAH symptoms such as trouble breathing, dizziness, or feeling tired a lot.
The first sign of PAH is often shortness of breath. Over time, people may start to feel dizzy or faint. They may also think their symptoms mean something else, such as asthma or heart disease. Only through proper diagnosis that includes a series of tests can a doctor know whether you have PAH.
Symptoms get worse as the disease progresses. The worse you feel, the more advanced your PAH may be. Symptoms of PAH include:
These symptoms can often make it hard to do simple things like climbing stairs. As the disease gets worse, it may be hard to carry out daily tasks.
People may have some or all of these symptoms depending on how long they have had the disease.
PAH is a rare disease. Yet it is found in men and women of all races and ages. It is more common among women between the ages of 20 and 40.
No one knows for sure why people get PAH. Doctors are learning more and more every day. Sometimes the cause of PAH is not clear. It may run in families. However, if someone in your family has PAH, that doesn’t mean you will get it.
PAH can also be caused by:
PAH is also found in people who have used certain diet pills or illegal drugs like cocaine.
In order for the doctor to be sure you have PAH, the following test may be taken:
The doctor may also order tests to confirm that you have PAH. Diagnosing PAH can be hard since symptoms are like those of other heart and lung conditions. The first thing the doctor will do is ask you about any symptoms you may have. Then you will be given a physical exam.
During the exam the doctor will: