Heart Disease and Statins
Atherolsclerosis (Hardening of the arteries)
Arteriosclerosis is a condition where the arteries, the blood vessels that supply oxygen and other nutrients to the body's organs, harden and become narrower.
This can restrict the supply of blood running through the arteries.
Arteriosclerosis can be dangerous because a restricted blood flow can cause vital organs to stop functioning properly. Also, without a constant blood supply, the tissue of your body could die and become infected with bacteria (gangrene).
Cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Arteriosclerosis is a major risk factor for many different conditions involving the flow of blood. Collectively, these conditions are known as cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Examples of CVD include:
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), blood clots in the legs.
- Peripheral arterial disease, a condition where the supply of blood to your legs is blocked, causing muscle pain.
- Heart disease.
- Heart attack.
- Stroke.
CVD is the single largest cause of death in the UK, accounting for approximately 200,000 deaths per year. Most of these deaths result from either heart disease or strokes.
Prevention is best
There are many different factors that can cause your arteries to harden including high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and eating a high fat diet.
As we get older, our arteries naturally get harder, so arteriosclerosis tends to be more common in people who are over the age of 40.
As many CVDs that are associated with arteriosclerosis are serious and can prove fatal, much of the treatment for arteriosclerosis is focused on prevention.
If you have a high risk of developing a CVD, you can be given different types of medicine to reduce the risk of your arteries hardening. In severe cases of arteriosclerosis, surgery may be needed to unblock the arteries.
Arteriosclerosis can be prevented by eating a healthy diet, not smoking, taking regular exercise, and drinking alcohol in moderation.
HEART ATTACK
A heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction, or coronary thrombosis, is when part of the heart muscle dies because it has been starved of oxygen.
A heart attack usually occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the coronary arteries (the blood vessels that lead to the heart muscle), blocking the blood supply to the heart. A blockage can also sometimes be caused by a spasm (sudden narrowing) of a coronary artery.
A heart attack often causes severe and crushing pain in the middle of the chest. This pain may then travel from the chest to the neck, jaw, ears, arms and wrists. The person may also be cold and clammy, and their skin may appear pale and grey in colour.
Risk factors
A heart attack is much more likely to occur when your arteries have become narrowed. This usually happens over a period of many years. The arteries are often narrowed by fatty deposits that form on the artery walls.
There are a number of factors that can increase the risk of these fatty deposits forming. Smoking, high blood pressure, poor diet, lack of exercise and obesity are all contributing factors.
Who is affected?
Approximately six in 1,000 men in the UK aged between 30-69 years, have a heart attack each year. For women, the figure is lower, at two in 1,000. Men are three times more likely to suffer from a heart attack than women. A heart attack can cause serious complications and be potentially fatal. Half of those who die do so from cardiac arrest (when the heart stops completely) within three to four hours of the start of the attack.
After a heart attack
Many people can make a full recovery after a heart attack. Most will be able to return to work and resume their daily activities after completing their rehabilitation.
As everyone who experiences a heart attack will face different difficulties and challenges, there is no set length of recovery period. A wide range of health professionals will provide you with all the help, support and guidance that you need during your rehabilitation process.
If you suspect that someone is having a heart attack, or you are experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack, make sure you seek medical attention immediately. The sooner the treatment is received, the more effective it will be and the greater the chance of survival.
ANGINA
Angina is chest pain or discomfort, which occurs when your heart is not getting enough oxygen because of reduced blood flow to the heart. It is usually a symptom of coronary heart disease.
Blood enters the heart through two blood vessels. These are known as the coronary arteries, and they supply the heart muscle with the blood, oxygen and nutrients it needs to keep beating. Normally, the coronary arteries deliver enough blood so that the heart muscle gets the amount of oxygen it needs to work properly. However, in coronary heart disease these arteries become narrowed, which reduces the amount of blood that can pass through them.
This means that blood cannot get to the heart muscle fast enough, causing pain. This pain is known as angina. It is more likely to occur during exertion (for example, walking or climbing stairs) when the heart muscle needs more blood and oxygen as it works harder.
An episode of angina is not a heart attack. Angina is due to a temporary reduction in the flow of blood to part of the heart muscle and does not damage the heart itself. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart is cut off and results in permanent damage to the heart muscle. However, angina does indicate an increased risk of a heart attack.
Angina is common. It affects about 1 in 50 people and there are estimated to be 1.2 million people with angina in the UK. It is more common in men than women and the likelihood of it occurring increases with age.
