The heart is a large muscle that pumps blood through the body to supply all of the cells of the body with oxygen so they can function. Heart disease occurs when the heart becomes weakened and cannot pump blood efficiently, so organs become deprived of oxygen. The heart often becomes enlarged, so it cannot contract to pump blood as effectively. There are a number of risk factors for heart disease, which include genetic and environmental risk factors. If you have a family history of heart disease, learn about the environmental factors that increase your risk of developing heart disease to help protect the health of your heart.
Smoking
Smoking, or exposure to second-hand smoke, increases the risk of developing heart disease. The University of Virginia reports that smoking-related disease causes almost 430,000 deaths each year, and over a third of these are cardiovascular diseases. Smoking directly contributes to heart disease by increasing blood pressure and heart rate, which puts a strain on the heart over time. It also damages blood vessels, which makes the heart work harder to pump blood throughout the body. As a result, smoking decreases blood flow in the body and deprives tissues of oxygen. Over time, this can develop into chronic heart disease.
Diet
A poor diet, especially combined with lack of exercise, can lead to heart disease. A diet high in sodium increases blood pressure, which can damage blood vessels over time to lead to cardiovascular disease. Ingesting large amounts of saturated or trans fats leads to high levels of fatty acids and cholesterol in the blood, which form deposits on the walls of the blood vessels, making it harder for the heart to pump blood to the tissues of the body, straining the heart over time. A healthy diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Reducing intake of processed foods will often decrease sodium levels to lower blood pressure, and choosing oils instead of solid fats will slow the thickening of blood vessel walls.
High-Stress Lifestyle
A lifestyle that includes high-stress environments and situations at home or at work can contribute to heart disease. Harvard Medical School reports that stress, loneliness and depression can affect heart disease and effectiveness of treatment. Stress increases blood pressure and heart rate, which can put a strain on the heart over time, contributing to heart disease. Additionally, constant stress has been linked to inflammation, which may worsen existing heart disease symptoms. A negative emotional state may also drive people to behavior that will worsen their heart condition, such as smoking or over-eating. Harvard explains that learning effective stress-management techniques to prevent and reduce stress may help in the treatment and prevention of heart disease.
