Factors affecting the development of a Coronary Heart Disease
A coronary heart disease (CHD) is a disease of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, causing damage to the heart. It happens when the arteries become narrow or blocked, wither stopping or reducing the amount of blood flow to the heart. About 300,000 (quote from ) people have heart attacks every year, and more than 110,000 in England (quote from ) die from a CHD every year. CHD is much more common in deprived areas, as treatment and care is often more readily available in more wealthy areas. CHD accounts for one third of all deaths in people aged between 45 and 64 (quote from Complete Family Health Encyclopedia) in the UK. The main risk factors that contribute towards the development of a CHD come under one of two categories; factors you can avoid, and factors that you cannot avoid. Factors that can be prevented may be such things as smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, inactivity and high stress levels. Factors that cannot be changed that cause a risk towards the development of a CHD are; age, gender, inheritance and diabetes mellitus.
From research evidence I have found out that cigarette smokers are 4 times more likely to develop a CHD than non smokers because firstly scientists believe that the carbon monoxide from the tobacco smoke leads to the inability of the red blood cells to transport oxygen, associated with a higher risk of damage to the endothelium cells in the artery. If the endothelium inside the artery does become damaged lipoproteins found inside the blood plasma will be taken up and build up inside the cells of the smooth muscle and connective tissue. This build-up of cholesterol rich fatty deposits is called an atheroma. The region of atheroma produces a plaque and as the plaque grows it bulges into the coronary artery’s lumen, narrowing or even blocking them off. This could then cause atherosclerosis. If the plaque grows too much or becomes too large it can tear the endothelium of the artery and a blood clot could form at the site of the tear. This is known as a thrombus. If the thrombus were to break away from the endothelium then it would be known as an embolus, and would be transported in the blood until it reaches a smaller blood vessel which could be leading to an area of cardiac muscle. If the embolus were to become completely lodged (an embolism) and block off the blood supply entirely to this area of cardiac muscle then this area may die and myocardial infarction (a heart attack) will occur. This can be fatal.
