One of the most important organs in the human body is the heart. All blood in the body is pumped through the heart. When there is a problem with the heart, it effects all other organs and parts of the body. Because the heart is so important, heart disease should be a primary concern for each person.

The factors affecting the development of coronary heart disease

The heart is a muscle which needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, which is carried in the blood through the coronary arteries. Heart disease is caused by narrowing of the arteries that run to the heart caused by fat and cholesterol deposits in the bloodstream, preventing the flow of blood. Coronary heart disease develops slowly and silently over years and it can go virtually unnoticed until it produces a heart attack.

Artery disease is thought to begin with damage to the lining of the walls of the arteries known as Atherosclerosis. This is a progressive disease where the lumen of the arteries become narrower which can result in partial blockage of a coronary artery causing chest pain and cramp known as angina or even total blockage which may be fatal and result in a heart attack.

Atherosclerosis is a disease that often starts at childhood and progresses over years; it progresses rapidly in older age. This is a factor of heart disease that cannot be prevented like gender, diabetes and hereditary, however it can also occur when a person has high levels of cholesterol which is a waxy, fat like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body and is used to produce many hormones. Too much cholesterol, however, deposits in the bloodstream, preventing the flow of blood. Cholesterol is a factor that can be controlled by appropriate diet; other uncontrollable factors are smoking, alcohol, blood pressure, obesity, inactivity and even stress. Each factor doubles the chance of developing CHD therefore a person with 3 of these risks, for example, is 6 times more likely of developing CHD.

When a person has an uncontrollable factor which increases their chances of developing CHD, it is advisable to minimize all controllable factors so that the chance is reduced.

High blood pressure could also be due to excessive alcohol consumption. Drinking too much can lead to high triglycerides, damage to the liver and heart muscle and produce irregular heartbeats. However alcohol can also be linked to other self destructive habits such as smoking and inactivity which could contribute. Studies have found that moderate drinkers have a lower chance of developing CHD than those non-drinkers. It is not advised though, to increase alcohol consumption as this can lead to obesity which is another factor which increases the risk but can be controlled to some extent.

Obesity and excess body fat increase the strain on the heart. It can also increase other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and the likelihood of developing diabetes. It is advised that people loose weight through a change in diet or to become active which also helps minimize the chances of developing CHD. This in turn, should have an effect on cholesterol and blood pressure levels. It may also have a positive effect on levels of stress and general attitude to health.

Tobacco has been proven to increase chances of developing heart disease as studies show that smokers are twice as likely as non smokers to suffer from a heart attack. However these statistics could be criticized as smokers generally are more stressed than non- smokers which could also lead to excessive alcohol consumption which could then have a knock on effect with the other factors. Smoke inhaled also damages the heart as it prevents oxygen reaching the heart. Those that smoke cigars and pipes are especially at risk as the blood vessels become damaged more rapidly; even non smokers that are exposed to smoke are also at risk. Smoking not only affects the individual but also creates a poor environment which can lead to ill health.

Children with parents who smoke are more likely to be affected by heart disease through passive smoking. Hereditary can also play a part in the likelihood of developing CHD. Just as people cannot control their age, sex and race, people cannot control their family history which may have a chain of sufferers of heart disease. Children are more likely to develop heart disease if their parents do. Controllable factors must therefore be minimized. African Americans are at a much higher risk than white Americans of developing CHD, this may be due to racism tension which could lead to stress but it may be the role of genetics. Your genes influence how high LDL- cholesterol (low density lipoproteins) is by affecting how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood.

Most factors are not independent from one another and are caused and affected by each other. One factor has a knock on effect to another so it is therefore hard to control all of them. Cause and effect is very difficult to distinguish between the factors as for example diabetes can cause weight gain due to diet but also obesity increases the chances of developing diabetes. This is a very biological approach to explaining the factors but social issues can also affect the chances of developing CHD. For example people who are stressed are more likely to indulge in fatty foods which increase cholesterol levels or smoke or both. Social factors are therefore also important to consider. Social class and economics may play a part in the chances of developing CHD for a number of reasons such as better healthcare and awareness of health. Higher social classes are more likely to be educated on the costs of smoking and poor diet therefore minimizing some of the controllable factors that I have highlighted.

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