Types of Heart Disease
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Artery Disease or CAD also known as atherosclerosis is the main type of heart disease. Arteries of the heart are blocked or have restricted blood flow to the heart muscle. Generally the arteries are blocked or restricted from oxidized and/or calcified cholesterol or blood clots. CAD or atherosclerosis is the leading cause of heart attack.
Cholesterol itself is not bad (it is essential to life), it’s when the cholesterol binds to the arterial walls and hardens it becomes a problem. Cholesterol is the main culprit according to the medical establishment, but this does not explain the FACT that 50% of heart attacks occur to individuals with “normal” cholesterol levels. Statins, the “popular” pharmaceuticals profusely prescribed by doctors is finally being exposed as the farce that they are – the side effects actually make things worse for the patients – depleting CoQ10 (Co-enzyme Q10) which if depleted to 75% will in itself cause a heart to stop beating. When cholesterol is too low, it causes strokes!
Big 4 heart disease markers:
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lipoprotein(a) – (hereditary condition)
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C-reactive protein – (inflamation marker)
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homocysteine – methionine breakdown byproduct
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fibrinogen – blood coagulation
Lipoprotein(a) Lp(a) a hereditary factor (thick blood). High Lp(a) predicts risk of early atherosclerosis similar to high LDL, but in advanced atherosclerosis, Lp(a) is an independent risk factor not dependent on LDL.
Homocysteine levels are a better marker for heart disease than cholesterol levels. Homocysteine causes tiny pits in arterial walls and sets up cholesterol traps which form a plaque (hardened cholesterol patches) buildup. To control homocycteine levels, one needs to supplement with folate, B-6 and B-12. The mass marketed multivitamins and minerals are worthless as they are synthetic (not natural forms) of vitamins and crushed rock minerals (you can’t absorb a rock). Only natural food based vitamins and minerals are absorbed and benefit the body.
C-reactive protein or CRP is another important heart disease marker, more so than cholesterol. C-reactive protein shows inflamation levels in the body.
Fibrinogen levels determine how easily blood coagulates. High levels indicate that ones blood clots easily.
Angina
Angina is discomfort or chest pain associated with restricted blood flow to the heart muscle. It is essentially a symptom of atherosclerosis or coronary heart disease. Angina can have all the symptoms of a heart attack – chest pain, arm pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, jaw pain, back pain, sweating or indigestion. Severe pain associated with angina is called angina pectoris. These symptoms are usually brought on by digestion of a heavy meal, exposure to cold, physical exertion and/or excitement all of which increase the blood flow demand on the heart.
Heart Arrhythmias
Heart arrhythmia, heart arhythmia or heart arrythmia is a fluctuation or variation of the heart beat. Common arhythmias are racing heartbeat or fluttering heart rhythm. Usually not a serious health issue. A person may feel out of breath, faint or dizzy. A cause is not always known but it can be brought on by an electrolyte / mineral imbalance or mineral deficiency – sodium/potasium or calcium/magnesium.
Heart Attack – Myocardial Infarction (M.I.)
A heart attack is caused by a severe restriction or blockage of the heart’s blood flow for 20 minutes or more. The blockage or restriction is either a blood clot, a cholesterol blockage (possibly a broken free clump of cholesterol) or constriction and blockage of one or many heart arteries. At the first sign of a heart attack one should call or have someone call 911 and the individual should take a aspirin right away to thin the blood. Often taking an aspirin can lessen the damage to the heart by thinning the blood and allowing some blood flow that might not otherwise happen.
The symptoms of a heart attack are similar to angina, but more severe. Once an area of the heart muscle has been without adequate blood flow, the muscle starts to die. This can upset the heart’s electrical activity causing ventricular fibrillation or twitching of the muscle which takes place instead of a steady and effectively pumping heart beat. When ventricular fibrillation occurs, blood flow is interupted and CPR must be performed until a normal heartbeat can be re-established, usually by electrical shock from a defibulator or defibrillator.
Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive Heart Failure is when the heart does not pump sufficient amounts of blood to the rest of the body. The body’s organs do not receive an adequate blood supply to function. Causes can be heart attack, old age, fluid retention surrounding the heart (putting pressure on the heart and lungs), lack of essential nutrients to allow the heart to function or poisoning / toxicity, faulty heart valve or long term high blood pressure.
