The Stages Of Heart Disease

Heart disease is a problem that is faced by many but understood by few. It's the leading cause of death in the United States, and it is important to know all that you can about it in order to keep yourself safe. In this article, we'll examine the separate stages of heart disease in order to increase your knowledge. There are three stages of heart disease, with the problem growing successively worse from stage one to stage three. We'll start this article with the beginnings of heart disease - stage one.

The first stage of heart disease is denoted by a higher rate of cholesterol than normal found present within the blood stream. Cholesterol is a substance that is present in many different animal products, and the buildup of cholesterol levels can result in the development of plaque within the arteries that are around the heart. The arteries will begin to become harder than they were before and less likely to be able to transport blood in and out of the heart.

In stage two of heart disease, the arterial plaques that are beginning to be accumulated begin to become more and more evident. Eventually, the clumps of cholesterol begin to resemble an open wound, and the body calls white blood cells into the area in order to repair the damage that has been done. In doing so, a hard coating is formed on top of the cholesterol. Blood flow may be constricted in stage two, and a symptom may occur in which the afflicted individual feels a sense of squeezing inside the heart. It's a symptom that is known as angina, and it can be excruciatingly painful.

Stage three of heart disease occurs when blood is trying to squeeze itself past the hardened deposits of plaque into the heart. By doing so, it may place pressure on the plaque, causing it to rip off the top of the plaque. When this occurs, blood platelets will start sticking to the plaque. This can result in complete arterial blockage, cutting off the blood supply to the heart. When this happens, a heart attack may occur.

The problem with heart disease is that some people do not experience sensations of angina within the second stage. For that reason, it can be tough to diagnose heart disease until stage three happens and a problem such as a heart attack or stroke occurs. To that end, you need to take care to ensure that you are taking as many preventative measures as you can within your life. That means that you should not smoke cigarettes, you should engage in a proper diet, and you should maintain a healthy level of exercise. If you have a problem with heart disease, it's important to remember that there are several different things that you can do to correct the problem. Angioplasty and bypass surgery are two options for correcting the problem, but they are often only undertaken after a major problem such as a heart attack or stroke occurs.

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Mike Serovey is the owner and webmaster for http://www.mikeserovey.net where you can submit your articles for free.